Daniel Van Buyten

Daniel Van Buyten

Van Buyten in 2013
Personal information
Full nameDaniel Van Buyten[1]
Date of birth7 February 1978
Place of birthChimay, Belgium
Height1.97 m (6 ft 5 12 in)[2]
Playing positionCentre back
Youth career
1986–1988JS Froidchapelle
1988–1989JSG Lammetal
1989–1991JS Froidchapelle
1991–1993Olympic Charleroi
1993–1994UBS Auvelais
1994–1997FC Somzée
1997–1998Charleroi
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1998–1999Charleroi19(1)
1999–2001Standard Liège57(7)
2001–2004Marseille76(12)
2004Manchester City (loan)5(0)
2004–2006Hamburger SV61(7)
2006–2014Bayern Munich158(20)
2010–2011Bayern Munich II2(0)
Total378(47)
National team
2000Belgium U181(0)
1999Belgium U216(1)
2001–2014Belgium84(10)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Daniel Van Buyten (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈdaːnijɛl vɑmˈbœy̆tə(n)]; born 7 February 1978) is a Belgian former footballer who played as a centre back for the Belgium national football team. Nicknamed 'Big Dan',[3] Van Buyten was known for his uncompromising style of play, exploiting both his physical strength and aerial ability.

Starting out at Sporting Charleroi as a striker, his career took off when he converted to a centre back, playing for a series of top flight clubs, including Olympique de Marseille, Manchester City, Hamburger SV and Bayern Munich. Throughout his career, Van Buyten was also a regular starter for the Belgium national football team, achieving 84 caps in an international career that spanned 13 years and included two world cups.

Club career

Early career

Van Buyten joined Marseille in the summer of 2001, leaving Belgian side Standard Liège with whom he had been with since 1999.[4] After two and half productive seasons with the club, on 31 January 2004, Van Buyten agreed to a short term loan agreement with Manchester City, signing for the Premier League club until the end of the season.[5] Van Buyten proved to be a success in his half-season loan deal at the club, garnering praise from his manager, specifically in his performance against Chelsea. But former manager Kevin Keegan conceded that, "I don't think we will keep him at the end of the season as I feel he will go to a big club then."[6]

Van Buyten returned to Marseille at the end of his loan agreement and was signed by Bundesliga club Hamburg in June 2004 to replace outgoing captain Nico-Jan Hoogma, agreeing to a four-year deal with the German side.[7]

Bayern Munich

In June 2006, Bayern Munich announced that they had acquired Van Buyten from rivals Hamburg, and signed him to a contract lasting through the 2009–10 season.[8] Van Buyten had a highly successful first season at the Bavarian club, forming a centre-back partnership with Lúcio. Van Buyten scored his first goal for Bayern Munich against Energie Cottbus on 9 December 2006, scoring the game-winning goal of a 2–1 victory for Die Roten.[9] Van Buyten then scored his second goal for the club on 26 January 2007, levelling the sides at 1–1 but Bayern fell to Borussia Dortmund by a score of 3–2.[10]

Van Buyten with Bayern Munich in 2010

However, arguably Van Buyten's most valuable contribution in his debut season came against Milan on 3 April 2007, in the first-leg of the Champions League quarter-final.[11] Van Buyten scored two away goals to level the match and give Bayern Munich the advantage in the tie. In the quarter-final encounter against Milan, he scored twice with his left foot, once in the 78th minute to take Bayern to 1–1 and then he scored a stoppage time half-volley.[12]

On 4 February 2010, Bayern Munich announced that Van Buyten had signed a new contract that would keep him at the club until 2012.[13][14] During the second half of the 2010–11 season, Van Buyten was mostly relegated to bench player status, but recovered his starting spot towards the end of the season. Van Buyten was part of the squad that blitzed St. Pauli on 11 May 2011, netting a goal in an 8–1 victory that condemned the Hamburg side to relegation to the 2. Bundesliga.[15]

