Matthieu Delpierre

Matthieu Delpierre

Delpierre in 2007
Personal information
Full name	Matthieu Delpierre
Date of birth	26 April 1981 (1981-04-26) (age 30)
Place of birth	Nancy, France
Height	1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Playing position	Centre back
Club information
Current club	VfB Stuttgart
Number	17
Youth career
1996–1999	Lille
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1999–2004	Lille	83	(3)
2004–2007	VfB Stuttgart II	4	(0)
2004–	VfB Stuttgart	161	(3)
National team‡
	France U-18	2	(0)
	France U-20	11	(0)
	France U-21	12	(0)
2008–	France B	1	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 7 May 2011. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 26 March 2008

Matthieu Delpierre (born 26 April 1981 in Nancy, France) is a French footballer. Delpierre plays as a centre back previously for Lille OSC and is currently the captain of VfB Stuttgart. He has represented France at the U-18, U-20 and under-21 levels, making appearances during the 2002 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship.

Career

Club career

In his first season with Lille, Delpierre made little appearances for the club but helped in the club's promotion to Ligue 1. Delpierre became more of a regular in his second season with the club, helping them in securing third spot and UEFA Champions League qualification. Delpierre continued to perform for Lille though the club kept finishing at a lower position in the league every season.

Matthieu Delpierre

Delpierre was signed by VfB Stuttgart on a free transfer after Lille refused to grant him a contract extension. Having been eclipsed by the team's generally poor displays over the 2004–05 and 2005–06 seasons, Delpierre started developing form under the tutelage of coach Armin Veh.

The following season, the French defender became a linchpin at the heart of the Stuttgart defence. Having only missed one game through illness, Delpierre formed an almost impenetrable barrier alongside Fernando Meira at the heart of the Stuttgart defence. Matthieu has also been a vital cog in Stuttgart's success in the 2006–07 DFB-Pokal, conceding only three goals leading up to the finals, which they eventually lost to Nuremberg. On 19 May 2007, Delpierre won the German Bundesliga with Stuttgart, playing a significant part in their success.

His defensive performances have alerted the attentions of English and German giants respectively, Arsenal and Bayern Munich^[1] and also French clubs Marseille and Saint-Étienne.

He has extended his contract with Stuttgart until the summer of 2012.^[2]

On 1 December 2009, Delpierre was appointed the new captain of VfB Stuttgart by Markus Babbel.^[3]

International career

Delpierre took part in the French A-squad pre-selection for the first time in 2007.^[4]

Career honours

Lille

• Ligue 2 First Place: 1999–2000

Stuttgart

• German championship: 2006–07

References

1. ^ "Bundesliga - Arsenal, Bayern eye Delpierre". Yahoo! Sport. 10 May 2007. http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/10052007/58/bundesliga-arsenal-bayern-eye-delpierre.html. Retrieved 7 December 2007. 
2. ^ "Four more years". vfb.de. 30 May 2007. http://www.vfb.de/archiv/en/aktuell/news/2006/09162.php. Retrieved 7 December 2007. 
3. ^ "Matthieu Delpierre is new VfB captain". vfb.de. 1 December 2009. http://vfb.de/archiv/en/aktuell/news/2009/34349.php. Retrieved 1 December 2009. 
4. ^ "List of the pre-selected players in the french A-squad in the season 2007-2008". http://www.rlfoot.fr/index.php?page=http://www.rlfoot.fr/Selections/07-08_A_joueurs.htm. Retrieved 7 December 2007. 

External links

• Matthieu Delpierre at Stuttgart's official website
• Matthieu Delpierre at Eurosport
• Matthieu Delpierre at fussballdaten.de (German)

Persondata
Name	Delpierre, Matthieu
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	26 April 1981
Place of birth	Nancy, France
Date of death
Place of death