Laurent Koscielny ( french pronunciation : [ loʁɑ̃ kosjɛlni, lɔ- ] ; polish : Kościelny, pronounced [ kɔˈɕtɕɛlnɨ ] ; born 10 September 1985 ) is a french professional football player who plays as a center spinal column and captains Ligue 1 cabaret Bordeaux. Born in Tulle, Koscielny began his football career play for a host of youth clubs before moving to Guingamp in 2003, where he quickly progressed through the young ranks, making his professional introduction the follow season. After becoming frustrated at being played out of position as a right back, he joined Tours for an undisclosed fee, quickly establishing himself as the team ‘s star player in his desire position, ultimately aiding in the club ‘s forwarding into Ligue 1, while besides being named in the Ligue 2 team of the Season. [ 5 ] Koscielny continued his impressive performances following a €1.7 million transfer to fellow french kit Lorient in 2009, receiving multiple plaudits for his performances, largely cultivating a reputation as a cagey, agile, ball-playing defender. [ 5 ] His achievements and footballing electric potential attract Arsenal, ultimately moving to the Premier League side for a tip of £8.45 million the following temper.
Reading: Laurent Koscielny
Following his arrival in England, Koscielny was regarded to be one of the best players in his status, equally well as one of the best in the populace. [ 6 ] [ 7 ] He had established himself as a core part in the Arsenal first team, ampere well as contributing with a host of individual performances, including aiding in ending the club ‘s nine-year trophy drought, scoring a crucial equalizer en route to winning the FA Cup in 2014. He was besides crucial in further club successes that followed, winning another FA Cup and the FA Community Shield doubly. Despite qualifying to represent Poland, Koscielny rather decided to represent France, and first appeared up for the home team against Brazil in February 2011. [ 8 ] Koscielny has since become a regular appetizer for the state in every major tournament that they have appeared in, including UEFA Euro 2012 and the 2014 FIFA World Cup, while besides leading France to the final examination of UEFA Euro 2016, which they lost to Portugal. [ 9 ] He scored his first international finish in a friendly match against Scotland in 2016, [ 10 ] and amassed fifty-one appearances for the national side. He retired from international football in 2018 .
Club career [edit ]
early career [edit ]
Koscielny was born in Tulle, Corrèze. [ 11 ] He began his career at Guingamp in 2004, a team that had produced such talents as Didier Drogba and Florent Malouda. Three years late, Koscielny was forced to drop down to the french third gear tier. He made 47 appearances for Guingamp, between 2004 and 2007, by and large as a properly fullback. [ citation needed ] In 2007, Koscielny joined Tours FC, deciding that he wanted a chance at center back. He showed noteworthy improvement in aerial ability and positional awareness that limited him to barely three scandalmongering cards. During the 2008–09 season, Koscielny made 34 Ligue 2 appearances, scoring 5 goals from defense, and was named in the division ‘s best xi at the end of the season. [ 5 ]
Lorient [edit ]
On 16 June 2009, newly promoted Ligue 1 side FC Lorient signed Koscielny on a four-year contract for around €1.7 million. He established himself as a starter and played in his prefer centre-back side. Over one temper at the club, he scored 3 goals in 35 appearances. On 7 March 2010 Koscielny tapped in his first Ligue 1 goal against Olympique Marseille at Stade Vélodrome in the 65th minute in a 1–1 draw. Koscielny became a sports fan favorite when he scored his second goal with a header trench in injury time against Montpellier in a 2–2 pull back after a thwart from Olivier Monterrubio. [ citation needed ] He scored another against Bordeaux after 11 minutes. however, he received a loss batting order 15 minutes late for a foul in the punishment area against his future Arsenal teammate Marouane Chamakh. Koscielny helped Lorient to finish the