Daniel Van Buyten

Daniel Van Buyten (born 7 February 1978 in Chimay) is a Belgium national football team association football who plays as a defender (association football) Centre back and also as an emergency striker for FC Bayern Munich, following a June 2006 transfer from Hamburger SV.

Daniel Van Buyten father Franz was a popular catcher/wrestler in Europe from 1960 to 1980. Daniel Van Buyten mother Renate is German. In the 2003-04 season Van Buyten, then of Olympique de Marseille, had a short term loan spell in England with Manchester City F.C. but did not make a full time move to the Premiership. In June 2006, Bayern Munich announced it had acquired Van Buyten from Fußball-Bundesliga rival Hamburger SV, and signed Daniel Van Buyten to a contract lasting through the 2009–10 season.

Bayern Munich

Van Buyten has had a highly successful first season at the Bavarian club, forming a formidable Centre-Back partnership with Brazilian Lucio. Van Buyten scored Daniel Van Buyten first goal for Bayern Munich against FC Energie Cottbus on 9 December 2006. Bayern ran out 2-1 winners and it was Van Buyten's goal which secured the win. Van Buyten then scored Daniel Van Buyten second goal for the club in the loss to Borussia Dortmund. However, Van Buyten's most valuable contribution came against A.C. Milan on 3 April 2007, in the first-leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final. Van Buyten scored two priceless away goals to level the match and giving Bayern Munich the advantage in the tie (see below). The two close range efforts doubled Daniel Van Buyten tally to four goals for the season.

Champions League

In the first leg of the UEFA Champions League 2006-07 quarter-final encounter against AC Milan at the San Siro, Daniel Van Buyten scored twice with Daniel Van Buyten left foot, once in the 78th minute to take Bayern to 1-1. Then Daniel Van Buyten scored a stoppage time half-volley. This takes Daniel Van Buyten tally to three total UEFA Champions League goals. Daniel Van Buyten scored one for Marseille in 2003 against Real Madrid F.C..

Bank theft incident

Whilst Daniel Van Buyten was with Manchester City, he, along with players Djamel Belmadi and Vicente Matías Vuoso, was the victim of a theft by two bankers. In total, bank workers at the Co-operative Bank stole more than £350,000 from the accounts of the three players.

In January 2006, the bank workers, Paul Sherwood, a cashier, and Paul Hanley, Daniel Van Buyten supervisor, were jailed for 32 months and 12 months respectively.

National team

Van Buyten was called-up to the national team in 2001 and was on roster for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. On 11 February 2009, Daniel Van Buyten scored a rare double as the Belgians sunk Slovenia 2-0 in a friendly match.

Honours

Club Titles

- Liga-Pokal: 2007
- Fußball-Bundesliga: Fußball-Bundesliga 2007–08
- German Cup: 2008

Club Stats