Steve Mandanda

Infobox Football biography
playername = Steve Mandanda


fullname = Steve Mandanda
height = height|m=1.85
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1985|3|28
cityofbirth = Kinshasa
countryofbirth = Zaire
currentclub = Olympique de Marseille
clubnumber = 30
position = Goalkeeper
youthyears = 2001-2005
youthclubs = Le Havre AC
years = 2005-2007 2007-
clubs = Le Havre AC Marseille
caps(goals) = 67 (0) 39 (0)
nationalyears = 2003-2006
2008
2008-
nationalteam = France U-21 France B France
nationalcaps(goals) = 17 (0) 02 (0) 04 (0)
pcupdate = September 13 2008
ntupdate = September 10 2008

Steve Mandanda (born 28 March 1985 in Kinshasa) is a French footballer of Congolese ancestry. He currently plays as a goalkeeper for Olympique de Marseille. He is an extraordinary golkeeping talent.

Football career

Mandanda made his league début for Le Havre in August 2005, and it wasn't until his fourth match that he conceded his first goal. He played 30 league matches that season and 37 in 2006-07. He won a chance to sign for Marseille in summer 2007. Mandanda also had an unsuccessful trial at Aston Villa prior to the 2007/2008 season [ [http://www.fansfc.com/astonvillafootballclub/news.asp?newsid=169629 France goalkeeper in Aston Villa trial ] ] . During the beginning of the season, he was supposed to be an understudy to Cedric Carraso. However Carraso injured his knee and was out for six months. Mandanda was installed as the first choice keeper and particpated in Ligue 1, Champions League and UEFA Cup matches.

On 5 March, 2008 Mandanda joined Marseille on a permanent four year contract.

International career

He has won a number of caps for the France national under-21 football team and was named the French squad for the 2006 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship.

For the first time, in 2007, he took part in the French A-squad pre-selection [fr [http://www.rlfoot.fr/index.php?page=http://www.rlfoot.fr/Selections/07-08_A_joueurs.htm List of the pre-selected players in the french A-squad in the season 2007-2008] .] .

He played in a friendly match with France B against Congo DR on 5 February, 2008, in which he was substituted at half time, and his younger brother Parfait came in for Congo. He made his full international debut on May 27 2008 in a 2-0 victory against Ecuador in a Euro 2008 warm-up friendly, coming in as a half-time substitute for Sébastien Frey, and was subsequently nominated as the third-choice goalkeeper in the French squad for the Euro.

He started the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign as France's first-choice goalkeeper, making his competitive international debut on 6 September 2008 in their opening qualifier against Austria.

Personal life

Steve Mandanda has three younger brothers. They all are skilled goalkeepers : Parfait, 18, Bordeaux and Congolese international goalkeeper ; Riffi, 15, Caen, and goalkeeper of the France U-16 and Ever, 9, Lusitanos Saint-Maur. [ [http://www.m6info.fr/cms/display.jsp?id=ri2_790902 Mandanda's dynasty] ]

References

External links

*lfpfr|102491

Persondata
NAME = Mandanda, Steve
ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
SHORT DESCRIPTION = Football (soccer) goalkeeper
DATE OF BIRTH = 28 March 1985
PLACE OF BIRTH = Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
DATE OF DEATH =
PLACE OF DEATH =