On 17 December 2011, in the match between Bayern Munich and 1. FC Köln, Van Buyten struck a free kick so hard that the ball burst.[16] On 30 April 2012, Van Buyten signed a one-year extension with Bayern Munich.[17]

Despite the arrival of Dante from Borussia Mönchengladbach in the summer of 2012,[18] Van Buyten became an integral member of the back-line for the Bavarians during the 2012–13 campaign, part of a three-man rotation in the centre of defense with Dante and Jérôme Boateng. On 6 April 2013 with a 1–0 defeat of Eintracht Frankfurt, thanks to a goal from Bastian Schweinsteiger, Van Buyten celebrated his third Bundesliga championship with Bayern, clinching the club's 23rd national title.[19] Van Buyten played the full ninety minutes in the club's 3–0 second leg semi-final victory over Spanish champions Barcelona on 1 May, clinching a resounding 7–0 aggregate victory and a place in the Champions League final against fellow Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund.[20]

After heavily been linked with the biggest spenders, AS Monaco,[21] Van Buyten signed further contract extension on a one-year rolling contract.[22] Having been a part member of the squad under manager Pep Guardiola despite scoring once against Werder Bremen,[23] Van Buyten was rumored to join FC Köln on a pre-contract agreement, but that was denied by the club's official.[24] After the end of the season, the club did not renew his contract, leaving him no choice but to leave the club.[25] Belgian Pro League club Anderlecht proposed him a two-year contract in August 2014,[26] but he turned the offer down, stating that he retired from competitive football.[27]

International career

Van Buyten was called up to the national team in 2001 and received his first cap for Belgium on 28 February of that year against San Marino in World Cup qualifying,[28] starting in a 10–1 thrashing of minnows San Marino in World Cup qualifying.[29] His first goal for the national team came in just his second cap, heading home the equalizing goal in a 2–2 draw with Scotland on 24 March 2001, earning a crucial point for ten-man Belgium in World Cup qualifying.[30]

After good performances with Marseille in France, the young defender was included in the 23-man roster for the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Korea and Japan.[31] Van Buyten played the full game in Belgium's opening match of the tournament, a 2–2 draw with co-hosts Japan on 4 June.[32] In the second group game, Belgium stuttered to a surprising 1–1 draw with Tunisia on 10 June while Van Buyten booked for the Belgians.[33] Van Buyten helped Belgium pick up their first win of the tournament and in doing so progression to the knockout stage, stopping a late flurry from Russia to secure a 3–2 victory.[34] Finishing as runners-up in the group, Belgium were dealt a tough draw with four-time champions Brazil.[35] Despite a valiant effort, Van Buyten and the Belgians bowed out in the Last 16 as the duo of Rivaldo and Ronaldo led Brazil to a 2–0 win.[36] The South Americans would eventually be crowned champions with a defeat of Germany in the final on 30 June by the same scoreline.[37]

Following Belgium's impressive display at the World Cup in Japan and South Korea, much was expected of the small nation in the qualifying phase of the UEFA Euro 2004 tournament and the country was placed in Pot A amongst the best teams in the European federation. Van Buyten played in all eight qualifying games for the national team[38] but Belgium failed to make it to the final tournament missing out on second spot in the group to Croatia on the head-to-head rule.[39]

Van Buyten, top right, with the national team against Austria in 2011

On 11 February 2009, he scored a rare double as the Belgians sunk Slovenia 2–0 in a friendly match.[40] Seven months later on 9 September, Van Buyten notched Belgium's only goal as Belgium slumped to a disappointing 2–1 defeat to lowly Armenia in FIFA World Cup qualifying.[41] The loss meant that Belgium lost any hope of qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa and national team manager Franky Vercauteren quit minutes after final whistle.[42]

For UEFA Euro 2012 qualification, Belgium were placed in Group A with the likes of Germany, Turkey and Austria.[43] The defender netted a brace away to Turkey on 7 September 2010, but despite his best efforts Belgium fell to a 3–2 loss as captain Vincent Kompany was sent off for two bookable offenses.[44]

