Johan Micoud Explained

Johan Micoud
Full Name:Johan Cédric Micoud[1]
Birth Date:24 July 1973
Birth Place:Cannes, France
Height:1.85 m
Position:Attacking midfielder
Years1:1992–1996
Caps1:127
Goals1:17
Years2:1996–2000
Caps2:127
Goals2:27
Years3:2000–2002
Caps3:47
Goals3:9
Years4:2002–2006
Caps4:123
Goals4:31
Years5:2006–2008
Caps5:61
Goals5:10
Totalcaps:485
Totalgoals:94
Nationalyears1:1999–2004
Nationalcaps1:17
Nationalgoals1:1

Johan Cédric Micoud (born 24 July 1973) is a French former professional footballer who played mostly as an attacking midfielder.

He was considered a skilled midfielder and a dead-ball expert. During a 16-year career he played professionally, other than in his country, in Italy and Germany.

Micoud gained 17 caps for France, and represented the nation at the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2000, winning the latter tournament.

Club career

Born in Cannes, Micoud grew up in Vallauris.[2]

He was a youth product of local AS Cannes' youth system, becoming the side's playmaker after Zinedine Zidane's departure to Girondins de Bordeaux. He helped the club to promotion from the second division in 1993 and qualification to the UEFA Cup in the following season.

In the 1998–99 campaign, two years after also signing for Bordeaux, Micoud played a pivotal role as the club were crowned Ligue 1 champions, and helped it to the following season UEFA Champions League's second group stage.

In the 2000 summer he moved abroad, initially joining Parma AC where he stayed for two seasons. Micoud then switched to Germany, signing for Werder Bremen where he enjoyed a successful four-year stay, the peak of which being a major force in the league and cup double in 2004 as he scored ten goals in the former competition, the highest for a midfielder alongside Bayer Leverkusen's Bernd Schneider.

In June 2006, aged 32, Micoud returned to France, re-joining the club where he first flourished, Bordeaux,[3] and enjoying immediate success by netting the winner in his first league match back at the club, at FC Lorient (1–0). He quickly became a key player in the squad, helping it to win the 2007 League Cup and fight for the title the following season. However, after two solid campaigns, Laurent Blanc announced on 10 May 2008 that the player's contract would not be renewed, and he retired from the game.[4]

International career

Despite being called up in the France national team on several occasions, Micoud never managed to secure a regular starting role, mainly due to the presence of Zidane who occupied the same position.

Courtesy of his stellar championship performances with Bordeaux, he made his debut on 17 August 1999 in a friendly match with Northern Ireland, and was subsequently picked for the squad which won UEFA Euro 2000, but he only played in one of the six matches of the tournament, in the group match against the Netherlands, effectively a dead rubber given that both nations had already qualified both the group. He was also selected for the disastrous FIFA World Cup campaign of 2002, during which he was entrusted with the key midfield role against Uruguay, only to turn in a largely unconvincing display in a disappointing 0–0 draw.

Regardless of his consistently high level of performance at club level, Micoud found himself subsequently marginalised by the following national bosses: Jacques Santini only selected him once, in a friendly against Holland in 2004, and he failed to make the squad for Euro 2004 despite his Bremen performances. With Raymond Domenech, he did not win a single call up for the 2006 World Cup qualifiers, with the finals to be held in familiar Germany.

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueCupEuropeLeague CupTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Cannes1992–93Division 228210292[5]
1993–94Division 134310353
1994–95Division 1337104110398
1995–96Division 13251130367
Total1271741414013919
Bordeaux1996–97Division 13684140449[6]
1997–98Division 1294101053367
1998–99Division 13191083104112
1999–2000Division 13165112220509
Total1272711221512317137
Parma2000–01Serie A2946241397
2001–02Serie A1856120266
Total47912361006513
Werder Bremen2002–03Bundesliga285304200357
2003–04Bundesliga321064414215
2004–05Bundesliga3385281204811
2005–06Bundesliga30821105204414
Total123311672694016947
Bordeaux2006–07Ligue 1325106040435
2007–08Ligue 1295326100388
Total611042121408113
Career total4859447156917243625129

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year[7]
National teamYearAppsGoals
France199920
200071
200130
200240
200410
Total171

Scores and results list France's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Micoud goal.

Honours

Bordeaux

1998–99

2006–07

Parma

2001–02[8] [9]

Werder Bremen

2003–04

2003–04

France

2000

Individual

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Entreprise Virage Books à Bordeaux (33000) . Company Virage Books in Bordeaux (33000) . Figaro Entreprises . 21 December 2018 . 28 December 2020 . fr.
    Web site: Johan Micoud . BFM Business . NextInteractive . 28 December 2020 . fr.
  2. Web site: 2017-10-24 . Johan Micoud, président de l’AS Cannes : «Monter en Ligue 2 dans les 8 ans» . 2024-01-08 . Le Figaro . fr.
  3. Web site: Micoud lured back to Bordeaux . UEFA.com . 9 June 2006 . 15 August 2012.
  4. Web site: Micoud calls time on playing career . UEFA.com . 18 September 2008 . 15 August 2012.
  5. Web site: Johan MICOUD - Football : la fiche de Johan MICOUD . L'Équipe . 12 July 2018 . fr.
  6. Web site: Johan Micoud » Club matches . worldfootball.net . 12 July 2018.
  7. Web site: Johan Micoud . National Football Teams . 12 July 2018.
  8. News: Coppa Italia Finale. juworld.net. 10 March 2021.
  9. News: Coppa Italia Finale. juworld.net. 10 March 2021.
  10. Web site: Bundesliga Historie 2002/03. de. Kicker.
  11. Web site: Bundesliga Historie 2003/04. de. Kicker.
  12. Web site: Bundesliga Historie 2005/06. de. Kicker.