Johan Djourou
Encyclopedia
Johan Danon Djourou-Gbadjere (born 18 January 1987 in Abidjan
, Ivory Coast), more commonly known as Johan Djourou, is an Ivorian
-born Swiss international
footballer who plays for Arsenal
. He used to play as a defensive midfielder in his youth for former club Etoile Carouge, but on his arrival at Arsenal was converted to a central defender
. He occasionally fills in at full back for Arsenal and played several games in central midfield
while on loan to Birmingham City
.
, Côte d'Ivoire
, to Ivorian parents Joachim and Angeline, and was later adopted by his father's first wife Daniele, a Swiss
woman. They moved to Geneva
when he was 17 months old. He enrolled at the Payerne Training Center when he was 13 and then in 2002 joined local second division side Étoile Carouge
as a midfielder at 15. A few months later he signed scholarship forms for the Arsenal
Academy. He officially joined Arsenal as a professional on 1 August 2003. He was a member of the Swiss under-19 squad that reached the semi-finals of the 2004 European Championships
.
in the League Cup
, having made his first appearance after 89 minutes of the corresponding match in the previous round against Manchester City
on 27 October 2004. He made his full Premiership debut for Arsenal in the 7–0 victory over Middlesbrough
on 14 January 2006, playing at centre-back with Philippe Senderos
. Djourou started Arsenal's FA Cup
fourth round clash with Bolton Wanderers
as part of a makeshift defence, a game in which Arsenal lost 1–0. He had also played in the third round clash with Cardiff City
.
In February 2006, Djourou played in the league games against West Ham United
, Birmingham City
and Bolton Wanderers
. In April 2006 he came on as a substitute against Aston Villa
in Arsenal's 5–0 victory, replacing the injured Emmanuel Eboué
. He started April's premiership game against Portsmouth
, a game which also saw the comeback of Sol Campbell
. During this season, several Italian clubs (including Juventus
) scouted Djourou in Arsenal's reserve matches (his contract was to expire at the end of the 2006–07 season), but after the end of the World Cup
, he signed a six-year contract extension with Arsenal.
He played in Arsenal's 2007 pre-season Emirates Cup
win, against both Inter Milan
and Paris Saint-Germain.
. This was a closely fought contest in which Chelsea ran out eventual 3–2 winners, in which Djourou cleared off the line from Frank Lampard
to keep Birmingham City in the game.
Djourou continued to play for Birmingham consistently through his loan period until 22 December 2007, when he gifted Bolton Wanderers
' Nicolas Anelka
a goal via an errant throw-in
. This marked his last appearance for the club. Although Birmingham manager Alex McLeish
was keen to retain him, Djourou returned to Arsenal at the end of his loan spell, as cover for Kolo Touré
and Alex Song who were playing in the 2008 African Cup of Nations
.
in midfield after the departure of Mathieu Flamini
to A.C. Milan
. Instead the young Swiss played in the centre of defence as first choice backup following the departure of fellow Swiss defender Philippe Senderos
to A.C. Milan on a season-long loan. In September, Djourou signed a new long-term contract.
After Touré's departure to Manchester City, Djourou had a chance to break into the starting eleven. However, on 11 April 2009, in a league match against Wigan Athletic, Djourou suffered a knee injury which later required surgery. In September 2009, his club estimated a recovery period of six to eight months; Arsène Wenger stated: "He will have to be patient this season."
In March 2010, Djourou appeared on Arsenal TV Online's 'Arsenal Live' programme. He announced that he was getting closer to a return: "I am nearly at the end. It has been a long road for me and I am really looking forward to being back on the field." He made his return from injury as a second-half substitute in the 4–0 win over Fulham
in Arsenal's final game of the season. Djourou replaced the injured Mikaël Silvestre
and this was his only appearance in the 2009–10 campaign.
Due to Thomas Vermaelen's injury at the beginning of the 2010–11 campaign, Djourou received more opportunities to play. Wenger admitted that he rotates the Swiss international because he missed an entire year and does not want to lose him. Djourou became Arsenal's first-choice centre-back, playing in all eight games in January 2011, during which time Arsenal conceded no Premier League goals. He scored his first goal for Arsenal on 5 February, in the third minute of a 4–4 draw against Newcastle United at St. James' Park. On 27 February 2011, Djourou started and played the full 90 minutes alongside Laurent Koscielny
against Birmingham City in the 2011 Carling Cup final held at Wembley Stadium
in a disappointing 2-1 defeat.
