Christophe Grondin
Encyclopedia
Christophe Grondin is a naturalized Togo
lese football
midfielder
, who plays for K.A.A. Gent in the Belgian First Division.
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 Togo
lese nationality and was called by the Belgian coach Jean Thissen
for play in the national team of that country
. http://www.apanews.net/apa.php?page=show_article&id_article=92119.
May 22, 2007, Christophe Grondin signed a contract with the Belgian club AA Gent until 2011.
Togo
Togo, officially the Togolese Republic , is a country in West Africa bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, on which the capital Lomé is located. Togo covers an area of approximately with a population of approximately...
lese football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
, who plays for K.A.A. Gent in the Belgian First Division.
Biography
Grondin was born in the FrenchFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
city of Toulouse
Toulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
, of Malagasy
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
and Réunion
Réunion
Réunion is a French island with a population of about 800,000 located in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar, about south west of Mauritius, the nearest island.Administratively, Réunion is one of the overseas departments of France...
descent.
The defensive midfielder was a youth player at French side Toulouse. In 2000 he joined the English club Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
. He remained there for 3 years and moved to the Belgian Second Division
Belgian Second Division
The Belgian Second Division is the second-highest division in the Belgian football league system after the Belgian Pro League. It was created by the Belgian Football Association in 1905. Between 2008 and 2010 it was named EXQI League after a television channel owned by the league main sponsor,...
side K.S.K. Ronse
K.S.K. Ronse
K.S.K. Ronse is a Belgian association football club from Ronse in East Flanders born in 1987 from the fusion between Assa Ronse and R.F.C. Renaisien.- History :A.S. Renaisienne was founded in 1906 and received later the matricule n° 38...
. 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
Cercle Brugge K.S.V.
Cercle Brugge Koninklijke Sportvereniging is a Belgian football team from Bruges. Cercle have played in the Belgian Pro League since the 2003-04 season, having previously spent several years in the Belgian Second Division following relegation in 1997. Their matricule is the n°12. The club play...
. 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
Cercle Brugge K.S.V.
Cercle Brugge Koninklijke Sportvereniging is a Belgian football team from Bruges. Cercle have played in the Belgian Pro League since the 2003-04 season, having previously spent several years in the Belgian Second Division following relegation in 1997. Their matricule is the n°12. The club play...
's side. During the winter of the season 2006-07
Jupiler League 2006-07
The 2006-07 season of the Belgian First Division began on July 28, 2006 and concluded on May 19, 2007. The championship was decided in the penultimate round on May 12, 2007, when Anderlecht moved five points clear of runners-up Genk to retain the title and win their 29th League Championship...
, it was reported that French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
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
Madagascar national football team
The Madagascar national football team, nicknamed Les Guerriers Zébus , is the national team of Madagascar and is controlled by the Fédération Malagasy de Football. It has never qualified for the finals of the World Cup or the African Nations Cup...
, against FC Toulouse. This match was not registered as an official friendly by the FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
, so Grondin is not capped as a player for Madagascar and he still can play for France
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
. But, surprisingly, Grondin has acquired the Togo
Togo
Togo, officially the Togolese Republic , is a country in West Africa bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, on which the capital Lomé is located. Togo covers an area of approximately with a population of approximately...
lese nationality and was called by the Belgian coach Jean Thissen
Jean Thissen
Jean Thissen is a retired Belgian international footballer. At the club level, he played for Standard Liège and Anderlecht. He also played internationally for the Belgium national football team in the 1970 FIFA World Cup and the 1972 UEFA European Football Championship.Thissen coached Beira-Mar,...
for play in the national team of that country
Togo national football team
The Togo national football team, nicknamed Les Eperviers The Togo national football team, nicknamed Les Eperviers The Togo national football team, nicknamed Les Eperviers (The Sparrow Hawks, is controlled by the Fédération Togolaise de Football.They played at the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Their team bus...
. http://www.apanews.net/apa.php?page=show_article&id_article=92119.
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.