David Degen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
David Degen

David Degen (January 2007)
Personal information
Full name	David Degen
Date of birth	(1983-02-15) 15 February 1983 (age 42)
Place of birth	Liestal, Switzerland
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s)	Right winger
Youth career
1990–1996	FC Oberdorf
1996–1999	FC Basel
1999–2000	FC Aarau
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2000–2003	FC Aarau	30	(3)
2003–2006	FC Basel	61	(8)
2006–2008	VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach	18	(2)
2007–2008	→ FC Basel (loan)	20	(3)
2008–2012	BSC Young Boys	106	(17)
2012–2014	FC Basel	34	(3)
Total		269	(36)
International career‡
2000–2001	Switzerland U-17	10	(3)
2001	Switzerland U-19	4	(0)
2002–2003	Switzerland U-20	6	(0)
2003–2005	Switzerland U-21	24	(6)
2006–2011	Switzerland	17	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18 May 2014 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 15 November 2011

David Degen (born on February 15, 1983) is a former Swiss footballer. He mostly played as a right midfielder for FC Basel in the Swiss Super League. David has a twin brother, Philipp Degen, who was also a professional football player. Their mother is from the Netherlands, which means David is half Dutch.

David Degen's Football Journey

Starting Out in Youth Football

David Degen began playing football at a young age with his local club, FC Oberdorf, in 1990. In 1996, he joined the youth teams of FC Basel. He played for their Under-18 and Under-21 teams, showing great promise.

Early Professional Career

David started his professional career at FC Aarau in 2000. He played there for three seasons before returning to FC Basel in 2003. During his first time with Basel, he helped the team win two Swiss League titles. These were in the 2003–04 and 2004–05 seasons.

Playing in Germany and Returning Home

In 2006, David moved to Germany to play for Bundesliga club Borussia Mönchengladbach. He made his first appearance for the team on October 14, 2006, against VfL Wolfsburg. He even scored his first goal for them in that very game!

After Borussia Mönchengladbach was moved to a lower league in the 2006–07 season, David was loaned back to his old club, FC Basel, for the 2007–08 season. On August 22, 2008, he returned to Switzerland permanently. This time, he joined BSC Young Boys. David played for Young Boys for four seasons, appearing in 106 league matches and scoring 17 goals.

Final Years at FC Basel

On May 31, 2012, FC Basel announced that David Degen had signed a new contract with them until June 2015. His brother, Philipp, also joined the team at the same time. David played his first game back with Basel on July 13, scoring the winning goal in a 1–0 victory against Servette FC.

At the end of the 2012–13 season, David helped Basel win another Swiss Super League championship. They also reached the final of the Swiss Cup, but finished as runners-up. In the 2012–13 UEFA Europa League, Basel made it all the way to the semi-finals. They played against Chelsea, who were the champions of the UEFA Champions League at the time. Basel was eventually knocked out of the competition.

David Degen won his fifth league championship with Basel at the end of the 2013–14 Super League season. They also reached the final of the 2013–14 Swiss Cup, but lost to Zürich. In the 2013–14 UEFA Champions League, Basel finished third in their group. This allowed them to move into the Europa League knockout phase, where they reached the quarter-finals. After this season, David Degen decided to retire from professional football.

Playing for Switzerland

David Degen was chosen to be part of the Swiss squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He played in some warm-up games before the main tournament. However, he was not selected for the team that played in UEFA Euro 2008.

Trophies and Achievements

Basel

• Swiss Super League: 2003–04, 2004–05, 2007–08, 2012–13, 2013–14
• Swiss Cup: 2002–03, 2007–08
• Uhren Cup: 2003, 2013

See also

In Spanish: David Degen para niños