Timothée Kolodziejczak Explained

Timothée Kolodziejczak
Full Name:Timothée Christian Kolodziejczak[1]
Birth Date:1 October 1991
Birth Place:Arras, France
Height:1.83 m[2]
Position:Defender
Currentclub:Paris FC
Clubnumber:15
Youthyears1:1999
Youthclubs1:Saint-Maurice Loos
Youthyears2:1999–2000
Youthclubs2:Avion
Youthyears3:2000–2008
Youthclubs3:Lens
Years1:2008–2009
Clubs1:Lens
Caps1:0
Goals1:0
Years2:2008–2009
Clubs2:Lyon (loan)
Caps2:1
Goals2:0
Years3:2009–2012
Clubs3:Lyon
Caps3:11
Goals3:0
Years4:2010–2012
Clubs4:Lyon B
Caps4:23
Goals4:4
Years5:2012–2014
Clubs5:Nice
Caps5:71
Goals5:2
Years6:2014–2017
Clubs6:Sevilla
Caps6:52
Goals6:1
Years7:2017
Clubs7:Borussia Mönchengladbach
Caps7:1
Goals7:0
Years8:2017–2020
Clubs8:Tigres UANL
Caps8:6
Goals8:0
Years9:2018–2020
Clubs9:Saint-Étienne (loan)
Caps9:51
Goals9:3
Years10:2020
Clubs10:Saint-Étienne B (loan)
Caps10:1
Goals10:0
Years11:2020–2022
Clubs11:Saint-Étienne
Caps11:54
Goals11:2
Years12:2022–2023
Clubs12:Schalke 04
Caps12:1
Goals12:0
Years13:2023–
Clubs13:Paris FC
Caps13:11
Goals13:1
Nationalyears1:2007
Nationalteam1:France U16
Nationalcaps1:1
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:2007–2008
Nationalteam2:France U17
Nationalcaps2:15
Nationalgoals2:1
Nationalyears3:2008–2009
Nationalteam3:France U18
Nationalcaps3:6
Nationalgoals3:0
Nationalyears4:2009–2010
Nationalteam4:France U19
Nationalcaps4:14
Nationalgoals4:2
Nationalyears5:2010–2012
Nationalteam5:France U20
Nationalcaps5:18
Nationalgoals5:4
Club-Update:07:47, 5 June 2024 (UTC)

Timothée Christian Kolodziejczak (in French pronounced as /timɔte kolodʒezak/; born 1 October 1991) is a French professional footballer who plays as a defender for club Paris FC. He can play as either a centre or left-back.

Kolodziejczak is a French youth international and has competed at all levels. He played on the under-19 team that won the 2010 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship. Due to the difficulty of pronouncing his surname, he is a commonly referred to as Kolo.[3]

Personal life

Kolodziejczak was born on 1 October 1991 in Arras, France, to a Polish father and a Martiniquais mother.[4] [5] [6]

Club career

Early career

Kolodziejczak began his career at the age of seven playing for local club US Saint-Maurice Loos-en-Gohelle. In July 1999, he moved to hometown club Avion where he spent a year. In June 2000, Kolodziejczak joined the professional club of Lens.[3] While in the club's youth academy, he trained alongside youth and international teammate Gaël Kakuta at the Centre de Préformation de Football in nearby Liévin, a training center exclusively for players brought up in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region. He spent two years at the center training there during the weekdays and playing with Lens on the weekends. One of his trainers at the facility was former Polish international Joachim Marx.[5]

After graduating from the club's youth academy, he was offered a five-year professional contract as Lens were attempting to tie down the defender who was being scouted by several prominent European clubs, most notably Manchester United.[7] Kolodziejczak turned down the offer with hopes of signing elsewhere stating he had no confidence in the club.[3] Following negotiations, it was announced on 21 August 2008 that Kolodziejczak agreed to join seven-time Ligue 1 champions Lyon on a season-long loan with a view to a permanent deal with Lens demanding at least 3 million in compensation for the player.[8]

Lyon

Upon his arrival to the club, Kolodziejczak was given the number 12 shirt on the first-team. However, due to signing late in the transfer window, he missed Lyon's entire pre-season campaign and was placed on the club's Championnat de France Amateur team in the fourth division by manager Claude Puel. He made his reserve debut on 13 September 2008 in the derby match against Saint-Étienne's reserve team. The match resulted in a 2–1 victory with Kolodziejczak playing the entire match picking up a yellow card.[9] Two months later, Kolodziejczak was called up to the first team for a league match against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on 23 November 2008 to serve as the backup left back. In the match, he made his professional debut coming on as a substitute for the severely injured Anthony Réveillère in the 11th minute. Lyon lost the match 1–0 with Kolodziejczak being penalized with a yellow card late in the second half.[10] Following the season, Lyon signed Kolodziejczak on a permanent deal with the player agreeing to a four-year deal and the transfer fee being priced at 2.5 million.[11] [12]

