David Degen (born 15 February 1983) is a former Swiss footballer who last played for FC Basel, mostly as a right midfielder, in the Swiss Super League.[2] He is half Dutch as his mother is from the Netherlands. His twin brother Philipp Degen was also a professional football player.
David Degen
Personal information
Full name
David Degen[1]
Date of birth
(1983-02-15) 15 February 1983 (age 41)
Place of birth
Height
1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s)
Youth career
1990–1996
1996–1999
1999–2000
Senior career*
Years
Team
Apps
(Gls)
2000–2003
30
(3)
2003–2006
61
(8)
2006–2008
18
(2)
2007–2008
→ FC Basel (loan)
20
(3)
2008–2012
106
(17)
2012–2014
34
(3)
Total
269
(36)
International career‡
2000–2001
10
(3)
2001
4
(0)
2002–2003
Switzerland U-20
6
(0)
2003–2005
24
(6)
2006–2011
17
(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18 May 2014
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 15 November 2011
Degen started his youth football with local club FC Oberdorf. In 1996, he transferred to the youth teams of FC Basel playing in their U-18 and U-21 teams. He started his professional career at FC Aarau in 2000 but returned to Basel in 2003. With the club, during the Super League season 2003–04 and 2004–05, Degen won two domestic League Titles.
Degen moved to Bundesliga club Borussia Mönchengladbach in 2006. He played his debut for Mönchengladbach on 14 October 2006 in the game against VfL Wolfsburg and scored his first goal for his new club in that game. However, after the club's relegation in the Bundesliga season 2006–07 into the 2. Bundesliga, Borussia manager Jos Luhukay loaned him out to his former club, Basel for the 2007–08 season. On 22 August 2008, he returned to Switzerland on a permanent deal with BSC Young Boys. Degen spent four seasons in Bern playing 106 league matches and scoring 17 goals.
On 31 May 2012, Basel announced that they had signed Degen on a contract up until June 2015 together with his brother Philipp.[3] He started his first game for his team following his return against Servette FC on 13 July and scored the winning goal to the 1–0 victory. At the end of the Swiss Super League season 2012–13 Degen won the Championship title[4] and was Swiss Cup runner up with Basel.[5] In the 2012–13 UEFA Europa League Basel advanced as far as the semi-finals, there being matched against the reigning UEFA Champions League holders Chelsea, but were knocked out being beaten 2–5 on aggregate.[6]
At the end of the 2013–14 Super League season Degan won his fifth league championship with Basel.[7] They also reached the final of the 2013–14 Swiss Cup, but were beaten 2–0 by Zürich after extra time. In the 2013–14 Champions League season Basel in the group stage finished the group in third position to qualify for Europa League knockout phase and here they advanced as far as the quarter-finals. After the season Degen retired from professional football.
Degen was selected for the Swiss 2006 World Cup squad. However, he only played in the warm-up games. Degen was left out of the squad to play at UEFA Euro 2008.[8]
As of 22 December 2013[update]
Club performance
League
Cup
Continental
Total
Club
League
Season
Apps
Goals
Apps
Goals
Apps
Goals
Apps
Goals
5
1
2
0
23
2
Total
30
3
22
2
16
1
23
5
Total
61
8
18
2
1
0
–
–
19
2
Total
18
2
1
0
–
–
19
2
20
3
Total
20
3
19
5
30
6
32
4
25
2
Total
106
17
26
3
1
0
8
1
35
3
6
0
3
0
1
0
10
0
Total
32
3
4
0
9
1
45
3
Career Total
267
33
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)