political campaign in 7th station ; its best stopping point in Ligue 1. An impressive season culminated in reports from french day by day Ouest-France that the defender was training with the Arsenal reserves ahead of an official announcement. On 6 July 2010, Koscielny agreed personal terms with Arsenal. Arsenal ‘s initial offer for Koscielny was believed to be in the region of £4 million, while they were then prepared to do a distribute that would besides involve youngster Francis Coquelin moving on loanword in the opposite management, which Lorient rejected. [ 12 ] During the summer transplant window of 2010 reports began to emerge in belated June that a deal had been reached to bring Koscielny to Arsenal for a reported total of £8.45 million. [ citation needed ]
arsenal [edit ]
2010–11 season [edit ]
“ I do n’t believe any french player would have refused to come and play for Arsenal. It took me four years to go from the bench of Ligue 2 to Arsenal so it is a great accomplishment. I have been on the cap of a wave for the end few years. But it is good the begin ; I have n’t proved anything so far. Arsenal is a address for football. ”
Laurent Koscielny [ 5 ]
Arsenal confirmed the sign on 7 July 2010 and Koscielny was handed the golf club ‘s number 6 shirt, previously worn by Philippe Senderos, who had moved to Fulham early in the summer. Wenger explained he bought Koscielny due to the fact he added stature to the team and Arsenal were broken on center backs. [ 13 ] Koscielny made his debut against Barnet in a pre-season friendly in July 2010. One month former in his competitive debut against Liverpool at Anfield, he was sent off in the 94th minute for a second bookable crime. Both of his chicken cards were shown beyond 90 minutes. The game ended in a 1–1 draw with both teams having debut players sent off. [ 14 ] He scored his first gear goal for Arsenal on 11 September 2010, in a 4–1 winnings against Bolton Wanderers. [ 15 ] Koscielny made his debut in european contest on 15 September 2010, when he partnered Sébastien Squillaci in a 6–0 gain over Braga at the Emirates Stadium. Koscielny was praised for performances against Sunderland and made a brilliant harness against Tottenham Hotspur to stop Aaron Lennon from scoring during their Football League Cup tie. On 27 October, he blocked a shoot off the line and provided an serve to Theo Walcott against Newcastle United in the fourth round of the League Cup, where Arsenal went on to win the match 4–0 at St James ‘ Park. Koscielny was given a straight red card in Arsenal ‘s 0–1 loss at home against Newcastle United on 7 November 2010. This was his second gear sending off of the temper .
Koscielny playing for Arsenal on 10 September 2011 against Swansea City On 25 January 2011, Koscielny scored the second base goal in the 3–0 winnings over Ipswich Town in the League Cup semi-final second leg win at the Emirates Stadium. Throughout January 2011, Koscielny and Johan Djourou were a separate of a defense that did not concede a goal in the Premier League. On 1 February, he scored his third goal of the season, which proved to be the winner in a 2–1 turn around victory over Everton. Koscielny had arguably his best operation to date for Arsenal in the first stage of the Champions League rung of 16 match against Barcelona. The pit ended in a 2–1 home succeed for Arsenal. Koscielny ‘s performances were applauded and praised in many media reports of the game. Former Arsenal defender, Martin Keown, said his operation was “ impressive ” and “ brilliant throughout ”. [ 16 ] On 27 February, in the last minute of the 2011 Football League Cup Final, Koscielny was involved in a confusion with his goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny, which resulted in Birmingham City hitter Obafemi Martins scoring the winning goal. [ 17 ]
2011–12 season [edit ]
