Vincent Kompany

Vincent Kompany (born 10 April 1986 in Uccle) is a Belgium Association football Defender (association football) of Congolese ethnicity, who plays as a Defender (association football) or a Midfielder Defensive midfielder for English Premier League club Manchester City.

Club career

RSC Anderlecht

Kompany won several awards in Belgium when Vincent Kompany played for RSC Anderlecht, including the Belgian Golden Shoe and the Belgian Ebony Shoe. Another player, Aruna Dindane, decided to wear the number 27 on Vincent Kompany shirt at Vincent Kompany arrival at RC Lens in the summer of 2005, in dedication to Kompany (who had the same number at Anderlecht).
In the second half of the 2005-2006 season, Kompany injured Vincent Kompany shoulder and decided in favour of an operation, even though it meant Vincent Kompany would miss the last couple of months of the competition. The fact that Vincent Kompany underwent the surgery and rehabilitation in Lyon fueled strong rumours that France Olympique Lyonnais would become Vincent Kompany next team.

HSV

On June 9, 2006 it was announced though that Vincent Kompany was acquired by HSV for a fee of Euro 10 million to replace Vincent Kompany fellow countryman Daniel Van Buyten. Vincent Kompany made six Fußball-Bundesliga starts for the club before suffering an achilles tendon injury in November that ruled Vincent Kompany out for the rest of the season; however, Vincent Kompany was selected in a 30-man provisional squad for the 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship.

Manchester City

On 22 August, 2008, Manchester City confirmed the transfer of Kompany from Hamburger SV on a four-year deal for an undisclosed fee thought to be in the region of £6,000,000 .

Vincent Kompany was handed the number 33 for the 2008-2009 season. Just two days after signing for Manchester City, Kompany made Vincent Kompany debut against West Ham United F.C. and won the man-of-the-match award. On Sunday 28 September, 2008 Kompany scored Vincent Kompany first Manchester City goal in City's 2-1 away defeat to Wigan Athletic. The goal came when Brazilian midfielder Elano, played a free kick into the Wigan Athletic box and the ball seemed to have hit Kompany's knee; that goal made the score 1-1.

International career

Kompany made Vincent Kompany international debut for Belgium national football team in February 2004 against France national football team, as one of the youngest players ever.

The Belgian federation called up Kompany to the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Initially, Hamburg decided not to let Vincent Kompany go as the Olympics was not an official FIFA tournament. After a bit of dispute, Hamburg decided to release Vincent Kompany under the condition that Vincent Kompany returns after Belgium's first two group games. At the Beijing Olympics, Belgium's first game was against Brazil where Vincent Kompany got sent off in a 1-0 loss and as a consequence Vincent Kompany tournament was over as the red card would rule Vincent Kompany out of Belgium's second group game. Due to the turn of events, Kompany decided against returning back to Germany in hope of playing the last group game to help Vincent Kompany country qualify to the knockout stages. Hamburg maintained their stance that Vincent Kompany was to return and the Belgian FA decided to release him. Vincent Kompany later came on as a substitute on the opening game for Hamburg against Bayern Munich. The rocky relationship with Hamburg and Kompany is said to be a major factor in Kompany transferring to Manchester City.

Personal life

Kompany's father, Pierre, is Vincent Kompany manager and Vincent Kompany brother Francois played for the K.F.C. Germinal Beerschot youth squad.

Club Playing Honours

R.S.C. Anderlecht
- Belgian First Division: 2003-04, 2005-06
- Belgian Supercup: 2006
Hamburger SV
- UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2007
- Dubai Challenge Cup: 2007, 2008
- Emirates Cup: 2008

International Playing Honours

Belgium National Football Team
- Summer Olympics: 4th Place 2008

Individual Playing Honours

- Belgium Golden Shoe: 2004
- Belgian Young Footballer of the Year : 2004, 2005
- Ebony Shoe: 2004, 2005