Laurent Ciman facts for kids
Ciman with Toronto FC in 2020
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Laurent Franco Ciman | ||
| Date of birth | 5 August 1985 | ||
| Place of birth | Farciennes, Belgium | ||
| Height | 1.84 m | ||
| Playing position | Defender | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2004–2008 | Charleroi | 85 | (3) |
| 2008–2010 | Club Brugge | 16 | (0) |
| 2009–2010 | → Kortrijk (loan) | 34 | (2) |
| 2010–2015 | Standard Liège | 152 | (6) |
| 2015–2017 | Montreal Impact | 85 | (2) |
| 2018 | Los Angeles FC | 22 | (3) |
| 2018 | Dijon | 9 | (0) |
| 2019–2020 | Toronto FC | 29 | (0) |
| Total | 432 | (16) | |
| National team | |||
| 2004–2008 | Belgium U21 | 5 | (0) |
| 2008 | Belgium Olympic | 1 | (0) |
| 2010–2018 | Belgium | 20 | (1) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 2021–2024 | CF Montréal (assistant) | ||
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Laurent Franco Ciman, born on August 5, 1985, is a former professional footballer from Belgium. He played as a defender, which is a player who helps protect the goal. Ciman played for several clubs in Belgium, Canada, and France during his career. He also represented his home country, Belgium, in international matches.
Contents
Laurent Ciman's Football Journey
Starting with Charleroi
Laurent Ciman started his football journey in the youth academy of Charleroi. He played his first game for their main team in 2004. His strong play at Charleroi caught the eye of other top Belgian football clubs.
Moving to Club Brugge
In June 2008, Ciman moved from Charleroi to Club Brugge. He signed a three-year contract with this Belgian team. During the 2009–10 season, he was loaned to Kortrijk to gain more playing experience.
Success at Standard Liège
On June 16, 2010, Laurent Ciman joined Standard Liège with a four-year contract. He quickly became a regular starter for the team. Ciman helped Standard Liège win the 2010–11 Belgian Cup in 2011. He played 194 games for the club and scored eight goals before leaving in early 2015.
Playing in Major League Soccer
Joining Montreal Impact
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On January 22, 2015, Ciman signed a three-year deal with Major League Soccer (MLS) club Montreal Impact. In his very first season with the team, he was named the MLS Defender of the Year. This award goes to the best defender in the league. In July 2016, he was also chosen to play in the 2016 MLS All-Star Game.
Time with Los Angeles FC
On December 12, 2017, Ciman was traded to a new MLS team, Los Angeles FC (LAFC). He made history on April 29, 2018, by scoring the first-ever goal at LAFC's new stadium, Banc of California Stadium. It was a free kick in the final minutes of the game.
Short Stay at Dijon
Ciman moved to France on August 28, 2018, joining Ligue 1 club Dijon FCO. He signed a two-year contract. However, after only four months, his contract with Dijon ended by agreement between both sides.
Returning to MLS with Toronto FC
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On December 27, 2018, Ciman returned to MLS, signing with Toronto FC. After the 2020 season, Toronto FC decided not to renew his contract.
Representing Belgium
Ciman was part of the Belgium squad that finished fourth at the 2008 Summer Olympics. He also played for Belgium's Under-21 national team.
He made his debut for the senior Belgium national team on May 19, 2010, in a friendly match against Bulgaria.
Ciman was selected for Belgium's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Although he didn't play in that tournament, Belgium reached the quarter-finals. He was also part of the squad for UEFA Euro 2016. In this tournament, he played in Belgium's first game, which was a 2–0 loss to Italy.
In May 2018, he was named as an alternate player for Belgium's squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
Coaching Role
On February 24, 2021, CF Montréal announced that Laurent Ciman would become an assistant coach for the club. Ciman and Montréal decided to part ways in December 2024.
Personal Life
Laurent Ciman is married to Diana, and they have two children: a daughter named Nina and a son named Achille. His daughter, Nina, has autism. Because Montreal offered better support services for his daughter than Belgium, Ciman moved his family there in 2015. He continued to live in Montreal even when he played for Toronto FC. In 2020, Ciman became a permanent resident of Canada. This status allowed him to be counted as a local player for MLS teams.
Career Achievements
Club Honors
- Club Brugge
- Bruges Matins: 2009
- Standard Liège
- Belgian Cup: 2010–11
- Montreal Impact
- CONCACAF Champions League: Runner-up 2014–15 (meaning they finished second)
- Toronto FC
- MLS Eastern Conference: 2019
- MLS Cup: Runner-up 2019 (meaning they finished second)
Individual Awards
- MLS All-Star: 2015, 2016, 2018 (chosen as one of the best players in the league)
- MLS Defender of the Year: 2015 (named the best defender in MLS)
- MLS Best XI: 2015 (chosen as one of the top eleven players in the league)
See also
In Spanish: Laurent Ciman para niños