Koscielny and Fernando Torres in a Premier League match on 21 April 2012 Koscielny started the 2011–12 season aboard Thomas Vermaelen in central defense. Koscielny was injured and taken off the pitch 10 minutes into a 2–0 home loss to Liverpool on 20 August 2011. however, he returned to the starting line-up Arsenal ‘s biggest ever Premier League get the better of, losing 8–2 to Manchester United at Old Trafford. On 17 September, Koscielny scored an own goal as Arsenal lost 4–3 to Blackburn Rovers in the Premier League. He went on to be named valet of the match away at Olympique Marseille in the Champions League, where Arsenal won 1–0 at the Stade Vélodrome, keeping their first fairly sheet in a Champions League away plot since 18 August 2009 against Celtic, where the Gunners had won 2–0. On 29 October, Koscielny received praise for his solid performance in Arsenal ‘s 5–3 away win against Chelsea. He scored his first gear goal of the season on 2 January 2012 in a 2–1 away frustration against Fulham. He scored his beginning Champions League goal against A.C. Milan in a 3–0 victory in the polish of 16 second leg. On 13 May 2012, he scored the winning finish in a 3–2 victory against West Bromwich Albion to ensure that Arsenal finished third base in the Premier League. He was voted as the team ‘s fourthly most important player by the fans in Arsenal ‘s Player of the Season poll for his performances throughout the 2011–12 season. [ 18 ]
2012–13 season [edit ]
On 24 July 2012, Koscielny signed a new long term contract with Arsenal. [ 19 ] [ 20 ] [ 21 ] His first finish of the season was a late counterweight against champions Manchester City on 23 September 2012 in a meet which ended 1–1. [ 22 ] On 30 October, he scored a header from a corner in the 88th infinitesimal against Reading in the Football League Cup, helping Arsenal come back from 4–0 gloomy to finally win the game 7–5. [ 23 ] On 13 March 2013, Koscielny scored against Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena in the UEFA Champions League last 16. His goal put Arsenal 2–0 ahead on the night and degree at 3–3 on aggregate, but they hush exited the competition on the away goals rule. [ 24 ] On 19 May, Koscielny scored the winning goal as Arsenal beat Newcastle United 1–0 at St James ‘ Park in their final examination Premier League fastness of the season to secure a fourth-placed finish up and reservation to the 2013–14 UEFA Champions League play-off attack. [ 25 ] Koscielny was voted as Arsenal ‘s second best player of the season. [ 26 ]
2013–14 season [edit ]
Koscielny started the 2013–14 season by conceding a penalty and getting sent off in Arsenal ‘s 3–1 Premier League opening day get the better of at home to Aston Villa. [ 27 ] however, his partnership with Per Mertesacker saw the Gunners achieve the joint-best defensive record in the Premier League at the center point of the season, as the team topped the table. [ 28 ] On 22 February 2014, Koscielny scored his first goal of the season in a 4–1 defeat of Sunderland. [ 29 ] In the team ‘s penultimate home match, Koscielny scored his second finish of the season in a 3–0 winnings against Newcastle United. [ 29 ] On 9 May 2014, Koscielny signed a raw long-run abridge with Arsenal. [ 30 ] On 17 May, Koscielny scored Arsenal ‘s equalising goal as the team came from 2–0 down to defeat Hull City 3–2 in the 2014 FA Cup Final, winning his first nibble of silverware with the golf club. [ 31 ]
2014–15 season [edit ]
On 16 August 2014, Koscielny opened his goal-scoring account for the season, scoring Arsenal ‘s beginning goal in the 2014–15 Premier League. The finish was header from a free-kick in first half arrest time against Crystal Palace at the Emirates Stadium. [ 32 ] After sustaining an achilles tendon injury during the October external break, Koscielny was absent from the Arsenal team for seven weeks. [ 33 ] On 29 November, he returned to Arsenal ‘s starting line-up aboard Per Mertesacker in central defense mechanism, as the Gunners kept a clean sheet in a 1–0 victory against West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns. [ 34 ] In the team ‘s follow repair at home to Southampton, Koscielny helped Arsenal to record a second base consecutive clean sheet and 1–0 succeed. [ 35 ]
Read more: Lille OSC
