Willy Boly


Willy-Arnaud Zobo Boly is a French professional footballer who plays as a centre back for Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Club career

Auxerre

Born in Melun, Seine-et-Marne, Boly played youth football for three clubs, also having a three-year spell at the INF Clairefontaine academy. He made his senior debut with AJ Auxerre's reserves and, in February 2011, he signed his first professional contract after agreeing to a three-year deal with an option for a fourth.
On 16 April 2011, Boly made his Ligue 1 debut by playing the full 90 minutes in a 1–0 away win against Toulouse FC. He scored his first goal in the competition the following matchday, in a 1–1 home draw to RC Lens.
Boly was an undisputed starter in the 2011–12 season, but the AJA were relegated to Ligue 2 after finishing last.

Braga

On 1 September 2014, Boly moved to Portugal and joined S.C. Braga on a four-year deal. He spent his first season with the B-team, in the Segunda Liga.

Porto

On 31 August 2016, Boly signed a five-year contract with FC Porto with a €45 million buyout clause. He played only eight competitive matches during his spell, including the 0–1 away loss against Juventus F.C. for the last-16 stage of the UEFA Champions League where he featured the second half after coming on as a substitute for André Silva.

Wolverhampton Wanderers

On 8 July 2017, Boly joined EFL Championship club Wolverhampton Wanderers on a season-long loan, reuniting him with his former head coach Nuno Espírito Santo. He made his competitive debut for Wolverhampton on the opening day of the 2017–18 season in a 1–0 home win against Middlesbrough, and scored his first goal with them on 31 October to help Wolves win 2–0 away against Norwich City.
After making 37 official appearances and helping them achieve promotion, Boly signed a permanent contract with Wolves. He made his Premier League debut on 11 August 2018, in a 2–2 home draw against Everton. He scored his first goal in the competition two weeks later in a 1–1 home draw to Manchester City, but the goal proved controversial as television replays showed the ball was deflected into the goal by his forearm after glancing off his head.
Boly scored his first ever goal in UEFA European competition in Wolves's 2019–20 UEFA Europa League Group Stage game against Beşiktaş in Istanbul on 3 October 2019, a game that Wolves won 1–0.
Boly fractured his left fibula in training on 26 October 2019, necessitating surgery to insert a plate and screws on 30 October 2019. Boly returned from this injury in Wolves's 0–0 draw away to Manchester United on 1 February 2020, although he had been an unused substitute in Wolves's previous Premier League fixture at home to Liverpool on 23 January 2020.

International career

Born to Ivorian parents, Boly represented France at under-16, under-17 and under-19 levels.

Career statistics

Honours

Braga
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Individual