Philippe Christanval facts for kids

Philippe Charles Lucien Christanval (born August 31, 1978) is a former professional football player from France. He played as a centre-back, which is a defender in the middle of the field. Philippe played for famous clubs like Monaco, Barcelona, Marseille, and Fulham. He also played six times for the French national team and was part of their squad for the 2002 FIFA World Cup.

Early Life and Football Beginnings

Philippe Christanval was born in Paris, the capital city of France. He started his youth football career at Sarcelles. Later, he joined the youth teams of Monaco and Clairefontaine, a famous French football academy.

Club Career Highlights

Philippe Christanval played for several top football clubs during his career. He started in France, then moved to Spain, and finally played in England.

Playing for Monaco

Christanval began his professional career at AS Monaco in 1999. He played in 81 matches for the club and scored one goal. During his time there, Monaco won the French league title in the 1999–2000 season. This success also earned him the title of Young Player of the Year. He also played in several UEFA Champions League matches, which is a big European club competition.

Time at Barcelona and Marseille

In June 2001, Christanval moved to Barcelona in Spain. This was a dream come true for him, as Barcelona was the team he supported when he was a child. After playing for Barcelona, he joined Marseille in France on July 18, 2003. In his first season with Marseille, his team reached the final of the 2004 UEFA Cup Final. However, they lost the match 2–0 to Valencia, and Philippe was a substitute who did not play in the final.

Joining Fulham in England

After leaving Marseille, Christanval had a trial with Arsenal in London, but their manager decided not to sign him. He then joined another Premier League team, Fulham, on September 9, 2005. The manager at Fulham, Chris Coleman, was very positive about him.

When he first played for Fulham, he often played as a defensive midfielder. Later, he moved back to his usual position as a centre-back. He scored his only Premier League goal for Fulham on January 13, 2007. It was a late goal that helped his team draw 3–3 against West Ham United.

In the 2007–08 season, he only played one match as a substitute. Fulham released him at the end of that season. He tried to find a new club, even having a trial with Blackburn Rovers. However, he was unable to find a new team and decided to retire from football on April 9, 2009.

International Career for France

Philippe Christanval also represented his country, France, in international football.

Youth and Senior Team Appearances

He was part of the French squad for the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship. This is a tournament for young players from around the world.

He made his first appearance for the senior French national team on October 7, 2000. This was in a friendly match against South Africa, which ended in a 0–0 draw. He played four more friendly matches in 2002. His last game for France was a 2–1 win against Cyprus in a qualifying match for UEFA Euro 2004. He was chosen to be part of the French squad for the 2002 FIFA World Cup, but he did not play in any of the matches during the tournament.

Personal Life

An artificial football pitch in his hometown of Sarcelles was named after Philippe Christanval. This shows how much he is respected in his community.

Career Achievements

Philippe Christanval won several titles and awards during his football career.

Team Honours

• Monaco
  • French Division 1: 1999–2000
  • Trophée des Champions: 2000 (a French Super Cup)
• Marseille
  • UEFA Cup runner-up: 2003–04 (his team reached the final)

Individual Awards

• UNFP Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year: 2000 (This award recognized him as the best young player in the French league.)

See also

In Spanish: Philippe Christanval para niños