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)
Playing position	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)
National team‡
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)
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 18 May 2014. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 15 November 2011

David Degen (born 15 February 1983) is a former Swiss footballer. He played as a right midfielder for teams like 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, making them half Dutch.

David Degen's Football Journey

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

Early Professional Career

David began his professional journey with FC Aarau in 2000. He played there for three years before returning to his former youth club, FC Basel, in 2003.

Success with FC Basel

During his first time with FC Basel, David helped the team win two important titles. They won the Swiss Super League in both the 2003–04 and 2004–05 seasons. This was a great start to his senior career.

Playing in Germany

In 2006, David decided to try playing in Germany. He moved to a club called Borussia Mönchengladbach in the Bundesliga. He made his first appearance for them on 14 October 2006. In that very first game against VfL Wolfsburg, he scored his first goal for his new team!

However, after Borussia Mönchengladbach was moved down to a lower league in 2007, David was loaned back to FC Basel for the 2007–08 season.

Return to Switzerland

On 22 August 2008, David Degen moved back to Switzerland permanently. He joined BSC Young Boys, where he played for four seasons. He was a key player, appearing in 106 league matches and scoring 17 goals for the team.

Back to Basel for Good

On 31 May 2012, FC Basel announced that David was coming back to the club. His twin brother, Philipp, also joined at the same time. David's first game back for Basel was on 13 July against Servette FC. He scored the winning goal, helping his team to a 1–0 victory!

At the end of the 2012–13 season, David helped Basel win another league championship. They also reached the final of the 2012–13 Swiss Cup, but finished as runners-up. In European competitions, Basel made it to the semi-finals of the 2012–13 UEFA Europa League. They played against Chelsea, a very strong team, but were eventually knocked out.

In the 2013–14 season, David won his fifth league championship with Basel. They also reached the final of the 2013–14 Swiss Cup, but lost to Zürich. In the 2013–14 UEFA Champions League, Basel did well in the group stage, finishing third. This allowed them to play in 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 also played for the Switzerland national football team. He was chosen for the Swiss squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Although he played in some warm-up games, he didn't get to play in the main World Cup matches. He was not selected for the UEFA Euro 2008 squad.

Football Achievements

David Degen won many titles during his career, especially with FC Basel.

Club Trophies

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

Club Statistics Summary

Here's a quick look at David Degen's career numbers in different leagues.