For the 2009–10 season, Kolodziejczak's playing time was limited. On 29 September 2009, he made his UEFA Champions League debut in the team's 4–0 victory over Hungarian club Debrecen appearing as a substitute for starting left back Aly Cissokho.[13] Four days later, Kolodziejczak made another substitute appearance in a 2–0 win against his former club Lens.[14] On 21 November, he made his first professional start playing 76 minutes in a 1–1 draw against Grenoble.[15]

Nice

In the summer of 2012, Kolodziejczak moved to fellow Ligue 1 club Nice on a four-year contract.[16]

Sevilla

Kolodziejczak joined Sevilla on 27 August 2014, signing a three-year contract on a transfer fee of €3 million.[17] On 18 September he made his first appearance, as the club defeated Feyenoord 2 - 0 in the UEFA Europa League.[18] He debuted in La Liga six days later, playing the entirety of a 1 - 0 home win against Real Sociedad.[19] On 2 October, he was shown a straight red card in a Europa League match at HNK Rijeka for conceding a penalty on Andrej Kramarić. This was converted for the first equaliser in an eventual 2 - 2 draw.[20]

He scored his first goal on 29 October, opening a 6 - 1 win at CE Sabadell in the first leg of the Copa del Rey round of 32.[21] He made nine appearances as they won the Europa League in his first season, including the 3–2 win over Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk in the final in Warsaw.[22]

Borussia Mönchengladbach

On 4 January 2017, Kolodziejczak signed for German club Borussia Mönchengladbach.[23] [24]

Tigres UANL

On 4 September 2017, Kolodziejczak joined Liga MX club Tigres UANL.[25]

Saint-Étienne

In August 2018, Kolodziejczak joined Ligue 1 club Saint-Étienne on loan with an option to buy.[26] On 22 August 2019, Kolodziejczak was loaned again at Saint-Étienne for another season.[27] Saint-Étienne exercised their option to purchase Kolodziejczak in the summer of 2020 for €4.5m.[28]

Schalke 04

On 21 October 2022, Kolodziejczak signed for Schalke 04 on a contract until the end of the season.[29]

International career

Kolodziejczak has featured for all of France's national youth teams beginning with the under-16 team. He made his debut with the team in the team's last match against Germany at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin on 30 May 2006. Germany won the match 1–0 with Felix Kroos scoring the lone goal.[30] With the under-17 team, Kolodziejczak was a regular and made his debut in the team's opening match against Switzerland in a 4–0 victory.[31] In qualification for the 2008 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship, he appeared in both rounds of qualification with the team finishing the Elite Round portion unbeaten, which led to qualification to the UEFA-sanctioned tournament. At the tournament, Kolodziejczak scored his first youth international goal against Turkey in the semi-finals. The goal came in the 69th minute with France trailing 1–0. The team later won the match 4–3 on penalties.[32] In the final, France were defeated 4–0 by Spain.[33] [34]

Kolodziejczak made his debut in France national under-18 football team's opening match against the Ukraine.[35] He only made six appearances with the team. With the under-19 team, Kolodziejczak was again called upon by coach Francis Smerecki making his first appearance with the team on 9 October 2009 in 4–2 defeat to the Netherlands. After consistently appearing with the team for the campaign, on 7 June 2010, he was named to Smerecki's 18-man squad to participate in the 2010 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship. Kolodziejczak played in all five of the team's matches including the final match against Spain, which France won 2–1. The title is the country's second UEFA Under-19 championship.[36]

Following France's victory at the UEFA Under-19 championship, the nation qualified for the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup, which merited under-20 team appearances for Kolodziejczak. He made his debut with the team on 7 October 2010 in a friendly match against Portugal, which ended 3–3.[37] Kolodziejczak, subsequently, appeared in four matches for the team during the 2010–11 campaign and, on 10 June 2011, was named to the 21-man squad to participate in the U-20 World Cup. He made his debut in the competition on 30 July 2011 in the team's 4–1 defeat to the hosts Colombia.[38]

