Having begun at ASEC Mimosas in his native Ivory Coast and Mamelodi Sundowns in South Africa, he went on to spend most of his professional career in France.

Tiéné started his career at homeland club ASEC Abidjan, where he came through the famed youth academy that has produced many of the Ivory Coast national team of today, before he eventually moved abroad to play in the South African Premier Soccer League for Mamelodi Sundowns.

In the summer of 2005, he made the move to Europe to play for French Ligue 1 club Saint-Étienne, where he stayed until October 2006.

He joined Ligue 2 side Stade de Reims on loan after being unable to get a place in the Saint-Étienne midfield.

He was head coach Vahid Halilhodžić's first-choice left-back instead of Arthur Boka in the first match at Group B in Cabinda on 11 January, a 0–0 draw against Burkina Faso, and later in the competition.