Geoffrey Edwin Kondogbia (born 15 February 1993) is a professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for La Liga club Atlético Madrid. Born in France, he represents the Central African Republic national team. He can also play as a central defender or left back. Kondogbia started his career at Lens, then signed with Sevilla at the age of 19. In 2013 he was bought by Monaco for €20 million, and then by Inter Milan for €31 million two years later. He returned to Spain in 2017 to play for Valencia, and in 2020 moved to Atlético Madrid. Kondogbia earned 57 caps for France across its youth levels, before making his debut for the senior team in 2013. In August 2018, he was cap-tied to the Central African Republic by switching his allegiance, and made his debut for its national team in an official match shortly after. Club career Lens Kondogbia was born in Nemours, Seine-et-Marne of Central African descent, joining Lens' youth system at the age of 11. On 11 April 2010 he signed his first professional contract, agreeing to a four-year deal. He made his debut in Ligue 1 on 21 November, appearing as a late substitute against Olympique Lyonnais. Kondogbia spent the 2011–12 season in Ligue 2 after the Sang et Ors relegation. He scored his only official goal for the team on 13 April 2012, netting the opener in a 3–0 success at Tours FC. Sevilla On 24 July 2012, Kondogbia signed with Spanish club Sevilla FC for an undisclosed fee, believed to be in the region of €3 million. He first appeared in La Liga on 15 September, replacing goalscorer Piotr Trochowski in the 82nd minute of the 1–0 defeat of reigning champions Real Madrid, at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium. He scored his first goal for the Andalusians on 28 January 2013, heading home the first for his team in an eventual 3–0 home derby win against Granada CF. In Sevilla's semi-final second leg tie of the Copa del Rey against eventual winners Atlético Madrid, on 27 February 2013, Kondogbia picked up a red card as his team ended the match with nine men in the 2–2 home draw, and fell to a 3–4 aggregate loss. Monaco Kondogbia returned to the French top division on 31 August 2013, signing a five-year contract with newly promoted AS Monaco FC worth a reported €20 million. He