Yoann Gourcuff facts for kids
Gourcuff with Rennes in 2016
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Yoann Miguel Gourcuff | ||
| Date of birth | 11 July 1986 | ||
| Place of birth | Ploemeur, France | ||
| Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Attacking midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1992–2001 | Lorient | ||
| 2001–2003 | Rennes | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2003–2006 | Rennes | 66 | (6) |
| 2006–2009 | AC Milan | 36 | (2) |
| 2008–2009 | → Bordeaux (loan) | 37 | (12) |
| 2009–2010 | Bordeaux | 32 | (6) |
| 2010–2015 | Lyon | 90 | (14) |
| 2015–2018 | Rennes | 49 | (7) |
| 2018–2019 | Dijon | 8 | (0) |
| Total | 318 | (47) | |
| International career | |||
| 2004–2005 | France U19 | 17 | (7) |
| 2006–2008 | France U21 | 18 | (4) |
| 2008–2013 | France | 31 | (4) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Yoann Miguel Gourcuff (born 11 July 1986) is a French former professional footballer. He mostly played as an attacking midfielder, which is a player who helps both attack and defend. He was also known as a "playmaker" because he was very good at passing the ball and setting up goals. Many people thought he was one of the most promising young French players of his time. His skills and playing style were often compared to the famous footballer Zinedine Zidane.
Yoann Gourcuff is the son of Christian Gourcuff, who was also a footballer and coach. In 2001, Yoann joined Rennes, just like his father. He quickly became a favorite among fans. His great performances caught the eye of bigger clubs, and he moved to the Italian team AC Milan.
Even though he didn't always start games at Milan, he helped the team win many trophies. Later, he was loaned to Bordeaux in France. He had a fantastic season there, helping Bordeaux win both the league and the league cup. He also won several individual awards, like the Ligue 1 Player of the Year in 2009.
In 2010, he joined Lyon. However, his time at Lyon was often affected by many injuries. After five years, he returned to Rennes in 2015. He played there for three seasons before joining Dijon, which was his last club. Yoann Gourcuff officially retired from football in October 2020.
Gourcuff also played for the French national team, earning 31 caps (appearances). Before playing for the senior team, he was part of the under-19 team that won the 2005 UEFA European Under-19 Championship. He made his debut for the senior national team in August 2008 and scored his first international goal against Romania two months later. He played for France in the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Contents
Yoann's Early Life and Family
Yoann Gourcuff was born in Ploemeur, France. His parents, Dr. Marine Thalouarn and Christian Gourcuff, are both from Brittany. He grew up in a very sporty family. His mother played basketball, and his older brother, Erwan, was a swimmer and cyclist. His father was a professional footballer and later became a coach.
As a child, Yoann was very good at both football and tennis. He was even the best tennis player in his age group (12 years old). But he chose to focus on football. When he started his football career, he loved watching old videos of the Brazilian team from the 1970s. He tried to play like the legendary Brazilian player Pelé.
Yoann's Club Football Journey
Starting His Career at Rennes
Yoann began his football journey at Lorient in 1992. At that time, his father, Christian Gourcuff, was the manager there. While at Lorient, he also trained at a special academy called PEF Ploufragan.
In 2001, Yoann moved to Rennes, following his father who had also joined the club. He spent two years in the youth academy. During this time, he helped the club's under-19 team win the Coupe Gambardella in 2003. Rennes beat Strasbourg 4–1 in the final, and Yoann scored the first goal! Future teammates Jimmy Briand and Sylvain Marveaux were also on that team.
For the 2003–04 season, Yoann was moved up to the senior team. He signed his first professional contract in November 2003. He made his professional debut on 25 January 2004 in a French Cup match. A few weeks later, he played his first league game. He got his first start in a league match on 18 April, helping Rennes win 3–1 against Bordeaux.
In the next season, Yoann continued to play for both the reserve and senior teams. He played in 21 matches for the senior team. For the 2005–06 season, he was given the number 10 shirt and became a regular starter. He played in 42 matches and scored six goals. He also made his European debut in the UEFA Cup. On 18 September, he scored his first professional goal against Monaco. Rennes finished 7th in the league that season. Yoann played 80 matches for Rennes in total, scoring six goals and making nine assists.
Playing for AC Milan
After his good season, many big European clubs wanted Gourcuff. He decided to join the Italian club AC Milan in 2006. He signed a five-year contract. He made his first appearance for Milan on 9 August 2006 in a UEFA Champions League qualifying match. In his next Champions League game, he scored his first goal for the club in a 3–0 win.
