William Gallas facts for kids
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Gallas in 2018
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | William Eric Gallas | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 17 August 1977 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Asnières-sur-Seine, France | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Defender | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1987–1992 | Villeneuve-la-Garenne | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 1992–1993 | RCF Paris | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 1992–1994 | INF Clairefontaine | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 1994–1995 | Caen | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1995–1997 | Caen | 34 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1997–2001 | Marseille | 85 | (2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2001–2006 | Chelsea | 159 | (12) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2010 | Arsenal | 101 | (12) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2013 | Tottenham Hotspur | 61 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2014 | Perth Glory | 15 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 455 | (28) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1997 | France U20 | 3 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1997–1998 | France U21 | 11 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2002–2010 | France | 84 | (5) | |||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||||||||
William Eric Gallas (born on August 17, 1977) is a French football coach and former professional footballer. He was a strong defender who played for many top clubs. William Gallas spent most of his career playing in France and England. He finished his playing days in Australia with A-League club Perth Glory. Today, Gallas works as a youth team coach for the Hungarian club Zalaegerszegi TE.
Gallas started his football journey in France. Later, he moved to England and joined Chelsea in 2001. In 2006, he moved to Arsenal as part of a player exchange. He then made a big move to Arsenal's rivals, Tottenham Hotspur, in 2010. William Gallas officially retired from playing professional football on October 16, 2014.
Contents
William Gallas's Early Life and Career Beginnings
William Gallas was born in Asnières-sur-Seine, France. He has family connections to other athletes. His cousin, Ludovic Quistin, was also a footballer. Another cousin, Mathieu Bastareaud, is a famous French rugby union player.
Starting Out in France
Gallas learned his football skills at the famous French academy, Clairefontaine. He began his professional career at Caen, a team in the second division. He helped them win the league title in 1996. After that, he moved to Marseille in 1997. He played there for four seasons. Gallas made his first appearance in the UEFA Champions League for Marseille. He even scored his first European goal in a 1–0 win against Manchester United in October 1999.
Playing for Top English Clubs
Time at Chelsea F.C.
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In 2001, Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri bought Gallas from Marseille for about £6.2 million. Gallas chose the number 13 shirt because it was part of his old postcode in Marseille. At Chelsea, he became a key defender. He often played alongside Marcel Desailly and later with John Terry. With Terry, they once went 16 games without letting the other team score. Gallas also sometimes played as a left-back. While at Chelsea, he earned his first call-up to play for the French national team.
Gallas was part of the Chelsea team that won the Premier League title two years in a row. They also won the League Cup under manager José Mourinho. In the Champions League, Chelsea reached the semi-finals.
In the 2004–05 season, Gallas often played out of his usual position. This was because the team's left-back, Wayne Bridge, was injured. Even though Chelsea bought another left-back, Gallas still played on the left side a lot. This showed how good he was at playing different defensive roles. He scored some important goals in the 2005–06 Premier League season. These goals helped Chelsea win the league title again.
Gallas's contract with Chelsea was ending in 2007. He wanted to leave the club and play in Italy. Chelsea did not want to let him go because he was an important player. After the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Gallas did not show up for Chelsea's training. On September 1, 2006, Gallas moved to Arsenal. This was part of a deal where Ashley Cole went to Chelsea, and Arsenal also received £5 million.
Joining Arsenal F.C.
William Gallas signed a four-year contract with Arsenal. He took the number 10 shirt, which was a special number. It used to belong to the famous striker Dennis Bergkamp. Arsenal's manager, Arsène Wenger, explained that he gave the number to a defender to avoid comparing a new striker to Bergkamp.
Gallas played his first game for Arsenal on September 9, 2006. It was a 1–1 draw against Middlesbrough. He scored his first goal for Arsenal against Sheffield United on September 23, 2006.
On August 9, 2007, Gallas was made the captain of Arsenal. His first game as captain was a 2–1 win against Fulham. On November 3, he scored an own goal against Manchester United. But he made up for it by scoring a goal in injury time, making the game a 2–2 draw. On December 16, Gallas scored the only goal in a match against his old club, Chelsea. This goal gave Arsenal an important win.
Gallas faced some criticism after a game against Birmingham City in February 2008. After a penalty was given against Arsenal, Gallas showed his frustration on the field. He sat on the pitch after the game, and his manager, Arsène Wenger, had to comfort him. Despite this, he remained captain for the 2008–09 season.
In November 2008, Gallas spoke to the media about problems within the team. He said that the younger players needed to be braver. Because of this, he was dropped from the next game and fined. On November 24, Arsenal confirmed that Gallas was no longer the captain. Cesc Fàbregas took over as captain. However, Wenger said Gallas still had a future at the club.
