Philippe Christanval
Philippe Christanval is a former French footballer born in 1978.
He played as a centre-back for clubs like Monaco, Barcelona, Marseille, and Fulham, and earned six caps for the France national team.
Christanval began his professional career at AS Monaco, where he won the league title in 2000.
Biography
Early Life
Philippe Charles Lucien Christanval was born in Paris in 1978. Growing up, he developed a passion for football, which would shape his future career.
Career
Christanval began his professional journey at AS Monaco in 1999, where he made 81 appearances and scored one goal. His time at Monaco was marked by success, including winning the 1999–2000 league title and earning the title of Young Player of the Year. In June 2001, he fulfilled a childhood dream by signing with FC Barcelona for a fee of £6.5 million. However, after two years, he moved to Olympique de Marseille, where he reached the 2004 UEFA Cup Final, although he did not play in the match.
In September 2005, after a trial with Arsenal, he joined Fulham F.C. His time at Fulham saw him play in various positions, including defensive midfield, and he scored his only Premier League goal in a dramatic 3–3 draw against West Ham United in January 2007. Christanval's career with Fulham ended in 2008 when he was released after limited appearances.
On the international stage, Christanval represented France, earning six caps and being part of the squad for the 2002 FIFA World Cup, although he did not play in the tournament. He made his full international debut in 2000 and played his last match in 2002.
Legacy
In recognition of his contributions to football, an artificial pitch in his hometown of Sarcelles was named after him, highlighting his impact on the local community and the sport.
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Career & Clubs
Monaco
Christanval's career began at AS Monaco in 1999, where he made 81 appearances, scoring one goal. They won the 1999–2000 league title, earning him the title of Young Player of the Year, and he made several UEFA Champions League appearances. In January 2001, it was reported that Monaco were considering exchanging him for Frank LeBoeuf of Chelsea.
Barcelona and Marseille
Christanval was then signed by Barcelona of Spain's La Liga for a £6.5 million fee in June 2001, the team he supported as a child. After being released from Barcelona in 2003, he joined Marseille on 18 July on a four-year contract. They reached the 2004 UEFA Cup Final in his first season, but he was an unused substitute as they lost 2–0 to Valencia.
Fulham
After two weeks on trial at Arsenal, their manager Arsène Wenger opted not to sign Christanval. He then joined another Premier League team from across London, Fulham, on 9 September 2005. Upon his signing, manager Chris Coleman stated:
"He can be captain for the next five years if he shows the same consistency and level of performance." In his first appearances at Fulham, he found himself playing in defensive midfield with Papa Bouba Diop. He was later moved back to his typical position. His only Premier League goal was a late equaliser in a 3–3 draw with West Ham United on 13 January 2007. In the 2007–08 season he made a single substitute appearance. At the end of the season, Christanval was released by Fulham and was…
Christanval was part of the France squad at the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship. He made his full debut on 7 October 2000, in a 0–0 friendly draw away to South Africa. Christanval played four more friendlies in 2002 before his last appearance, a 2–1 away win against Cyprus in qualification for UEFA Euro 2004. He was selected for the 2002 FIFA World Cup but did not enter the field of play.
- Club
- FC Barcelona (2001–2003)
- Club
- AS Monaco FC (1997–2001)
- Club
- Olympique de Marseille (2003–2005)
- Club
- Fulham F.C. (2005–2008)
- Club
- France men's national association football team (2000–2003)
- League
- Premier League
- National team
- France
Personal
An artificial pitch in his native Sarcelles was named after Christanval.
Clubs
Played together with
- Aadil AssanaAS Monaco FC · 2011–2014
Aaron HughesFulham F.C. · 2007–2014- Abdallah Ali MohamedOlympique de Marseille · 2019
Abde EzzalzouliFC Barcelona · 2021–2023
Abdelaziz BarradaOlympique de Marseille · 2014
Abdelaziz Ben TifourAS Monaco FC · 1956–1958- Abdelaziz Ben TifourFrance men's national association football team · 1952–1957
- Abdelkader Ben BoualiFrance men's national association football team · 1937–1937
- Abdelkader Ben BoualiOlympique de Marseille · 1936–1938
- Abdellah LiegeonAS Monaco FC · 1981–1987
- Abdelsalem Ben Miloud SalemOlympique de Marseille · 1946–1956
Abderrahman IbrirFrance men's national association football team · 1949–1950
Archive
Passport
Identifiers & aliases
Philippe Charles Lucien Christanval is a French former professional footballer who played as a centre-back. During his career, he played for Monaco, Barcelona, Marseille and Fulham and earned six full international caps with the France national team, as well as selection to the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
Opinions of fans — not verified facts.
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