Christophe Grondin
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Christophe Grondin | ||
| Date of birth | September 2, 1983 | ||
| Place of birth | Toulouse, France | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||
| Playing position | Defensive Midfield | ||
| Club information | |||
Current team | Al-Faisaly | ||
| 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) |
| 2007–2012 | Gent | 101 | (3) |
| 2012– | Al-Faisaly | 0 | (0) |
| 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 Al-Faisaly.
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. .
May 22, 2007, Christophe Grondin signed a contract with the Belgian club AA Gent until 2011, where he stayed until the summer of 2012, when he moved to Al-Faisaly.
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.