Pascal Cygan

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Template:Short description Template:EngvarB Script error: No such module "Unsubst". Template:Infobox football biography Pascal Édouard Cygan (born 29 April 1974) is a French former professional footballer. His favoured position was central defender, but he could also play as a left-back.

After starting out at Lille, he played four years in England with Arsenal and three in Spain's La Liga with Villarreal, in a 17-year career. He won the 2003–04 FA Premier League and two Community Shields with Arsenal.

Early life

Cygan was born in Lens, Pas-de-Calais.[1] His grandparents were of Polish ancestry and his father worked for the Mobile Gendarmerie, with the family living in the corporation's headquarters in Villeneuve-d'Ascq.[2]

Career

Lille

Cygan started his senior career at lowly ES Wasquehal before going professional with Lille OSC in 1995, making his Division 1 debut that year but also going on to spend three seasons in Division 2. In 1999–2000 he was an instrumental defensive element for the champions and, in the subsequent top-flight campaign, helped them achieve a third-place finish, with qualification for the UEFA Champions League.[3]

In this time, Cygan was also promoted to the captaincy, seen as a role model to help develop the younger players. He won of the Etoile d'Or in his last year in France,[4] totalling 200 games for Lille in all competitions.[5]

Arsenal

Cygan joined Arsenal in July 2002 for £2 million,[6][7] making his debut in a 1–1 draw with Chelsea on 1 September after coming on as a late substitute for Nwankwo Kanu.[8] While he featured notably in some of the team's more important fixtures, he was mostly considered only a fringe player; he missed the 2003 FA Cup final through injury,[9] but did pick up a Premier League winners' medal in 2004 after contributing 18 appearances.[10][11]

Cygan scored three goals for Arsenal in league action, including an unlikely brace in his first game of 2005–06 against Fulham (4–1 home win).[12] Until then he had only netted once, against Everton on 23 March 2003.[13]

Also that season, following injuries to both Ashley Cole and Gaël Clichy, Cygan was drafted in as an emergency left-back, and was even named in the Opta team of the week on 9 January 2006.[14] Overall, his side won 12 of the 20 matches he played in and kept 11 clean sheets in the process. He suffered a hamstring injury in January against Middlesbrough[15] and was unable to play again that season as he was fourth choice behind Sol Campbell, Philippe Senderos and Kolo Touré, with young Johan Djourou also competing for a place.[16][17]

Cygan played 98 competitive games during his spell at Highbury, including 20 in the Champions League.[18][19]

Villarreal

In August 2006, Cygan completed a transfer to Villarreal CF for a £2 million transfer fee, joining former Arsenal teammate and compatriot Robert Pires at the club.[20][21] On 6 June 2008, having been fairly used in his first two years, mainly due to consecutive serious injuries to Gonzalo Rodríguez, he signed a new one-year deal.[22]

However, following a lack of first-team opportunities in 2008–09,[23] and with Villarreal unwilling to extend his contract for a further campaign, Cygan left in July 2009.[24][25] His La Liga goals came on 5 November 2006 in a 3–2 home win over Real Betis,[26] and in the 3–0 defeat of Levante UD on 31 October 2007 also at El Madrigal.[27]

Later career

On 10 August 2009, Cygan joined FC Cartagena, recently promoted to Segunda División, on a one-year deal.[28] Aged 37, he was released by the Murcians and retired from professional football, focusing on becoming a coach.[29][30][31]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[32][33]
Club Season League CupTemplate:Efn ContinentalTemplate:Efn Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Lille 1995–96 Division 1 27 0 6 0 – 33 0
1996–97 14 0 1 0 – 15 0
1997–98 Division 2 26 3 1 0 – 27 3
1998–99 21 1 1 0 – 22 1
1999–2000 33 2 2 0 – 35 2
2000–01 Division 1 29 2 – – 29 2
2001–02 29 2 – 10 0 39 2
Total 179 10 11 0 10 0 200 10
Arsenal 2002–03 Premier League 18 1 2 0 11 0 31 1
2003–04 18 0 3 0 3 0 24 0
2004–05 15 0 5 0 3 0 23 0
2005–06 12 2 5 0 3 0 20 2
Total 63 3 15 0 20 0 98 3
Villarreal 2006–07 La Liga 21 1 – – 21 1
2007–08 21 1 6 0 5 0 32 1
2008–09 4 0 2 0 – 6 0
Total 46 2 8 0 5 0 59 2
Cartagena 2009–10 Segunda División 26 0 – – 26 0
2010–11 31 0 – – 31 0
Total 57 0 0 0 0 0 57 0
Career total 345 15 34 0 35 0 414 15

Template:Notelist

Honours

Lille

Arsenal

Individual

References

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  10. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  14. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  27. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  28. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  29. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  32. ↑ Template:WorldFootball
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External links

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