Squad No: 1
Position: Goalkeeper
Age: 23
Birth Date: Dec 26, 1986
Birth Place: Nice, France
Height: 6' 2'' (1.88m)
Weight: 161 lbs (73 kg)
Club: Lyon (France)
International Caps: 10
Club History
Lyon (FRA): 2008-
OGC Nice (FRA): 2005-2008
from Wikipedia (full wiki)
Lloris has been active on the international front with France first appearing with the under-18 team making on 11 Match 2004 in a friendly match against Germany. He later played with the under-19s and was part of the winning team at the 2005 European Under-19 Football Championship. Lloris appeared in all 20 matches the under-19 team contested. Lloris made only three appearances with the under-21 team, primarily because of his commitments to the senior team. On 11 October 2008, with the under-21 squad attempting to qualify for the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, coach Erick Mombaerts called up Lloris to the team for their important two-legged playoff against Germany, despite Lloris having been called up to the senior team and the player having last played for the team on 1 June 2007. Lloris honored the call up and started the second leg. With France seconds away from a spot in the tournament, because of their 1–1 draw in the first leg, Germany got a late 90 minute goal from Benedikt Höwedes. The 1–0 loss eliminated France from the competition and also ended Lloris's under-21 career.
Lloris received his first call-up to the senior national team for France's 6 February 2008 showdown against Spain. However, he instead played for the B team in their friendly match against the Congo DR, held the day before the Spain friendly. After receiving several more call ups in 2008, he finally earned his first cap on 19 November 2008 in a 0–0 draw with Uruguay. On 9 September 2009, Lloris received his first international red card, against Serbia, following a foul on Nikola Žigic in the penalty box, despite replays showing otherwise. Lloris returned to the team on 14 October playing the entire 90 minutes in the team's 3–1 win over Austria.
Lloris was applauded by the media and players, alike, for his performance over two legs against the Republic of Ireland that saw France earn a spot in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Former national team goalkeeper Grégory Coupet credited his performance as "phenomenal", while the French media branded him "Saint Lloris", which is a play on the nickname of Real Madrid counterpart Iker Casillas, who is considered one of the top goalkeepers in Europe at the moment.
from ESPN SoccerNet
Lloris did not start the World Cup qualifying campaign as France's number one but his continued excellence for Lyon and influential performance in the play-off win over Republic of Ireland means he is favourite to don the number one shirt at the World Cup ahead of Steve Mandanda. If he is Raymond Domenech's favoured choice, it will complete a stellar rise for a player who did not even travel to Euro 2008.
After breaking into the Nice first team with five league appearances at the end of the 2005-06 season, Lloris was soon a losing finalist in the 2006 Coupe de la Ligue final when Nancy triumphed 2-1. Having spent the following two seasons as Nice's number one, Lloris outgrew the side from the French Rivieira and at the age of 21, he snubbed a move to AC Milan to join Lyon for ¬8.5 million in the summer of 2008.
Replacing Gregory Coupet, a mainstay of the OL side that won seven league titles in succession, Lloris quickly proved himself a worthy successor and while Lyon surrendered their domestic dominance as Bordeaux won the title, Lloris was named goalkeeper of the season ahead of his Marseille nemesis, Mandanda. He also won his first French cap in a friendly against Uruguay in November 2008 and in the 2009-10 season, edged ahead of Mandanda in Domenech's plans, culminating in his defining performance at Stade de France as he kept Robbie Keane and Damien Duff at bay.
Strengths: Boasting lightning reflexes and good decision-making, Lloris is capable of the spectacular and is also a formidable opponent in one-on-one situations. He commands his box well.
Weaknesses: Despite being 6ft 2in, Lloris still needs to work on his physical presence and his lack of experience on the biggest stage could be a concern for France.
Career high: Playing a starring role as France sneaked past Ireland in the play-offs. Thierry Henry's handball made the headlines but France were only still in the game thanks to the gloves of Lloris as he made a string of important saves.
Career low: Being sent off and conceding a penalty after only nine minutes against Serbia in September, with France going on to draw 1-1 in a game that heavily damaged their chances of finishing top of their qualifying group.
Style: Dynamic, determined, athletic, a talented all-round 'keeper.
Quotes: "He's a phenomenon. Because of what he did (against Ireland), the choice has to be made in his favour (instead of Mandanda)." Gregory Coupet, November 2009.
Trivia: Lloris was a member of the France side that won the European Under-19 Championship in Northern Ireland in 2005. Team-mates Abou Diaby and Yoann Gourcuff have also graduated to senior honours.
Soccernet says: Lloris should get the nod ahead of Mandanda and if he can cope with the pressure of being France's first choice at a World Cup at the age of 23, expect his reputation to soar.
from FIFA.com
Spotted performing acrobatics in goal for a local team in Nice by former French international goalkeeper Dominique Baratelli, Hugo Lloris joined his hometown club at a very early age. Working his way up through the different levels, he made his professional debut during the 2005/06 season, playing in all of Nice’s League Cup matches right up to the final, eventually won by Nancy. Still only 19, he was already displaying such quality between the posts that, the following season, he relegated his more mature team-mates Damien Gregorini and Lionel Letizi – both rivals for his position – to the bench, securing the goalkeeping slot in the team for himself at just 20 years of age.
Strong in every area of goalkeeping, he is decisive too, whether coming out for crosses or narrowing the angle in one-on-ones with opposing strikers. Such assets naturally made him a target for several major European clubs, including AC Milan and Tottenham Hotspur, but he opted to take things one step at a time and instead signed for Lyon in 2008, charged with the tricky task of succeeding Gregory Coupet in the champions’ line-up. A former Lyon player himself, France coach Raymond Domenech was also won over by the young goalkeeper at this stage, calling him up for the first time in November 2008, even though at that point his first-choice keeper remained Marseille’s Steve Mandanda, Ligue 1’s other young phenomenon.
Lloris first ‘victory’ of sorts in the healthy rivalry that has developed between the two shot-stoppers was the title of goalkeeper of the year for season 2008/09 bestowed upon him at the expense of his peer, who had picked up the same award the season before. Continuing to put in top-level performances while his fellow goalie experienced a dip in form, Lloris has been recognised as France’s first choice since a friendly match against Turkey in June 2009. He was replaced in goal on just one occasion since then, having been suspended following a red card he received in Serbia in a qualifying match for 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™, hence earning the dubious honour of becoming the first-ever keeper to be sent off while playing for France.
adidas France World Cup Country Tee,Collegiate Royal/France,Small
FIFA World Cup Germany 2006 Final Match - Italy vs France
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