Gallas had a good start to the 2009–10 season. He scored three goals in his first three games. He formed a strong partnership with fellow defender Thomas Vermaelen. On February 17, Gallas played his 100th league game for Arsenal. He left Arsenal as a free agent after talks about a new contract failed. He had played 142 games and scored 17 goals for the club.
Moving to Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
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On August 20, 2010, Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp confirmed that Gallas would join the club. This was a big move because Gallas had played for both Chelsea and Arsenal, two of Tottenham's rivals. He signed a one-year contract. Gallas became the first player to play for all three London clubs: Chelsea, Arsenal, and Tottenham.
Gallas played his first game for Tottenham on September 11, 2010. On November 20, he captained Tottenham for the first time against his former club, Arsenal. Tottenham won that game 3–2, which was their first league win at Arsenal's stadium since 1993. Gallas continued to play well for Tottenham. In the Champions League, he had strong performances against AC Milan.
Because of his good play, Gallas was given a two-year contract extension in March 2011. This kept him at the club until the end of the 2012–13 season. In his first season with Tottenham, he played 36 games.
During the 2011–12 Premier League, Gallas had several injuries. This limited his playing time. In the next season, he played 17 league games. He scored his first goal for Tottenham against his old club, Chelsea, in a 4–2 defeat. On June 7, 2013, it was confirmed that Gallas had left Tottenham.
Playing in Australia with Perth Glory
On October 23, 2013, Gallas signed a one-year deal with Perth Glory in Australia. He became the first French player to play in the Australian A-League. Gallas joined other famous international players like Alessandro Del Piero in the league. He made his debut for Perth in round 6. He scored his first goal on September 3, 2014, in a 1–1 draw. Gallas retired after the end of the 2013–14 A-League season. He played 14 games and scored one goal for Perth Glory.
William Gallas's International Career for France
Gallas was part of the France Under-18 team that won the European Championship. He also played for the France U-20 team in the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship. He played alongside future stars like Thierry Henry and David Trezeguet.
In October 2002, Gallas made his first appearance for the France senior team. This was in a Euro 2004 qualifier against Slovenia. He was part of France's squad for the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup. He played the full game as France won the final 1–0 against Cameroon. He also played for France at UEFA Euro 2004. In August 2005, Gallas scored his first goal for the national team in a friendly match.
Gallas played in every game as France finished second in the 2006 FIFA World Cup. They lost to Italy in a penalty shootout in the final. In September 2006, he played his 50th game for France. This was in a 3–1 win against Italy. At UEFA Euro 2008, Gallas was a regular starter, but France was knocked out in the group stage.
In November 2009, Gallas scored a goal that helped France qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The goal came against the Republic of Ireland in extra time. It was a controversial goal because his teammate, Thierry Henry, handled the ball twice before Gallas scored.
Gallas was included in France's squad for the 2010 World Cup. However, the tournament was difficult for the French team. One player was sent home, and the team went on strike from training. As a senior player, Gallas was seen as one of the players who caused problems in the team. After the tournament, Gallas criticized the coach, blaming him for France's early exit.
On June 6, 2011, Gallas announced his retirement from international football. He was 33 years old and had played 84 games for France, scoring 5 goals. He had not been selected for the team since the World Cup. Gallas could have also played for the Guadeloupe team, as they are not part of FIFA. His cousin, Ludovic Quistin, played for Guadeloupe.
William Gallas's Career Statistics Summary
William Gallas played many games throughout his career. Here is a summary of his appearances and goals for his clubs and national team.
- Caen: 34 appearances, 0 goals
- Marseille: 85 appearances, 2 goals
- Chelsea: 159 appearances, 12 goals
- Arsenal: 101 appearances, 12 goals
- Tottenham Hotspur: 61 appearances, 1 goal
- Perth Glory: 15 appearances, 1 goal
- Total Club Appearances: 455 appearances, 28 goals
- France National Team: 84 appearances, 5 goals
William Gallas's Achievements and Awards
William Gallas won several titles and received individual awards during his football career.
With Caen
- Division 2: 1995–96
With Chelsea
- Premier League: 2004–05, 2005–06
- Football League Cup: 2004–05
- FA Community Shield: 2005
With France National Team
- FIFA Confederations Cup: 2003
- FIFA World Cup runner-up: 2006
Individual Awards
- French Division 1 Rookie of the Year: 1999
- PFA Team of the Year: 2002–03 Premier League, 2005−06 Premier League
- ESM Team of the Year: 2007−08
Images for kids
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William Gallas played for the Chelsea legends against Inter in a friendly match.
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Gallas applauding supporters
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Gallas (left) defending Cesc Fàbregas, 2010
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Gallas with France at UEFA Euro 2008
See also
In Spanish: William Gallas para niños