Koscielny in 2015 On 11 January 2015, Koscielny scored the first gear goal in a 3–0 acquire over Stoke City. [ 36 ] On 18 January, he started in central defense as Arsenal shut out defending champions Manchester City to win 2–0 at the City of Manchester Stadium. [ 37 ] On 10 February, he scored the opening finish as Arsenal defeated Leicester City 2–1. [ 38 ] On 30 May 2015, Koscielny was selected to start in the 2015 FA Cup Final, playing the full 90 minutes in a 4–0 frustration of Aston Villa at Wembley Stadium. [ 39 ]
2015–16 temper [edit ]
Koscielny started every game in the first calendar month of the temper, excluding a 0–0 draw with rivals Liverpool at Emirates Stadium, [ 40 ] due to an injury. Koscielny played a full of life character as Arsenal won 5 games out of six in October to go second in the Premier League, with Koscielny scoring in consecutive Premier League wins against Everton and Swansea. [ 41 ] [ 42 ] With director Arsene Wenger opting to play Gabriel Paulista ahead of vice-captain Per Mertesacker, Koscielny began appearing deoxyadenosine monophosphate captain in February, due to injuries to early captains Santi Cazorla & Mikel Arteta. This ended after a 3–2 defeat to Manchester United, when Koscielny missed four games through injury, including a north London bowler hat at White Hart Lane. [ 43 ] He returned in a 3–1 away get the better of to Barcelona in the Champions League, as Arsenal exited the contest at the rung of 16 for the one-sixth temper running. [ 44 ] Koscielny scored his fourth of the season in a 3–3 reap with West Ham. [ 45 ]
2016–17 season [edit ]
Koscielny started his beginning game of the temper in a scoreless draw against Leicester City. On 10 September, he was given the function of captain and scored a fine overhead kick to equalize for the Gunners in a game which they then won 2–1 against Southampton making him Arsenal ‘s highest goal scoring defender in EPL history, with the landmark achieved on his 31st birthday. [ 46 ] Koscielny was involved in a controversial incident at the end of Arsenal ‘s 1–0 win over Burnley, in which Koscielny and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain were involved in a finish which appeared to be scored from an offside position after hitting Koscielny ‘s arm. Neither the perceive careful handball or offside offenses were deemed to be infringements and the finish was late correctly credited to Koscielny. [ 47 ] [ 48 ] [ 49 ] On 12 January 2017, Koscielny, aboard teammates Francis Coquelin and Olivier Giroud signed a new long-run contract with Arsenal. [ 50 ] Two days by and by, he made his two-hundredth appearance for Arsenal in the Premier League on a 4–0 away victory against Swansea City. [ 51 ] [ 52 ] On the last day of the 2016–17 season he received red card for a fishing gear on Enner Valencia of Everton. Arsenal lost an appeal and Koscielny was banned for three games, meaning he would miss the FA Cup final examination. [ 53 ] Although he was absent from the FA Cup final examination, Koscielny lifted the trophy alongside Per Mertesacker. [ 54 ] [ 55 ]
2017–18 season [edit ]
On 3 May 2018, Koscielny suffered an Achilles wound during the UEFA Europa League semi-final second leg pit against Atlético Madrid, and was ruled out for at least six months. [ 56 ]
2018–19 temper [edit ]
Following the retirement of Per Mertesacker, Koscielny was made the captain of Arsenal. [ 57 ] He made his first appearance of the season against Southampton in a 3–2 frustration. [ 58 ] Koscielny played what proved to be his final bet on for Arsenal, as captain, in a 4–1 kill to Chelsea, in the 2019 UEFA Europa League Final. [ 59 ]
2019–20 season [edit ]
On 11 July 2019 it was reported that, with a year left on his contract, he refused to take part in the Arsenal pre-season go of the United States and decided to stay in the UK in order to force a travel to Bordeaux. [ 60 ]
bordeaux [edit ]
On 6 August 2019, Koscielny signed for French Ligue 1 club Bordeaux, in a consider rumored to be worth £4,600,000, after nine years with Arsenal. [ 61 ]
International career [edit ]
