William Gros (born 31 March 1992) is a professional footballer who plays as a striker for JS Saint-Pierroise and the Madagascar national team.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 31 March 1992 | ||
| Place of birth | St. Pierre, Réunion | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | FC Fleury 91 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Le Havre | |||
| JS Saint-Pierroise | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2010–2014 | Kilmarnock | 50 | (2) |
| 2014 | Oldham Athletic | 1 | (0) |
| 2015–2016 | Bangkok | ||
| 2014–2015 | Toulouse Rodéo | 11 | (2) |
| 2016–2020 | AS Vitré | 57 | (14) |
| 2020–2022 | FC Fleury 91 | ||
| 2022– | JS Saint-Pierroise | ||
| International career‡ | |||
| 2018– | Madagascar[1] | 4 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11:34, 27 November 2023 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 09:55, 2 February 2020 (UTC) | |||
Club career
Gros played in France for Le Havre and in his native Réunion for JS Saint-Pierroise before signing for Scottish club Kilmarnock in September 2010.[2] After making a substitute appearance, he scored on his first start for the club in March 2011 against St Mirren.[2] Gros signed a new three-year contract with the club in August 2013.[3] In March 2014, following a lack of games, Gros announced he was considering his future at the club.[4]
In June 2014 Gros went on trial with English club Oldham Athletic.[5] On 21 July 2014, Gros signed a one-month contract with the club.[6][7] Oldham manager Lee Johnson told Gros to prove his fitness in order to earn a longer contract with the club.[8] Gros was released by the club on 21 August 2014.[9]
He then returned to France, playing with Toulouse Rodéo and AS Vitré.[10]
Gros then joined FC Fleury 91 in the summer of 2020.[11]
Gros rejoined JS Saint-Pierroise in the summer of 2022.[citation needed]
International career
Gros has distant Malagasy ancestry, a great-great-grandmother,[12] a generation that usually exceeds those allowed by the FIFA eligibility rules (parents and grandparents). However, he was called up to the Madagascar national team on 11 August 2018.[13] He made his professional debut for Madagascar in a 1–0 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification win over Equatorial Guinea on 16 October 2018.[14]
Personal life
Gros was born to a Martiniquais father and a Réunionnais mother of Malagasy descent.[15] He is the cousin of the footballers Vincent and Mathieu Acapandié.[16]
Career statistics
- As of 30 June 2019
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Other | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Kilmarnock | 2010–11[17] | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 1 |
| 2011–12[18] | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2012–13[19] | 17 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 1 | |
| 2013–14[20] | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | |
| Total | 50 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 56 | 2 | |
| Oldham Athletic | 2014–15[21] | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Toulouse Rodéo | 2014–15[10] | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 2 |
| AS Vitré | 2016–17[10] | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 3 |
| 2017–18[10] | 24 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 3 | |
| 2018–19[10] | 25 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 10 | |
| Total | 57 | 14 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 63 | 16 | |
| Career total | 119 | 18 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 132 | 20 | |