Johan Micoud

Football player infobox
playername= Johan Micoud


height = height|m=1.85
weight = 77 kg
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1973|7|24
cityofbirth = Cannes
countryofbirth = France
currentclub = Retired
clubnumber =
position = Attacking Midfielder, Left Winger
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1992-1996
1996-2000
2000-2002
2002-2006
2006-2008
clubs = AS Cannes
Girondins Bordeaux
AC Parma
Werder Bremen
Girondins Bordeaux
caps(goals) = 127 (17)
127 (27)
47 (9)
123 (31)
61 (10)
nationalyears = 1999-2004
nationalteam = France
nationalcaps(goals) = 17 (1)

pcupdate = May 16, 2008
ntupdate = May 26, 2006
Johan Micoud (born 24 July 1973 in Cannes) is a retired [http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11095_4162117,00.html Johan Micoud retires] , skysports.com, accessed 18 September 2008.] French professional footballer. His preferred position was as a left winger or attacking central midfielder. He was considered a very good playmaker and a dead-ball expert.

Club career

A product of AS Cannes youth system, it was not until he joined Bordeaux that his career really took off. In 1999, he played a pivotal role as the club were crowned league champions, his influential form paving the way for a first call up at international level, making his debut against Northern Ireland in August of that year.

In 2000 Johan was seduced by the attraction of playing abroad, initially moving to Italy, joining AC Parma where he stayed for two seasons. Micoud then moved country again, this time to Germany, signing for Werder Bremen, where he enjoyed a successful four year stay, the peak of which being a major force in the Bundesliga and German Cup double in 2004.

In June 2006 he left Werder Bremen to return to France, re-joining the club where he first flourished, FC Girondins de Bordeaux, enjoying immediate success scoring the winner in his first Ligue 1 match back at the club against Lorient. He quickly became a key player in Bordeaux's squad, helping them win the 2007 Coupe de la Ligue and fight for the title the following season. However, Laurent Blanc announced on May 10 2008 that Micoud's contract would not be renewed at the end of the season.

International career

Despite being selected in the French national squad on several occasions throughout his career, he has never managed to secure himself a regular starting role, mainly due to the presence of Zinedine Zidane who was always guaranteed a place in the starting eleven, and more often than not in the very attacking midfield role coveted by Micoud. He was a member of the French squadwhich won Euro 2000, but he only played in one of the six matches of the tournament, appearing in the group match against Holland, a game which was effectively a dead rubber given that both nations had already qualified both the group. He was also selected for the disastrous World Cup campaign of 2002, during which he was entrusted with the key role in the French midfield against Uruguay only to turn in a largely unconvicing display in a disappointing 0-0 draw, mostly remembered for Thierry Henry's red card.

Regardless of his consistently high level of performance at club level he has since found himself marginalised by the national selectors. Jacques Santini only selected him once, in a friendly match against Holland in 2004, and he failed to make the squad for Euro 2004 in Portugal despite his aforementioned success at club level at the time. As for Raymond Domenech, Johan failed to win a single call up for the qualifiers for the World Cup in Germany, the country where he delivered strong performances on regular basis.

Notes

References

"This article has been translated from French Wikipedia"