Christophe Grondin

Christophe Grondin

Personal information
Full name	Christophe Grondin
Date of birth	September 2, 1983 (1983-09-02) (age 28)
Place of birth	Toulouse, France
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Playing position	Defensive Midfield
Club information
Current club	K.A.A. Gent
Number	31
Youth career
	FC Toulouse
	Birmingham City
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1999–2000	FC Toulouse
2000–03	Birmingham City
2003–04	K.S.K. Ronse	28	(1)
2004–05	FC Toulouse	16	(1)
2005–07	Cercle Brugge K.S.V.	74	(1)
2007–present	Gent	101	(3)
National team
2009-	Togo	0	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 17 May 2011. † Appearances (Goals).

Christophe Grondin (born September 2, 1983 in Toulouse) is a naturalized Togolese football midfielder, who plays for K.A.A. Gent in the Belgian First Division.

Biography

Grondin was born in the French city of Toulouse, of Malagasy and Réunion descent.

The defensive midfielder was a youth player at French side Toulouse. In 2000 he joined the English club Birmingham City. He remained there for 3 years and moved to the Belgian Second Division side K.S.K. Ronse. Grondin helped keep Ronse in the Second Division with a goal in the last match.

He moved back to Toulouse in 2004. During the winter of the 2004-2005 season, he was loaned by the Belgian side Cercle Brugge. They signed Grondin at the end of the season. He is contracted until mid 2008.

Grondin wanted to be able to be a regular player and quickly became a key member of Cercle Brugge's side. During the winter of the season 2006-07, it was reported that French and English teams were interested in Grondin. At the end of the same season, Christophe Grondin was also chosen as Player of the Year by the Cercle Brugge fans.

On January 29, 2007, Christophe Grondin was called-up for the first time to play for the national team of Madagascar, against FC Toulouse. This match was not registered as an official friendly by the FIFA, so Grondin is not capped as a player for Madagascar and he still can play for France. But, surprisingly, Grondin has acquired the Togolese nationality and was called by the Belgian coach Jean Thissen for play in the national team of that country. [1].

May 22, 2007, Christophe Grondin signed a contract with the Belgian club AA Gent until 2011.

Trivia

• Grondin plays all year round, winter or summer, in black tight-fitting sportspants because of his religious beliefs.
• By supporters he is also nicknamed La Bête (English: The Beast) because of his aggressive (though fair) style of play.

References

• Christophe Grondin player info at the official Cercle Brugge site (Dutch)
• Cerclemuseum.be (Dutch)

Persondata
Name	Grondin, Christophe
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1983-09-02
Place of birth	Toulouse, France
Date of death
Place of death