A stocky left-back blessed with exceptional pace, Arthur Boka joined VfB Stuttgart at the start of their Bundesliga title-winning campaign of 2006/07. An Ivory Coast international, he has been dubbed the 'African Roberto Carlos'.

• Born in the Ivorian capital of Abidjan, he started his career with local side ASEC Mimosas, winning two domestic league titles in his teens before leaving in 2002 to join a cluster of his fellow countrymen at Belgian club KSK Beveren.

• Scored on his league debut for Beveren (a 3-0 defeat of RAEC Mons) and became a regular over the next two seasons before moving to French Ligue 1 outfit RC Strasbourg.

• Won French League Cup in his first season with the Alsace club, beating SM Caen 2-1 in the Stade de France final; reached fourth round of UEFA Cup in second season, scoring his first European goal in the opening group game at FC Basel 1893 (2-0).

• First capped by Ivory Coast in 2004, he started all three matches at the 2006 FIFA World Cup and remained in Germany afterwards, joining Stuttgart following Strasbourg's relegation.

• Made 19 appearances and scored one goal in Stuttgart's 2006/07 Bundesliga-winning campaign; only outfield ever-present for VfB in group stage of 2009/10 UEFA Champions League.

Did you know?
Boka was kept on the bench throughout the Ivory Coast's 2010 CAF Africa Cup of Nations campaign in Angola.