On 12 March, while playing in the quarter finals of the FA Cup
away to Manchester United at Old Trafford
, Djourou suffered a suspected dislocated shoulder in a collision with team-mate Bacary Sagna
. Djourou was carried from the field and Wenger later confirmed that he would be unavailable for the remainder of the 2010–11 season. This came as a major blow to Arsenal's title challenge, up until then having not lost a Premier League game with him on the field. As well as that Djourou had played a major part in defence in cover of the injured Thomas Vermaelen. Djourou recovered more quickly than expected, returning to play the whole of the 1–1 draw with Liverpool
at the Emirates Stadium
on 17 April, playing alongside Laurent Koscielny
, and the North London Derby
three days later. On 24 April, against Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok Stadium
, he conceded a penalty (missed by Kevin Davies
) in a 2–1 defeat which effectively ended Arsenal's title hopes. At the end of the 2010–11 season, he played in a total of 37 matches for the Gunners in all competitions.
international debut against Scotland
on 1 March 2006, coming on as a substitute and again playing alongside Philippe Senderos
. Djourou was called up to the Switzerland 2006 FIFA World Cup
squad, despite not playing in the qualifiers. Although third choice central defender behind Philippe Senderos, then of Arsenal, and Patrick Müller
, then of Lyon, he started Switzerland's round 16 game against Ukraine
. Injury, however, led him to be substituted in the first half. Later that year, he made two appearances during Switzerland's qualification campaign for the UEFA U-21 Championship, but did not appear for the Swiss U-21
squad since. After missing nearly the entire season for Arsenal in 2009–10, he was left out of the Swiss squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup
held in South Africa
. In June 2011, with Switzerland 2–0 up against England
in a Euro 2012 qualifier
, Djourou fouled Arsenal teammate Jack Wilshere
to concede a penalty, allowing England to pull a goal back although the match ended in a 2–2 draw at the Wembley Stadium
.
He has currently won 28 caps and has one goal for the Swiss national team.
Runner-up
in 2008.
Abidjan
Abidjan is the economic and former official capital of Côte d'Ivoire, while the current capital is Yamoussoukro. it was the largest city in the nation and the third-largest French-speaking city in the world, after Paris, and Kinshasa but before Montreal...
, Ivory Coast), more commonly known as Johan Djourou, is an Ivorian
Côte d'Ivoire
The Republic of Côte d'Ivoire or Ivory Coast is a country in West Africa. It has an area of , and borders the countries Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana; its southern boundary is along the Gulf of Guinea. The country's population was 15,366,672 in 1998 and was estimated to be...
-born Swiss international
Switzerland national football team
The Swiss national football team is the national football team of Switzerland...
footballer who plays for Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
. He used to play as a defensive midfielder in his youth for former club Etoile Carouge, but on his arrival at Arsenal was converted to a central defender
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
. He occasionally fills in at full back for Arsenal and played several games in central midfield
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...
while on loan to 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...
.
Youth development
Djourou was born in AbidjanAbidjan
Abidjan is the economic and former official capital of Côte d'Ivoire, while the current capital is Yamoussoukro. it was the largest city in the nation and the third-largest French-speaking city in the world, after Paris, and Kinshasa but before Montreal...
, Côte d'Ivoire
Côte d'Ivoire
The Republic of Côte d'Ivoire or Ivory Coast is a country in West Africa. It has an area of , and borders the countries Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana; its southern boundary is along the Gulf of Guinea. The country's population was 15,366,672 in 1998 and was estimated to be...
, to Ivorian parents Joachim and Angeline, and was later adopted by his father's first wife Daniele, a Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
woman. They moved to Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
when he was 17 months old. He enrolled at the Payerne Training Center when he was 13 and then in 2002 joined local second division side Étoile Carouge
Étoile Carouge FC
Étoile Carouge FC is a Swiss football team based in Carouge which was founded in 1904. It currently plays in the Swiss Challenge League.-Current squad:-Former players:-External links:*...
as a midfielder at 15. A few months later he signed scholarship forms for the Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
Academy. He officially joined Arsenal as a professional on 1 August 2003. He was a member of the Swiss under-19 squad that reached the semi-finals of the 2004 European Championships
2004 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship
The 2004 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship was held in Switzerland from 13 to 24 July 2004. Players born after 1 January 1985 can participate in this competition...
.
Arsenal
Djourou made his first senior start for Arsenal in a 3–1 victory against EvertonEverton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
in the League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
, having made his first appearance after 89 minutes of the corresponding match in the previous round against Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
on 27 October 2004. He made his full Premiership debut for Arsenal in the 7–0 victory over Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
on 14 January 2006, playing at centre-back with Philippe Senderos
Philippe Senderos
Philippe Sylvain Senderos - is a Swiss footballer who plays as a defender for Fulham and the Switzerland national football team. Previously he has played for Servette, Arsenal, A.C...
