David Sommeil facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | David Sommeil | ||
| Date of birth | 10 August 1974 | ||
| Place of birth | Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe | ||
| Height | 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Centre-back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1992–1993 | Saint-Lô | ||
| 1993 | Caen | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1993–1998 | Caen | 119 | (1) |
| 1998–2000 | Rennes | 64 | (1) |
| 2000–2002 | Bordeaux | 77 | (1) |
| 2002–2006 | Manchester City | 49 | (4) |
| 2004 | → Marseille (loan) | 13 | (0) |
| 2006–2007 | Sheffield United | 5 | (0) |
| 2007–2008 | Valenciennes | 20 | (0) |
| Total | 347 | (7) | |
| International career | |||
| 2007 | Guadeloupe | 8 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
David Sommeil (born 10 August 1974) is a former professional footballer from Guadeloupe. He played as a defender.
David played his whole career in France and England. He started with Caen, then moved to Rennes and Bordeaux. Later, he played in the Premier League for Manchester City and Sheffield United. He also had a short time playing for Marseille on loan. He finished his career in 2008 with Valenciennes.
David also played for the Guadeloupe national team eight times. He was part of the team that played in the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Contents
Playing Career
David Sommeil was born in Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe. He began his football journey with a non-league team called Saint-Lô. He then became a professional player with SM Caen. His first professional game was on 8 February 1994 against Le Havre AC.
After playing for Caen, he joined Rennes. He became well-known when he played for Bordeaux. While at Bordeaux, he even played for the French national 'B' team.
Time at Manchester City
In January 2003, Kevin Keegan, the manager of Manchester City, signed David Sommeil. He joined the club for about £3 million and signed a three-and-a-half-year contract.
David started well at Manchester City, playing in many first-team games. He made history by scoring Manchester City's first league goal at their new home, the City of Manchester Stadium. This happened in the first home game of the 2003–04 season. However, after January, he played less often for the next two seasons.
In February 2004, David went to Olympique Marseille on a temporary loan. This deal also involved another player, Daniel Van Buyten, coming to Manchester City on loan.
David returned to Manchester City for the 2004–05 season. However, he faced many injuries that season and only played in two games. In the 2005–06 season, he played in just 16 games. Part of this was due to a broken cheekbone, which meant he had to wear a special protective mask when he returned to play. He also received a three-game ban for a tackle on Tottenham Hotspur's Lee Young-Pyo.
Moving to Sheffield United
David's contract with Manchester City ended in May 2006. He had played fewer than 50 games for the club. He was one of ten players released by Manchester City that year.
However, he quickly returned to the Premier League. On 24 May 2006, he signed a two-year contract with Sheffield United, a team that had just been promoted. David played in only five league games for Sheffield United after joining them.
Final Club and Health
On 19 July 2007, David left Sheffield United. He signed a two-year deal with Valenciennes FC, a team in France's top league, Ligue 1.
During a training session with Valenciennes on 20 August 2008, David had a serious health issue. The 34-year-old player collapsed during the session. After being in a coma for six days, he woke up. He slowly began to recover his speech and was able to use his arms again. By 9 October, his condition was improving, and he could walk again.
Achievements
David Sommeil won some important titles during his career:
Caen
- French Division 2: 1996
Bordeaux
- Coupe de la Ligue: 2001–02
See also
In Spanish: David Sommeil para niños