He made his Serie A debut on 20 September. Yoann scored in Milan's last league match of the season. Even though he didn't play in the 2007 UEFA Champions League Final, which Milan won, he still received a winner's medal. This was because he played in earlier matches of the competition.
In the 2007–08 Serie A season, Yoann found it hard to get playing time. He was competing with the famous Brazilian player Kaká. He only played in 15 league matches and scored one goal.
Success at Bordeaux
On 31 May 2008, Milan decided to loan Gourcuff to the French club Bordeaux for the 2008–09 season. This was so he could play more games. At Bordeaux, he quickly became a key player. He scored in his first league game for them. He also helped Bordeaux win the 2008 Trophée des Champions title.
He scored Bordeaux's fourth goal in their 4–0 win over Vannes in the Coupe de la Ligue final. He also set up another goal in that match. On 11 January 2009, Gourcuff scored an amazing goal against Paris Saint-Germain. Fans voted it the goal of the season! He used some fancy moves, like a Marseille turn and an elastico, before scoring.
He scored two goals against his old club Rennes in a 3–2 win. He ended the season with 12 league goals. Bordeaux went on to win the league title, their sixth in history. They also won the Coupe de la Ligue, completing a "double" (winning two major trophies in one season). For his great performances, Gourcuff was named the UNFP Ligue 1 Player of the Year. He was also chosen for the Ligue 1 Team of the Year.
Because of his amazing season, Bordeaux decided to buy Gourcuff permanently from Milan for €13.6 million. He signed a four-year deal.
He started the 2009–10 season by winning another trophy with Bordeaux, the 2009 Trophée des Champions. He scored two goals in the first league match of the season. In the UEFA Champions League, he helped Bordeaux reach the knockout stages. He scored a winning goal against Bayern Munich at their home stadium.
In December 2009, he was named the French Player of the Year. In the Champions League, he scored a fantastic free-kick goal against Olympiacos. Bordeaux reached the quarter-finals but lost to Lyon. Towards the end of the season, he got a groin injury, which made him miss the last five league matches.
In August 2010, Gourcuff told Bordeaux that he wanted to join Lyon. He played his last game for Bordeaux as a substitute, helping them score the winning goal.
Time at Lyon and Injuries
On 23 August 2010, Lyon announced that they had agreed to buy Gourcuff from Bordeaux. He signed a five-year contract for €22 million. He made his debut for Lyon on 28 August. On 17 October, he scored his first goal for Lyon. He also scored in the Champions League against Benfica.
In February 2011, Gourcuff said he was "disappointed and frustrated" with his performances at Lyon. He felt he hadn't done enough. He scored his third goal for Lyon on 18 February. His season ended early in May due to an adductor injury. He finished his first season at Lyon with 36 appearances, four goals, and five assists.
In July 2011, Gourcuff had ankle surgery. This meant he missed the start of the 2011–12 season. He made his season debut in October and scored his first goal in November.
Yoann Gourcuff faced many injuries during his time at Lyon. He missed over 90 games because of these problems.
Back to Rennes and Retirement
In September 2015, Yoann Gourcuff returned to his former club, Rennes, signing a one-year deal. His first game back was in January 2016. He scored two goals for Rennes on 18 March 2016, in a 5–2 win against Marseille. These goals were special because they were his first for Rennes in exactly ten years! In June 2018, after playing only 10 league matches the season before, Rennes released him.
In July 2018, Gourcuff signed a one-year contract with Dijon. He made his debut for the club on 11 August 2018. However, he only made eight appearances for Dijon. In January 2019, his contract was ended by agreement after he got another muscle injury.
In October 2020, Yoann's father, Christian, confirmed that Yoann had retired from playing football.
Playing for France
Youth National Teams
Gourcuff played for France at different youth levels. He first played for the under-17 team in 2002. He scored his first goal for them in February 2003.
He later joined the under-19 team and helped them win the 2005 UEFA European Under-19 Championship. In that tournament, Gourcuff scored three goals in a 3–1 win against Norway. He also helped set up two goals in the semi-final against Germany. France won the final 3–1 against England, giving Yoann his first international trophy. He played 17 matches for the under-19 team and scored seven goals.