Van Buyten was once again an integral member for the Belgians in yet another qualifying campaign, featuring in seven of the ten qualifying matches for the country.[45] Belgium narrowly missed out in qualifying for the playoff-round, finishing two points behind Turkey with a 3–1 loss to Germany in the final qualifying round game on 11 October 2011.[46]

In 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying, the veteran defender made five appearances as Belgium reached its first tournament in 12 years.[47]

On 13 May 2014, Van Buyten was named in Belgium's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.[48] At the age of 36, he started in the team's first game of the tournament, a 2–1 win against Algeria in Belo Horizonte.[49]

Personal life

His father, Franz, was a popular Belgian catcher/wrestler in Europe from 1960 to 1980.[50] His mother, Renate, is German.

Bank theft incident

Whilst he was with Manchester City, he, along with players Djamel Belmadi and Matías Vuoso, was the victim of a theft by two bankers.[51] In total, bank workers at the Co-operative Bank stole more than £350,000 from the accounts of the three players.[52]

In January 2006, the bank workers, Paul Sherwood, a cashier, and Paul Hanley, his supervisor, were jailed for 32 months and 12 months respectively.[53][54]

Career statistics

Club statistics

As of 17 May 2014
Club performance League Cup League Cup Continental Other Total Ref.
Club League Season Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Belgium League Belgian Cup League Cup Europe Other Total
Charleroi First Division 1998–99 19 1 19 1
Totals 19 1 19 1
Standard Liège First Division 1999–2000 28 3 28 3
2000–01 26 3 2 1 28 4
Totals 54 6 2 1 56 7
France League Coupe de France Coupe de la Ligue Europe Other Total Ref.
Olympique Marseille Division 1 2001–02 23 2 23 3
Ligue 1 2002–03 35 8 35 8
2003–04 18 2 8 1 26 3
Totals 76 6 8 1 84 8
England League FA Cup League Cup Europe Other Total Ref.
Manchester City Premier League 2003–04 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0
Totals 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0
Germany League DFB-Pokal DFB-Ligapokal Europe Other Total Ref.
Hamburger SV Bundesliga 2004–05 34 5 1 0 4 0 39 5 [55]
2005–06 27 2 3 1 15 2 45 5 [56]
Totals 61 7 4 1 19 2 84 10
Bayern Munich Bundesliga 2006–07 31 3 3 0 2 0 10 2 46 5 [57]
2007–08 19 1 4 1 1 0 3 1 27 3 [58]
2008–09 18 3 2 0 5 1 25 4 [59]
2009–10 31 6 5 2 12 1 48 9 [60]
2010–11 21 2 3 0 5 0 0 0 39 2 [61]
Bayern Munich II 3. Liga 2010–11 1 0 1 0 [61]
Regionalliga Süd 2011–12 1 0 1 0 [62]
Bayern Munich Bundesliga 2011–12 13 4 2 0 7 0 22 4 [62]
2012–13 13 0 4 0 6 0 0 0 23 0 [63]
2013–14 12 1 3 0 2 0 1 0 18 1 [64][65]
Bayern Munich totals 158 20 26 2 3 0 50 5 1 0 250 32
Bayern Munich II totals 2 0 2 0
Career totals 375 40 30 3 3 0 79 9 1 0 488 52

International goals

Score and Result lists Belgium's goals first.