. Djourou started Arsenal's FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
fourth round clash with Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
as part of a makeshift defence, a game in which Arsenal lost 1–0. He had also played in the third round clash with Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
.
In February 2006, Djourou played in the league games against West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
, 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...
and Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
. In April 2006 he came on as a substitute against Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
in Arsenal's 5–0 victory, replacing the injured Emmanuel Eboué
Emmanuel Eboué
Emmanuel Eboué is an Ivorian footballer who plays for Süper Lig club Galatasaray and Ivory Coast. His natural position is at right back, but he is also used in various other positions. Eboué also holds a Belgian passport.-Early career:...
. He started April's premiership game against Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
, a game which also saw the comeback of Sol Campbell
Sol Campbell
Sulzeer Jeremiah "Sol" Campbell is an English footballer who is currently a free agent. A central defender, Campbell has played for Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, Portsmouth, Notts County and Newcastle United, as well as the English national team.Born in East London to Jamaican parents, Campbell's...
. During this season, several Italian clubs (including Juventus
Juventus F.C.
Juventus Football Club S.p.A. , commonly referred to as Juventus and colloquially as Juve , are a professional Italian association football club based in Turin, Piedmont...
) scouted Djourou in Arsenal's reserve matches (his contract was to expire at the end of the 2006–07 season), but after the end of the World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
, he signed a six-year contract extension with Arsenal.
He played in Arsenal's 2007 pre-season Emirates Cup
Emirates Cup
The Emirates Cup is an annual two-day pre-season football tournament hosted by English Premier League club Arsenal and held at the Emirates Stadium, the club's home ground...
win, against both Inter Milan
F.C. Internazionale Milano
Football Club Internazionale Milano, often referred to as Internazionale or simply Inter, is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Italy. Outside Italy, the club is often called Inter Milan. They are the reigning FIFA Club World champions and Coppa Italia holders.Inter have always...
and Paris Saint-Germain.
Loan to Birmingham
On 10 August 2007 he signed for Birmingham City on loan for a five-month period. He made his debut two days later against the previous season's FA Cup and League Cup winners ChelseaChelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
. This was a closely fought contest in which Chelsea ran out eventual 3–2 winners, in which Djourou cleared off the line from Frank Lampard
Frank Lampard
Frank James Lampard is an English professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Chelsea and the England national team. He also holds the position of vice-captain for his club side...
to keep Birmingham City in the game.
Djourou continued to play for Birmingham consistently through his loan period until 22 December 2007, when he gifted Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
' Nicolas Anelka
Nicolas Anelka
Abdul-Salam Bilal on 14 March 1979) is a French international footballer, who plays as a striker for English Premier League club Chelsea. Anelka was also a regular starter for the French national team...
a goal via an errant throw-in
Throw-in
A throw-in is a method of restarting play in a game of Association football.-Procedure:The throw-in is taken from the point where the ball crossed the touch-line. The throw-in is taken by the opponents of the player who last touched the ball when it crossed the touch-line, either on the ground or...
. This marked his last appearance for the club. Although Birmingham manager Alex McLeish
Alex McLeish
Alexander "Alex" McLeish , is a Scottish former professional footballer and manager, who is currently managing English Premier League club Aston Villa...
was keen to retain him, Djourou returned to Arsenal at the end of his loan spell, as cover for Kolo Touré
Kolo Touré
Kolo Habib Touré is an Ivorian footballer who plays for Manchester City and Ivory Coast. Touré is a central defender. He is the elder brother of Manchester City team-mate Yaya Touré and Makasa's Ibrahim Touré.-Arsenal:...
and Alex Song who were playing in the 2008 African Cup of Nations
2008 African Cup of Nations
The 2008 Africa Cup of Nations, also known as the MTN Africa Cup of Nations due to the competition's sponsorship by MTN, was the 26th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, the biennial football tournament for nations affiliated to the Confederation of African Football . The tournament was staged at...
.
Return to Arsenal
In May 2008, Djourou stated that he would be willing to partner Cesc FàbregasCesc Fàbregas
Francesc "Cesc" Fàbregas i Soler is a Spanish footballer who plays as a central midfielder for La Liga club FC Barcelona.Fàbregas started his career as a trainee with Barcelona but was signed by Premier League side Arsenal in September 2003 at the age of 16...
in midfield after the departure of Mathieu Flamini
Mathieu Flamini
Mathieu Flamini is a French professional footballer of Italian descent who plays as a midfielder for Serie A club Milan..-Marseille:...
to A.C. Milan
A.C. Milan
Associazione Calcio Milan, commonly referred to as A.C. Milan or simply Milan , is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, that plays in the Serie A. Milan was founded in 1899 by English lace-maker Herbert Kilpin and businessman Alfred Edwards among others...
