FLASHBACK Aruna Dindane, born on November 26, 1980, in Abidjan, moved to Anderlecht in 2000. Dindane made his debut on September 19 in the Champions League and initially remained in the shadow of the successful striker duo Koller-Radzinski. On March 14, he scored his first Champions League goal, against Real Madrid. Aruna would later develop into an absolute dribbling sensation at the then Vanden Stock Stadium.
In total, he scored 49 times in 130 matches for the Mauves. He also won the Golden Shoe, the Ebony Shoe, and was named Professional Footballer of the Year. Despite all these awards, his final year at Anderlecht was not a happy one: he lost his sister and brother to cancer and malaria.
He left in 2005 for Lens for 2.5 million euros after a real transfer saga. On a personal level, tragedy struck again: Aruna lost his five-month-old daughter.
After that, he moved to Portsmouth, where he reunited with Vanden Borre. In 2013, he ended his career at Crystal Palace, following stints in Qatar. He was also an international player for Ivory Coast for 10 years.
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In a flashback article, we look back in time at an important event for the club or a former player.