Honours

Club

Hamburger SV[66]
Bayern Munich[67]

Individual

References

  1. "FIFA Club World Cup Morocco 2013: List of Players" (PDF). FIFA. 7 December 2013. p. 5. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
  2. "van Buyten, Daniel" (in German). kicker. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
  3. ORourke, Peter. "MARSEILLE - STAR MAN - DANIEL VAN BUYTEN". Sky Sports. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  4. "Daniel Van Buyten". UEFA. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
  5. "Man City sign Van Buyten". BBC Sport. 31 January 2004. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
  6. "Keegan to lose Van Buyten". BBC Sport. 2 March 2004. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
  7. "Hamburg attract Van Buyten". UEFA. 14 June 2004. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
  8. Coerts, Stefan (26 January 2013). "Van Buyten: Bayern should not take Arsenal tie lightly". Goal. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
  9. "Bayern München vs. Energie Cottbus 2 - 1". US Soccerway. 9 December 2006. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
  10. "Borussia Dortmund 3-2 Bayern Munich". ESPN FC. 26 January 2007. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
  11. McNulty, Phil (3 April 2007). "AC Milan 2-2 Bayern Munich". BBC Sport. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
  12. Aikman, Richard (4 April 2007). "Van Buyten gives Bayern the edge". UEFA. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
  13. "Bayern Munich trio sign new deals". Ontheminute.com. 4 February 2010. Retrieved 4 February 2010.
  14. "Van Buyten commits future to Bayern". UEFA.com. 5 February 2010. Retrieved 11 February 2010.
  15. Honigstein, Raphael (11 May 2011). "Bundesliga loses its pirates as Bayern blitz sinks St Pauli". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
  16. Potter, Alistair (17 December 2011). "Bayern Munich's Daniel van Buyten hits free-kick so hard the ball bursts". metro.co.uk. Retrieved 23 December 2011.
  17. Caferoglu, Livio (30 April 2012). "Van Buyten signs one-year extension with Bayern". Goal.com. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
  18. "Bayern sign Gladbach defender Dante". FIFA. 26 April 2012. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
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  20. Hunter (1 May 2013). "Clinical Bayern complete Barcelona conquest". UEFA. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
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  22. "Bayern Munich duo Franck Ribery and Daniel van Buyten sign contract extensions". The Daily Telegraph. 6 June 2013. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
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  32. "Gunner Inamoto makes a point". The Guardian. 4 June 2004. Retrieved 23 May 2013. |first1= missing |last1= in Authors list (help)
  33. "Tunisia hold Belgium". BBC Sport. 10 June 2004. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
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  36. "Brazil 2, Belgium 0 : Irrepressible duo is the difference". NY Times. 18 June 2002. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
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  40. "Van Buyten brilha, e Bélgica derrota a Eslovênia em amistoso". Globoesporte.com (in Portuguese). 11 February 2009. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
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  42. Bell, Jack (9 September 2009). "Belgium Loses Again as Coach Quits". NY Times. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
  43. "Quali-Termine für Euro 2012 stehen fest" (in German). Heute. 22 February 2010. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
  44. Vermeiren, Dirk (7 September 2010). "Arda strike condemns Belgium to defeat". UEFA. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
  45. "Matches". UEFA. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
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  49. Chowdhury, Saj (17 June 2014). "Belgium 2-1 Algeria". BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
  50. "Franz Van Buyten". Wrestling Data. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
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  56. "Daniel van Buyten" (in German). Fussballdaten.de. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
  57. "Daniel van Buyten" (in German). Fussballdaten.de. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
  58. "Daniel van Buyten" (in German). Fussballdaten.de. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
  59. "van Buyten, Daniel" (in German). kicker. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
  60. "van Buyten, Daniel" (in German). kicker. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
  61. 61.0 61.1 "van Buyten, Daniel" (in German). kicker. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
  62. 62.0 62.1 "van Buyten, Daniel" (in German). kicker. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
  63. "van Buyten, Daniel" (in German). kicker. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
  64. "van Buyten, Daniel" (in German). kicker. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
  65. "Reus eröffnet und beendet den Torreigen". kicker. 27 July 2013. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
  66. "HSV-Bollwerk hielt stand". kicker.de (in German). Retrieved 14 August 2014.
  67. "D. Van Buyten". Soccerway. Retrieved 14 August 2014.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Daniel Van Buyten.
Sporting positions
Preceded by
Tomáš Ujfaluši
Hamburg captain
2004-2006
Succeeded by
Rafael van der Vaart