. Instead the young Swiss played in the centre of defence as first choice backup following the departure of fellow Swiss defender Philippe Senderos
Philippe Senderos
Philippe Sylvain Senderos - is a Swiss footballer who plays as a defender for Fulham and the Switzerland national football team. Previously he has played for Servette, Arsenal, A.C...
to A.C. Milan on a season-long loan. In September, Djourou signed a new long-term contract.
After Touré's departure to Manchester City, Djourou had a chance to break into the starting eleven. However, on 11 April 2009, in a league match against Wigan Athletic, Djourou suffered a knee injury which later required surgery. In September 2009, his club estimated a recovery period of six to eight months; Arsène Wenger stated: "He will have to be patient this season."
In March 2010, Djourou appeared on Arsenal TV Online's 'Arsenal Live' programme. He announced that he was getting closer to a return: "I am nearly at the end. It has been a long road for me and I am really looking forward to being back on the field." He made his return from injury as a second-half substitute in the 4–0 win over Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
in Arsenal's final game of the season. Djourou replaced the injured Mikaël Silvestre
Mikael Silvestre
Mikaël Samy Silvestre is a French international footballer. He plays as defender and is currently signed with Werder Bremen of the Bundesliga. He has also played for the French national team...
and this was his only appearance in the 2009–10 campaign.
Due to Thomas Vermaelen's injury at the beginning of the 2010–11 campaign, Djourou received more opportunities to play. Wenger admitted that he rotates the Swiss international because he missed an entire year and does not want to lose him. Djourou became Arsenal's first-choice centre-back, playing in all eight games in January 2011, during which time Arsenal conceded no Premier League goals. He scored his first goal for Arsenal on 5 February, in the third minute of a 4–4 draw against Newcastle United at St. James' Park. On 27 February 2011, Djourou started and played the full 90 minutes alongside Laurent Koscielny
Laurent Koscielny
Laurent Koscielny is a French footballer who plays as a defender for Arsenal. He primarily plays as a centre back but he can also play as an right back, a position where he started his career. Koscielny is a youth product of Guingamp. He is described as an aggressive, uncompromising and...
against Birmingham City in the 2011 Carling Cup final held at Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
in a disappointing 2-1 defeat.
On 12 March, while playing in the quarter finals of the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
away to Manchester United at Old Trafford
Old Trafford
Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
, Djourou suffered a suspected dislocated shoulder in a collision with team-mate Bacary Sagna
Bacary Sagna
Bacary Sagna is a French footballer who plays for Arsenal and the France national football team. His cousin Ibrahima Sonko also plays in England, for Ipswich Town. Sagna is called Bac by the majority of his teammates...
. Djourou was carried from the field and Wenger later confirmed that he would be unavailable for the remainder of the 2010–11 season. This came as a major blow to Arsenal's title challenge, up until then having not lost a Premier League game with him on the field. As well as that Djourou had played a major part in defence in cover of the injured Thomas Vermaelen. Djourou recovered more quickly than expected, returning to play the whole of the 1–1 draw with Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
at the Emirates Stadium
Emirates Stadium
Ashburton Grove, currently known as the Emirates Stadium, is a UEFA elite football stadium which is home to Arsenal FC, where they moved from Highbury in 2006. It has an current capacity of 60,361, and there have been rumours of an expansion...
on 17 April, playing alongside Laurent Koscielny
Laurent Koscielny
Laurent Koscielny is a French footballer who plays as a defender for Arsenal. He primarily plays as a centre back but he can also play as an right back, a position where he started his career. Koscielny is a youth product of Guingamp. He is described as an aggressive, uncompromising and...
, and the North London Derby
North London derby
The North London derby is the name of the football local derby between the two major teams in North London – Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur.-History:...
three days later. On 24 April, against Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok Stadium
Reebok Stadium
The Reebok Stadium is the home stadium of English Premier League football club Bolton Wanderers, and is located on the Middlebrook Retail Park in Horwich, in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. It is commonly known as 'The Reebok'...
, he conceded a penalty (missed by Kevin Davies
Kevin Davies
Kevin Cyril Davies is an English footballer who currently plays for Bolton Wanderers and the England national football team as a striker. He was made Bolton team captain in January 2009....
) in a 2–1 defeat which effectively ended Arsenal's title hopes. At the end of the 2010–11 season, he played in a total of 37 matches for the Gunners in all competitions.