Yoann made his debut for the under-21 team in May 2006. He was the youngest player on the team at the 2006 UEFA European Under-21 Championship. France reached the semi-finals. He scored his first under-21 goal in September 2006. He also captained the under-21 team once.
Senior National Team
Gourcuff was first called up to the senior French national team in August 2008. He made his debut on 20 August in a friendly match against Sweden. He scored his first goal for France on 11 October 2008 against Romania in a World Cup qualifying match. It was a fantastic shot from almost 30 yards away!
He was part of France's team for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He made his World Cup debut on 11 June 2010 against Uruguay. In France's final group match against South Africa, Gourcuff was sent off (given a red card) in the first half. France lost the match and was eliminated from the tournament.
After the World Cup, he missed some national team games due to his red card suspension. In October 2010, he was called back to the team. He scored a goal against Romania and another against Luxembourg in UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying matches.
Gourcuff was not chosen for France's squad for UEFA Euro 2012. He was recalled to the team in November 2012 by new coach Didier Deschamps for a friendly match against Italy.
Career Statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Rennes | 2003–04 | Ligue 1 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 9 | 0 | ||
| 2004–05 | Ligue 1 | 21 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 23 | 0 | |||
| 2005–06 | Ligue 1 | 36 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | 47 | 6 | ||
| Total | 66 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 79 | 6 | ||
| AC Milan | 2006–07 | Serie A | 21 | 1 | 4 | 0 | — | 9 | 1 | — | 34 | 2 | ||
| 2007–08 | Serie A | 15 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 1 | ||
| Total | 36 | 2 | 6 | 0 | — | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 54 | 3 | |||
| Bordeaux (loan) | 2008–09 | Ligue 1 | 37 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 49 | 15 |
| Bordeaux | 2009–10 | Ligue 1 | 29 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 43 | 9 |
| 2010–11 | Ligue 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 3 | 0 | |||
| Total | 32 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 46 | 9 | ||
| Lyon | 2010–11 | Ligue 1 | 24 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 | — | 33 | 4 | |
| 2011–12 | Ligue 1 | 13 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | 23 | 2 | ||
| 2012–13 | Ligue 1 | 18 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 23 | 4 | |
| 2013–14 | Ligue 1 | 18 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 0 | — | 30 | 6 | ||
| 2014–15 | Ligue 1 | 17 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 19 | 3 | ||
| Total | 90 | 14 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 23 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 128 | 19 | ||
| Rennes | 2015–16 | Ligue 1 | 12 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 12 | 2 | ||||
| 2016–17 | Ligue 1 | 27 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 28 | 4 | |||
| 2017–18 | Ligue 1 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 13 | 1 | |||
| Total | 49 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 53 | 7 | ||
| Dijon | 2018–19 | Ligue 1 | 8 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 8 | 0 | ||||
| Career total | 318 | 47 | 23 | 1 | 18 | 4 | 55 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 427 | 59 | ||
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| France | 2008 | 6 | 1 |
| 2009 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2010 | 9 | 2 | |
| 2011 | 3 | 1 | |
| 2012 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 31 | 4 | |
- Scores and results list France's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Gourcuff goal
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 October 2008 | Stadionul Farul, Constanța, Romania |  Romania |
2–2 | 2–2 | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 2 | 9 October 2010 | Stade de France, Paris, France | Romania |
2–0 | 2–0 | UEFA Euro 2012 qualification |
| 3 | 12 October 2010 | Stade Saint-Symphorien, Metz, France |  Luxembourg |
2–0 | 2–0 | UEFA Euro 2012 qualification |
| 4 | 25 March 2011 | Stade Josy Barthel, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg | Luxembourg |
2–0 | 2–0 | UEFA Euro 2012 qualification |
Awards and Trophies
AC Milan
- UEFA Champions League: 2006–07
- UEFA Super Cup: 2007
- FIFA Club World Cup: 2007
Bordeaux
- Ligue 1: 2008–09
- Coupe de la Ligue: 2008–09
- Trophée des Champions: 2008, 2009
Lyon
- Coupe de France: 2011–12
- Trophée des Champions: 2012
France U19
- UEFA European Under-19 Championship: 2005
Individual Awards
- Ligue 1 Player of the Month: March 2006, April 2009
- Ligue 1 Player of the Year: 2008–09
- Ligue 1 Team of the Year: 2008–09, 2009–10
- Ligue 1 Goal of the Year: 2008–09
- French Player of the Year: 2009
See also
In Spanish: Yoann Gourcuff para niños
