Willy Sagnol

Willy Sagnol
Personal information
Full name	William Sagnol
Date of birth	March 18, 1977 (1977-03-18) (age 32)
Place of birth	Saint-Étienne, France
Height	1.82 m (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in)
Playing position	Defender
Club information
Current club	Bayern Munich
Number	2
Youth clubs
1990-1995	Saint-Étienne
Senior clubs1
Years	Club	App (Gls)*
1995–1997 1997–2000 2000–	Saint-Étienne AS Monaco Bayern Munich	046 (1) 071 (0) 184 (7)
National team
2000–	France	058 (0)
1 Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of August 15, 2008. * Appearances (Goals)

William "Willy" Sagnol (born March 18, 1977 in Saint-Étienne, France) is a French international defender currently playing for Bayern Munich in Germany's Bundesliga. He was part of the French squad at the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship, 2002 World Cup, Euro 2004, 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008.

Biography

Willy first made his way in the world of football at his father's former club in Haute-Loire, Montfaucon-en-Velay where he developed his defensive game at right-back, as well as performing exceptionally on the right-hand side of midfield.

From there he progressed, eventually joining the region's flagship club Saint-Étienne. An impressive two year spell saw him earn a transfer to AS Monaco in 1997 and he experienced his first taste of success, winning Ligue 1 in 2000. His excellent form saw him pressing for a call up to represent Les Bleus, but he was initially overlooked by national coach Roger Lemerre.

The summer of 2000 saw Sagnol's career take on a completely different dimension. Transferred to the prestigious German club Bayern Munich, he didn't take long to finally break into the national team. At Bayern Sagnol consolidated his reputation as one of the best full-backs of his generation. A solid defender but also equally comfortable operating in attacking positions (often as a wing-back) Sagnol's superb crossing ability marked him out as a key player in Bayern's attacking play. With the Bavarian club, he won the Bundesliga in 2001, 2003, 2005, 2006 and 2008, as well as the Champions League in 2001 and the German Cup in 2003, 2005, 2006 and 2008 . At international level he had less success, often finding himself on the bench playing second fiddle to Lilian Thuram on the right-hand side of the French defense. It wasn't until the retirement of Marcel Desailly and Thuram's consequent move into the centre of the French defense that Sagnol finally became first choice right-back in 2004.

Sagnol was part of France's squad for the World Cup in Germany, starting each of his country's seven games en route to the Final. His competent performances, aided by France's progression to the final led to him being named as one of the outstanding defensive performers in the tournament. He saved his best dispay for the biggest stage of them all, the World Cup Final, and was one of the game's better performers in a game largely remembered for off the ball events rather than on the field performances. Indeed, Sagnol’s name could have been immortalized had his strong effort on goal not been successfully repelled by Gianluigi Buffon. Nonetheless, his performance was notable for a solid defensive contribution as well as important involvement in several attacking moves, such as when he provided a cross for his captain Zinédine Zidane, whose header was again superbly saved by Buffon.

In the qualification campaign for Euro 2008 we have seen a completely new side to Sagnol. On several occasions Willy has had good efforts on goal as well as still supplying his trademark crosses for teammates like Thierry Henry. Against Scotland at Hampden Park on 7 October 2006 Sagnol was one of his country's better performers in France's shock loss, having an impressive three efforts on goal from his right-back berth, one in particular forcing a superb save from the goalkeeper. The following match, against the Faroe Isles in Paris, was his fiftieth for his country. His displays in the current qualification campaign has once more provided proof that Sagnol can be counted on for his consistent defensive play and also to provide extra quality when joining the attack.

Personal life

He has two children, Chiara and Sandro, with his ex-girlfriend Laetitia.

Lifestyle

Sagnol was elected 'Face of The Year 2006' by Elle Magazine

Career statistics

As of: 20 September, 2008

^*Includes UEFA Super Cup and Intercontinental Cup.

Honours

Club Titles

• Bundesliga: 2001, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008
• German Cup: 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008
• Liga-Pokal: 2004, 2007

• UEFA Champions League: 2001
• Intercontinental Cup: 2001

• Ligue 1
  • Winners (1): 2000
• Trophée des champions
  • Winners (2) 1997, 2000

External links

• 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany - Player Profile Page
• Bayern Munich Profile Page
• (German) Willy Sagnol Career Statistics

References

(French)

France squad – 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup Winners (1st Title) 1 Ramé • 2 Sagnol • 3 Lizarazu • 4 Vieira • 5 Gillet • 6 Djorkaeff • 7 Pirès • 8 Desailly • 9 Anelka • 10 Carrière • 11 Wiltord • 12 Coupet • 13 Silvestre • 14 Née • 15 Bréchet • 16 Dacourt • 17 Marlet • 18 Leboeuf • 19 Karembeu • 20 Camara • 21 Dugarry • 22 Robert • 23 Landreau • Coach: Lemerre

France squad – 2002 FIFA World Cup 1 Ramé • 2 Candela • 3 Lizarazu • 4 Vieira • 5 Christanval • 6 Djorkaeff • 7 Makélélé • 8 Desailly • 9 Cissé • 10 Zidane • 11 Wiltord • 12 Henry • 13 Silvestre • 14 Boghossian • 15 Thuram • 16 Barthez • 17 Petit • 18 Leboeuf • 19 Sagnol • 20 Trezeguet • 21 Dugarry • 22 Micoud • 23 Coupet • Coach: Lemerre

France squad – 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup Winners (2nd Title) 1 Landreau • 2 Mexès • 3 Lizarazu • 4 Boumsong • 5 Gallas • 6 Dacourt • 7 Pirès • 8 Desailly • 9 Cissé • 10 Giuly • 11 Wiltord • 12 Henry • 13 Silvestre • 14 Rothen • 15 Thuram • 16 Barthez • 17 Kapo • 18 Pedretti • 19 Sagnol • 20 Marlet • 21 Dabo • 22 Govou • 23 Coupet • Coach: Santini

France squad – UEFA Euro 2004 1 Landreau • 2 Boumsong • 3 Lizarazu • 4 Vieira • 5 Gallas • 6 Makélélé • 7 Pirès • 8 Desailly • 9 Saha • 10 Zidane • 11 Wiltord • 12 Henry • 13 Silvestre • 14 Rothen • 15 Thuram • 16 Barthez • 17 Dacourt • 18 Pedretti • 19 Sagnol • 20 Trezeguet • 21 Marlet • 22 Govou • 23 Coupet • Coach: Santini

France squad – 2006 FIFA World Cup Runners-up 1 Landreau • 2 Boumsong • 3 Abidal • 4 Vieira • 5 Gallas • 6 Makélélé • 7 Malouda • 8 Dhorasoo • 9 Govou • 10 Zidane • 11 Wiltord • 12 Henry • 13 Silvestre • 14 Saha • 15 Thuram • 16 Barthez • 17 Givet • 18 Diarra • 19 Sagnol • 20 Trezeguet • 21 Chimbonda • 22 Ribéry • 23 Coupet • Coach: Domenech

France squad – UEFA Euro 2008 1 Mandanda • 2 Boumsong • 3 Abidal • 4 Vieira • 5 Gallas • 6 Makélélé • 7 Malouda • 8 Anelka • 9 Benzema • 10 Govou • 11 Nasri • 12 Henry • 13 Evra • 14 Clerc • 15 Thuram • 16 Frey • 17 Squillaci • 18 Gomis • 19 Sagnol • 20 Toulalan • 21 Diarra • 22 Ribéry • 23 Coupet • Coach: Domenech