International career
He made his senior SwitzerlandSwitzerland national football team
The Swiss national football team is the national football team of Switzerland...
international debut against Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
on 1 March 2006, coming on as a substitute and again playing alongside Philippe Senderos
Philippe Senderos
Philippe Sylvain Senderos - is a Swiss footballer who plays as a defender for Fulham and the Switzerland national football team. Previously he has played for Servette, Arsenal, A.C...
. Djourou was called up to the Switzerland 2006 FIFA World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
squad, despite not playing in the qualifiers. Although third choice central defender behind Philippe Senderos, then of Arsenal, and Patrick Müller
Patrick Müller
Patrick Müller is a Swiss professional footballer who currently is a Free Agent after ending his contract with Monaco.-Club career:...
, then of Lyon, he started Switzerland's round 16 game against Ukraine
Ukraine national football team
The Ukraine national football team is the national football team of Ukraine and is controlled by the Football Federation of Ukraine. After Ukrainian Independence and breakaway from the Soviet Union, they played their first match against Hungary on 29 April 1992...
. Injury, however, led him to be substituted in the first half. Later that year, he made two appearances during Switzerland's qualification campaign for the UEFA U-21 Championship, but did not appear for the Swiss U-21
Switzerland national under-21 football team
The Switzerland national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Switzerland and is controlled by the Swiss Football Association...
squad since. After missing nearly the entire season for Arsenal in 2009–10, he was left out of the Swiss squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
held in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. In June 2011, with Switzerland 2–0 up against England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
in a Euro 2012 qualifier
UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying Group G
This page shows the standings and results for Group G of the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying tournament.- Standings :- Results and fixtures :A meeting was held in Zürich, Switzerland, on 15 March to determine the Group G fixture schedule...
, Djourou fouled Arsenal teammate Jack Wilshere
Jack Wilshere
Jack Andrew Garry Wilshere is an English footballer who plays as a midfielder for Arsenal and the England national team....
to concede a penalty, allowing England to pull a goal back although the match ended in a 2–2 draw at the Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
.
He has currently won 28 caps and has one goal for the Swiss national team.
Career statistics
- Statistics accurate as of 23 November 2011
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Europe Total Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Arsenal Arsenal F.C.Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...2004–05 2004-05 in English footballThe 2004–05 season was the 125th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*2004–05 was the first season to feature the rebranded Football League. The First Division, Second Division and Third Division were renamed the Football League Championship, Football League One and Football League...0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 3 0 2005–06 7 0 2 0 3 0 0 0 12 0 2006–07 21 0 1 0 3 0 5 0 30 0 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...
(loan)2007–08 13 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 13 0 Arsenal Arsenal F.C.Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...2007–08 2007-08 in English footballThe 2007–08 season was the 128th season of competitive football in England.-European competitions:In October 2007 Arsenal equalled the UEFA Champions League record victory with a 7–0 win over Slavia Prague at the Emirates Stadium. The record was broken the following month when Liverpool...2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 2008–09 15 0 4 0 2 0 8 0 29 0 2009–10 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2010–11 22 1 3 0 6 0 6 0 37 1 2011–12 6 0 0 0 1 0 4 0 11 0 Career total 87 1 10 0 19 0 23 0 139 1
Honours
ArsenalRunner-up
- UEFA Champions LeagueUEFA Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
: 2005–062006 UEFA Champions League FinalThe 2006 UEFA Champions League Final was the final match of the 2005–06 UEFA Champions League, Europe's primary club football competition. The showpiece event was contested between Barcelona of Spain and Arsenal of England at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, Paris, France, on Wednesday, 17... - League CupFootball League CupThe Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
: 20072007 Football League Cup FinalThe 2007 Carling Cup Final was played on Sunday, 25 February 2007 at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff. It was contested between Arsenal and Chelsea, making it the first all-London final in the competition's history; the two sides had previously met in Cardiff for the 2002 FA Cup Final. The game...
, 20112011 Football League Cup FinalThe 2011 Football League Cup Final was the final match of the 2010–11 Football League Cup, the 51st season of the Football League Cup, a football competition for the 92 teams in the Premier League and the Football League. The match was contested by Arsenal and Birmingham City, at Wembley Stadium in...
Personal life
Djourou's younger brother Olivier was playing football for Urania Genève SportUrania Genève Sport
Urania Genève Sport is a Swiss omnisport club based in Geneva. Its football section was founded in 1896.The current club was born in 1922 through a merger between FC Urania and FC Genève.Its main title is the Swiss cup, won in 1929 against Young Boys...
in 2008.