Kolodziejczak is also eligible to represent Poland at international level through his father.[39] At the age of 15, he was issued a proposal by the Polish Football Association (PZPN) who sought for him to play for the country's youth international teams. However, due to not having Polish citizenship, Kolodziejczak would have been unable to play in an official match for Poland, which led to his father rejecting the opportunity, and instead deciding that it would be better to wait a few years until coming to a decision.[5]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational cupContinentalOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Lyon (loan)2008–09Ligue 11000000010
Lyon2009–10Ligue 12000100030
2010–11Ligue 18000100090
2011–12Ligue 11000000010
Total110002000140
Lyon B2010–11CFA123123
2011–12CFA111111
Total234234
Nice2012–13Ligue 1370202[40] 1411
2013–14Ligue 1342302021413
Total712502042824
Sevilla2014–15La Liga1815190322
2015–16La Liga29080131501
2016–17La Liga5020200090
Total52115124100913
Borussia Mönchengladbach2016–17Bundesliga10001020
Tigres UANL2017–18Liga MX6010100080
Saint-Étienne (loan)2018–19Ligue 13632000383
2019–20Ligue 1150416110262
Total513616110645
Saint-Étienne B (loan)2019–20National 21010
Saint-Étienne2020–21Ligue 124010250
2021–22Ligue 130230332
Total542411227
Schalke 042022–23Bundesliga100010
Paris FC2023–24Ligue 2111101[41] 0131
Career total283133223626235719

