Sylvain Wiltord

Sylvain Wiltord (born May 10, 1974 in Neuilly-sur-Marne) is a France football (soccer) striker whose parents come from Guadeloupe, France. With the France national football team, Wiltord has won 2000 UEFA European Football Championship and reached the final of the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

Club career

Early career, Rennes and Bordeaux

Wiltord's career began at Stade Rennais FC, where he emerged in 1993/94 with eight goals in 26 games. He joined RC Deportivo La Coruña briefly in 1996, where he continued to plunder goals on loan for one season before moving to FC Girondins de Bordeaux.

He was ever present in his first term at Bordeaux and scored 22 goals the next - 1998/99 - as Bordeaux won the Ligue 1 championship.

Arsenal

Wiltord was signed by England club Arsenal F.C. for a club-record Pound sterling13 million in August 2000, weeks after scoring the stoppage-time equalizer at the Euro 2000 final. He played 175 times for the Gunners, occasionally pairing Thierry Henry up front or otherwise starting either from the bench or on the wing.

The highlight of his Arsenal career was scoring his goal at Old Trafford (football), a 1–0 win which clinched the FA Premier League 2001-02 title at the home ground of arch-rivals Manchester United F.C. as Arsenal did The Double. He scored a total of 49 goals for the club, and was part of Arsenal's 2003-04 in English football The Invincibles (football), though he did not feature much towards the end of the campaign and near the end of his Arsenal career.

In June 2008 he was voted 33rd in a list of the top 50 Arsenal F.C. players ever.

Lyon

When his contract with Arsenal expired in the summer of 2004, Wiltord took the opportunity to return to France with Olympique Lyonnais.
Moving to Lyon, Wiltord found further success, winning three Ligue 1 titles and reaching the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League in successive seasons.

Rennes

Wiltord signed for Stade Rennais FC in August 2007 on a 2-year contract and with an opportunity to join the coaching staff when his playing days end.

International career

Wiltord made his debut for France national football team in a 2–0 victory over England national football team on February 10, 1999 at Wembley Stadium (1923). For France national football team, Wiltord has been cap (football) 92 times, scoring 26 goals. One of these goals came in stoppage-time of the Euro 2000 final against Italy national football team to tie the match 1–1 and bring the game to extra time. France would then win the final with a golden goal by David Trézéguet.

Wiltord also played for his country at the 2002 FIFA World Cup where France endured a shocking first round exit, without a single win or scoring a single goal, in the worst ever performance by a defending champion at the FIFA World Cup.

Most recently, he was part of Raymond Domenech 2006_FIFA_World_Cup_squads France that played in the 2006 FIFA World Cup final against arch-rivals Italy. Wiltord scored France's first penalty in the ensuing Penalty shootout (football) following the 1–1 draw, however France would lose the shootout 5–3.

Within that time frame, Wiltord also took part at 2004 UEFA European Football Championship in Portugal, having played seven games in the UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying with a fantastic return of six goals. However, a poor performance from Les Bleus saw a shocking quarter-final exit at the hands of eventual surprise winners Greece national football team.

Honours

With France

- 2000 UEFA European Football Championship
- FIFA Confederations Cup: 2001 Confederations Cup, 2003 Confederations Cup
- 2006 World Cup: runners-up

With Girondins de Bordeaux

- Ligue 1: Division 1 season 1998/1999

With Olympique Lyonnais

- Ligue 1: Ligue 1 season 2004/2005, Ligue 1 season 2005/2006, Ligue 1 season 2006/2007
- Trophée des champions: 2005

With Arsenal

- FA Premier League: FA Premier League 2001-02, FA Premier League 2003-04
- FA Cup: 2002 FA Cup Final, 2003 FA Cup Final
- FA Community Shield: 2002

Individual

- Ligue 1 Top Scorer: 1998/99 (22 goals with Girondins Bordeaux)
- French Footballer of the Year: 1999
- FIFA Confederations Cup Top Scorer: 2001