Johan Vonlanthen

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Personal information
Johan Vonlanthen
Date of birth	February 1, 1986 (age 20)
Place of birth	Santa Marta, Colombia
Height	175cm
Nickname	Joa
Position	Striker
Club information
Current club	Red Bull Salzburg
Number	19
Professional clubs*
Years	Club	Apps (goals)
2001 - 2003 2003 - 2004 2005 2005 - 2006 2006 -	BSC Young Boys PSV Eindhoven Brescia (loan) NAC Breda (loan) Red Bull Salzburg	37 (6) 29 (6) 9 (0) 32 (6) 10 (0)
National team**
2004 -	Switzerland	17 (5)
* Professional club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of June 2006. ** National team caps and goals correct as of September 2006.

Johan Vonlanthen (born 1 February 1986 in Santa Marta, Colombia) is a Swiss international footballer. Vonlanthen is a striker for Red Bull Salzburg at club level. Internationally, he plays the same position for Switzerland. His stepfather is a Swiss national, giving him the right to play for that country.

[edit] Career

Vonlanthen played as a junior for BSC Young Boys in Switzerland. In the 2001/02 season, he made his debut as a 16 year-old in the National League starting 8 games and appearing once as a substitute. In the summer of 2003, he was transferred to the Dutch Eredivisie where he would play for PSV Eindhoven. Here he became the vice captain for the team and qualified for the UEFA Champions League.

On 6 June 2004, Vonlanthen made his debut for the Swiss National Team. He came on as a substitute in the 81st minute to replace Alexander Frei. Switzerland went on to beat Liechtenstein 1-0.

In the 2004 European Championships, Vonlanthen became the second youngest player to play in the tournament when he came on as a substitute against England. On June 21st, 2004, Vonlanthen became the youngest scorer ever in the championships when he equalised against France, beating the record (set only four days earlier by Wayne Rooney in the England-Switzerland match) by three months.

Since the European Championships in Portugal, Vonlanthen has managed to hold a regular position in the national team and as well as playing frequently in the under 21's side.

After a year on loan at Brescia in Italy, the young Swiss player moved on to NAC Breda in the Dutch Eredivise where he would play on loan for the 2005/2006 season.

Vonlanthen was called up to the Swiss squad to play in 2006 FIFA World Cup however he was not able to participate due to a hamstring injury. Midfielder Hakan Yakin was called up as a replacement.

In the summer of 2006 Johan was transferred away from PSV Eindhoven having completed loan spells at Brescia and NAC Breda, he now plays for Red Bull Salzburg in the Austrian Bundesliga.