Honours

Sevilla

2014–15,[22] 2015–16

UANL

Apertura 2017Saint-Étienne

Individual

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Acta del Partido celebrado el 24 de enero de 2016, en Madrid . Minutes of the Match held on 24 January 2016, in Madrid . Royal Spanish Football Federation . 17 November 2019 . es.
  2. Web site: Timothée Kolodziejczak. de. FC Schalke 04. 19 January 2023.
  3. News: Thimothée Kolodziejczak: "Une grande fierté" . 22 August 2008 . Lyon Capitale . 25 July 2010 . fr . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080828210630/http://www.lyoncapitale.fr/index.php?menu=05&article=6190 . 28 August 2008 . dmy-all .
  4. News: Timothée Kolodziejczak: "Je viens à Nice pour m'épanouir" . fr . Timothée Kolodziejczak: "I'm joining Nice in order to develop" . 26 June 2012 . Nice Matin . https://web.archive.org/web/20120713050923/http://www.nicematin.com/ogc-nice/timothee-kolodziejczak-je-viens-a-nice-pour-mepanouir.913318.html . 13 July 2012 . dead . dmy-all .
  5. News: Koscielny nie jest jeszcze spalony . 15 July 2010 . . 25 July 2010 . pl . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100717203534/http://futbolnet.pl/wiadomosci/joachim-marx-1-koscielny-nie-jest-jeszcze-spalony . 17 July 2010 . dmy-all .
  6. News: Kolodziejczak, un nom à retenir . 28 July 2010 . . 19 January 2011.
  7. News: United linked to Lyon target . 18 August 2008 . . 25 July 2010.
  8. News: Lyon snap up Lens starlet Kolodzieczak . https://archive.today/20120716031842/http://en.archive.uefa.com/competitions/ucl/news/kind=1/newsid=741014.html . dead . 16 July 2012 . 21 August 2008 . . 25 July 2010 .
  9. News: Lyon B v. Saint-Etienne B Match Report . 13 September 2008 . Foot National . 25 July 2010. fr.
  10. News: PSG v. Lyon Match Report . 23 November 2008 . . 25 July 2010 . fr . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090326225523/http://www.lfp.fr/ligue1/feuilleMatch.asp?saison=2008%2F2009&code_evt=D1&code_jr_tr=J15&num_ordre=8 . 26 March 2009 . dmy-all .
  11. http://www.actusnewswire.com/documents/ACTUS-0-3288-OL-DDR-0809-GB.pdf
  12. News: L'OL aime et ne compte pas . 19 July 2009 . Sports.fr . 25 July 2010. fr.
  13. News: Debrecen floored by early Lyon blitz . 29 September 2009 . . 25 July 2010.
  14. News: Lens v. Lyon Match Report . 3 October 2009 . . 25 July 2010 . fr . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100104083501/http://www.lfp.fr/ligue1/feuilleMatch.asp?saison=2009%2F2010&code_evt=D1&num_ordre=3&code_jr_tr=J08 . 4 January 2010 . dmy-all .
  15. News: Grenoble v. Lyon Match Report . 21 November 2009 . . 25 July 2010 . fr . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100407104530/http://www.lfp.fr/ligue1/feuilleMatch.asp?saison=2009%2F2010&code_evt=D1&code_jr_tr=J14&num_ordre=4 . 7 April 2010 . dmy-all .
  16. Web site: KOLODZIEJCZAK SIGNE POUR 4 ANS. 26 June 2012. 26 June 2012. ogcnissa.com. fr.
  17. News: El francés Kolodziejczak fichará tres campañas por el Sevilla. The Frenchman Kolodziejczak will sign for Sevilla for three seasons. 2 October 2014. Marca. 27 August 2014. es.
  18. News: Quick-fire Sevilla catch Feyenoord cold. 2 October 2014. UEFA. 18 September 2014.
  19. News: Sevilla 1-0 Real Sociedad. 2 October 2014. Goal.com. 24 September 2014.
  20. News: Rijeka 2-2 Sevilla: Mbia rescues a point for 10-man Rojiblancos. 2 October 2014. Goal.com. 2 October 2014.
  21. Web site: El Sevilla engrasa la máquina. Sevilla tunes machine up. Marca. es. 29 October 2014. 29 October 2014.
  22. Web site: Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk 2–3 Sevilla. BBC Sport. Gary. Rose. 27 May 2015. 29 September 2020.
  23. News: Borussia verpflichtet Timothée Kolodziejczak. 4 January 2017. 4 January 2017 . Borussia Mönchengladbach. de.
  24. Web site: Borussia Monchengladbach sign Sevilla defender Kolodziejczak. 5 January 2017. 5 January 2017. ESPN.com. English.
  25. Web site: OFICIAL: Timotheé Kolodziejczak es nuevo jugador de Tigres . Goal . 9 July 2020 . es . 4 September 2017.
  26. Web site: OFFICIAL ST ÉTIENNE SIGN TIMOTHÉE KOLODZIEJCZAK ON LOAN FROM TIGRES. 1 August 2018. 1 August 2018. getfootballnewsfrance.com. English.
  27. News: Timothée Kolodziejczak is coming back. 22 August 2019. 22 August 2019. Saint-Étienne. English.
  28. Web site: ST ÉTIENNE ACTIVATE €4.5M OPTION TO BUY TIMOTHÉE KOLODZIEJCZAK. 9 May 2020. 9 May 2020. getfootballnewsfrance.com. English.
  29. News: FC Schalke 04 sign centre-back Timothée Kolodziejczak. FC Schalke 04. 21 October 2022.
  30. News: Courte défaite (1-0) . . 30 May 2007. 18 July 2010. fr.
  31. News: Reprise réussie pour les Tricolores (4-0). . 2 October 2007. 24 July 2010. fr.
  32. News: France oust hosts after shoot-out . https://archive.today/20120630012632/http://en.archive.uefa.com/competitions/under17/history/season=2008/round=15031/match=302550/index.html . dead . 30 June 2012 . 13 May 2008 . . 25 July 2010 .
  33. News: Stupendous Spain win U17 crown . . 16 May 2008 . 24 July 2010 . dead . https://archive.today/20120630012630/http://en.archive.uefa.com/competitions/under17/fixturesresults/round=15032/match=302551/report=rp.html . 30 June 2012.
  34. News: L'Espagne réalise le doublé. . 16 May 2008. 24 July 2010 . fr .
  35. News: Défaite pour les Tricolores (1-3). . 30 September 2008 . 24 July 2010. fr.
  36. News: France fight back to claim U19 crown . . 30 July 2010 . 5 August 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100801201718/http://www.uefa.com/under19/matches/season%3D2010/round%3D15350/match%3D2002411/report/index.html . 1 August 2010 .
  37. News: France 3–3 Portugal . . 7 October 2010. 5 November 2010.
  38. Web site: Colombia 4–1 France . https://web.archive.org/web/20110919232048/http://www.fifa.com/u20worldcup/matches/round=255641/match=300145857/index.html . dead . 19 September 2011 . . 30 July 2011 . 2 August 2011 .
  39. News: La mode polonaise atteint l'Olympique Lyonnais . 14 August 2009 . Foot Mercato . 15 August 2009. fr.
  40. Appearance(s) in the Coupe de la Ligue
  41. Appearance in the Ligue 2 promotion play-offs
  42. Web site: 24 July 2020 . Mbappé suffers ankle injury as PSG beat 10-man Saint-Étienne to lift French Cup . 21 June 2022 . The Guardian.
  43. Web site: Experts' UEFA Europa League squad of the season. UEFA. 28 May 2015. 13 May 2020.