Koscielny was called up to the french national team on 3 February 2011. Before his call up for France, Koscielny was besides eligible to play for Poland and initially considered applying for polish citizenship. [ 8 ] In August 2010, it was reported that he had not submitted an application and cancelled a meeting with Poland national team bus Franciszek Smuda in Warsaw on 7 August. Koscielny subsequently declared that his priority was to play for France. [ 62 ] Koscielny was called up to the french team for the first gear time on 3 February 2011, for the team ‘s friendly versus Brazil on 9 February. [ 63 ] Koscielny made his first appearance for les Bleus in a friendly match against the United States on 11 November, playing the entire match in a 1–0 win. He made his first appearance in a major tournament during UEFA Euro 2012, when he played the entire equal in a 2–0 defeat to Spain in the quarter-finals but was voted Man of the Match by the french media. On 15 November 2013, he was sent off in a 2014 World Cup qualifying play-off against Ukraine. On 13 May 2014, Koscielny was named in Didier Deschamps ‘ team for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. [ 64 ] He made his FIFA World Cup debut as a stand-in for the injure Mamadou Sakho in a 5–2 frustration of Switzerland in the team ‘s second group match. [ 65 ] He was then named in the starting line-up for the next equal against Ecuador, helping the team to a clean sheet in a 0–0 pull back. [ 66 ] Koscielny was named in the police squad for the UEFA Euro 2016 and started in all the matches of France ‘s runner-up political campaign. On 4 June 2016, he scored his first external goal in a friendly match against Scotland. [ 10 ] prior to the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Koscielny announced that he would retire from international football after the competition. [ 67 ] however, he was not included in the team after an Achilles tendon injury ruled him out of competition. [ 68 ]
personal life [edit ]
His grandfather and his great-grandfather were polish miners who worked in northern France. He has a brother who is 10 years older than him and played in the amateur leagues and now trains at FC Argentat. His forefather besides played in the fourth part of French football for many clubs before becoming a coach. [ 69 ] He is married to his long time girlfriend Claire Beaudouin. [ 70 ]
career statistics [edit ]
Koscielny celebrating a goal against Sunderland in a Premier League match on 22 February 2014
club [edit ]
- As of match played 12 September 2021.[71]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club
Season
League
Cup[a]
Europe
Total
Division
Apps
Goals
Apps
Goals
Apps
Goals
Apps
Goals
Guingamp
2004–05
Ligue 2
11
0
3
0
—
14
0
2005–06
Ligue 2
9
0
1
0
—
10
0
2006–07
Ligue 2
21
0
2
0
—
23
0
Total
41
0
6
0
0
0
47
0
Tours
2007–08
Championnat National
33
1
6
1
—
39
2
2008–09
Ligue 2
34
5
5
1
—
39
6
Total
67
6
11
2
0
0
78
8
Lorient
2009–10
Ligue 1
35
3
5
1
—
40
4
Arsenal
2010–11
Premier League
30
2
9
1
4
0
43
3
2011–12
Premier League
33
2
3
0
6
1
42
3
2012–13
Premier League
25
2
4
1
5
1
34
4
2013–14
Premier League
32
2
5
1
9
0
46
3
2014–15
Premier League
27
3
6
0
6
0
39
3
2015–16
Premier League
33
4
4
0
7
0
44
4
2016–17
Premier League
33
2
2
0
8
0
42
2
2017–18
Premier League
25
2
2
0
6
0
33
2
2018–19
Premier League
17
3
2
0
10
0
29
3
Total
255
22
37
3
61
2
353
27
Bordeaux
2019–20
Ligue 1
25
0
3
0
—
28
0
2020–21
Ligue 1
26
0
0
0
—
26
0
2021–22
Ligue 1
5
0
0
0
—
5
0
Total
56
0
3
0
0
0
59
0
Career total
454
31
62
6
61
2
577
39
International [edit ]
source : [ 72 ]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team
Year
Apps
Goals
France
2011
1
0
2012
6
0
2013
8
0
2014
6
0
2015
5
0
2016
16
1
2017
8
0
2018
1
0
Total
51
1
- France score listed first, score column indicates score after each Koscielny goal.[72]
List of international goals scored by Laurent Koscielny
No.
Date
Venue
Cap
Opponent
Score
Result
Competition
1
4 June 2016
Stade Saint-Symphorien, Metz, France
29
Scotland
3–0
3–0
Friendly
Honours [edit ]
Arsenal
Individual
References [edit ]
Read more: Swansea City A.F.C.