Biography
Who is Julian de Guzman?
Early life and education
Julian de Guzman grew up in Scarborough, Canada. He attended St. John Henry Newman Catholic High School during his youth. Before turning professional, he played for the North Scarborough youth soccer club in Toronto. His soccer potential attracted attention from representatives of the French club Olympique Marseille, which helped launch his professional path across the Atlantic.
Professional European career
Julian began his professional path with the reserve side of Olympique Marseille. He then moved to Germany to play for 1. FC Saarbrücken in the 2. Bundesliga, making appearances during the 2000–01 and 2001–02 seasons. In 2002, he transferred to Hannover 96, becoming only the third Canadian to compete in the Bundesliga. He spent three seasons there before his contract expired in 2005.
He subsequently signed with the Spanish club Deportivo de A Coruña. This move made Julian the first Canadian to ever compete in La Liga. During the 2007–08 season, he played a key role in the club avoiding relegation and qualifying for the UEFA Cup. His efforts resulted in him being named the team's player of the season. He remained with the Spanish club until 2009, having scored one goal during his tenure against Real Madrid. Later in his career, he had stints with SSV Jahn Regensburg in Germany and Skoda Xanthi in the Greek Super League.
Major League Soccer and Toronto FC
In September 2009, Julian de Guzman joined Toronto FC, becoming the first Canadian Designated Player in the history of the league. He signed a three-year contract and made his debut against the Los Angeles Galaxy. Throughout his time in Toronto, he played 36 matches across all competitions during the 2010 season. He underwent knee surgery in 2011 to repair a torn meniscus, which impacted his playing time early that year.
In July 2012, Toronto traded him to FC Dallas for forward Andrew Wiedeman. He debuted for Dallas against the San Jose Earthquakes. His only goal for FC Dallas occurred in September 2012 against Vancouver. After his contract expired following the 2012 season, he entered the MLS Re-Entry Draft but remained unsigned. He later returned to North American soccer by joining the Ottawa Fury in March 2015. He played there until his retirement from professional soccer in 2017.
International representation and coaching
Julian de Guzman played for the Canadian national team at both the U-20 and senior levels. He made his senior debut in a 2002 CONCACAF Gold Cup match against Martinique. He served as the captain of the Canadian men's national team from 2013 to 2016. In 2007, he became the second Canadian international to receive the CONCACAF Gold Cup Most Valuable Player award after scoring twice in a victory against Costa Rica. He holds 89 caps for Canada, having served as the team's all-time cap leader from 2015 to 2021.
After retiring from professional play, he transitioned into coaching and management. He served as an assistant coach and later the general manager for the Ottawa Fury. He also briefly played amateur soccer for Gloucester Celtic FC during the pandemic, helping the team win the 2021 Ontario Cup. He has also been involved in executive roles within the sport.
Birthday and age
Julian de Guzman was born on March 25, 1981, which makes Julian 45 years old today. That birthday falls under the Aries sign. Julian shares the date with 58 other famous people.
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