Florent Sinama Pongolle

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox football biography Florent Stéphane Sinama Pongolle (born 20 October 1984) is a French former professional footballer who played as a forward.

He was signed at only 16 by Liverpool, but could never impose himself in the first team. He also spent several seasons in Spain, with Recreativo, Atlético Madrid and Zaragoza.

Pongolle is now a pundit with Canal + in France.<ref name=Pongolle>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Early life

Sinama Pongolle was born in Saint-Pierre, Réunion.<ref name=Lequipe/>

Club career

Liverpool

Sinama Pongolle began his career at hometown club Saint-Pierroise before moving to Le Havre in Metropolitan France at the age of 11.<ref name=Fait>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}Template:Dead link</ref> In 2001 he, along with his cousin Anthony Le Tallec,<ref name=Cousin>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> was signed by Liverpool, after some impressive performances in both the UEFA European Under-16 Championship and the FIFA Under-17 World Championship. He was named player of the tournament as France won the latter competition,<ref>Template:FIFA player</ref> and remained at Le Havre – as Le Tallec – for a further two years on loan.<ref name=Cousin/>

After his return, Sinama Pongolle appeared sporadically for the Reds. He made his debut in a UEFA Cup tie against NK Olimpija Ljubljana<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and shortly afterwards scored his first goal in a league game against Leeds United.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In Liverpool's victorious campaign in the UEFA Champions League, he came from the bench against Olympiacos and immediately scored Liverpool's equaliser to make it 1–1, in an eventual 3–1 win and qualification to the round of 16.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> However in a League Cup tie against Watford in January 2005 he picked up a knee injury, meaning he missed the rest of the season including Liverpool's victory in the Champions League final.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Sinama Pongolle also netted in the third round of the 2005–06 FA Cup against Luton Town, as he helped Liverpool come from 3–1 down to a final score of 5–3,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> with the side finally emerging victorious in the tournament, and scoring in the 2005–06 Champions League 2–1 away defeat of Real Betis, with a chip from 20 yards.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In late January 2006, Sinama Pongolle was loaned to fellow Premier League side Blackburn Rovers until the end of the season.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He scored once for them, a 2–3 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Spain

On 30 August 2006, Sinama Pongolle signed a one-year contract at Recreativo de Huelva,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}Template:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref> with an option to sign on for a further two years. On 4 May 2007, the Andalusians confirmed he had agreed to a deal until 2011, for a fee of €4 million.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}Template:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref> He was Recre's top goalscorer in his two La Liga seasons with the team, at 12 and ten respectively.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Sinama Pongolle joined Atlético Madrid on 3 July 2008, for a fee believed to be in the region of £8 million.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Initially thought of as a backup to Diego Forlán and Sergio Agüero, he benefitted from an injury to the Uruguayan, scoring four goals in his first five league appearances for the Colchoneros, with braces against former club Recreativo<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and Getafe;<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> later in his debut campaign, injury and match bans to Maxi Rodríguez saw him playing several games as right winger,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> as the team once again finished fourth.Template:Citation needed

Sporting CP and Rostov

File:Florent Sinama-Pongolle (03-08-2011).jpg

Sinama Pongolle with Saint-Étienne in 2011

In the winter transfer market opening in 2010, Sinama Pongolle was transferred to Sporting CP for €6.5 million, with the fee possibly raising to €7.5.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> On 26 March 2010, he scored his first goal for the Lions, but also conceded an own goal in a 3–2 loss at C.S. Marítimo.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Sinama Pongolle spent the following two seasons on loan, with Zaragoza and Saint-Étienne, the latter in his homeland.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> On 30 August 2012 he terminated his contract with Sporting, going on to spend two years in the Russian Premier League with FC Rostov where he featured rarely.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Later years

On 9 September 2014, Sinama Pongolle signed with Major League Soccer's Chicago Fire.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In November of the following year, after a short spell in Switzerland with Lausanne-Sport, he joined Dundee United.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In July 2016, Sinama Pongolle joined Chainat Hornbill of the Thai League 1, scoring once in his debut but in a 2–7 away defeat against Chonburi FC. In early November, in spite of the team's relegation, the 32-year-old extended his contract until 2018.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Sinama Pongolle returned to the island of his birth in January 2019, rejoining Saint-Pierroise with Uruguayan strike partner Diego Silva also making the same move from Thailand.<ref name=Fait/> Though he retired partway through the campaign, he contributed to them becoming the first Outre-Mer club since 1989 to reach the last 32 of the Coupe de France, scoring a hat-trick in the fourth round 9–1 win over ES Étang-Salé.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

International career

After his under-16 and under-17 exploits, Sinama Pongolle made his France under-21 debut on 21 August 2002. He was a part of the squad that participated in the 2006 UEFA European Championship which took place in Portugal<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and, at the end of his four-year tenure with this category, ranked first in caps (37) and goals (11).Template:Citation needed

Sinama Pongolle played his only game with the senior side on 14 October 2008, during a 3–1 friendly win against Tunisia.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National Cup		League Cup		Continental		Other		Total		Template:Tooltip
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Le Havre (loan)	2001–02	Division 2	11	2	1	0	1	1	–		–		13	3	Template:Citation needed
	2002–03	Ligue 1	31	5	2	1	0	0	–		–		33	6	Template:Citation needed
	Total		42	7	3	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	46	9	–
Liverpool	2003–04	Premier League	15	2	3	0	2	0	3	0	–		23	2	<ref>Template:Soccerbase season</ref>
	2004–05	Premier League	16	2	1	0	5	1	4	1	–		26	4	<ref>Template:Soccerbase season</ref>
	2005–06	Premier League	7	0	1	2	1	0	3	1	3	0	15	3	<ref name=SB>Template:Soccerbase season</ref>
	2006–07	Premier League	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	<ref>Template:Soccerbase season</ref>
	Total		38	4	5	2	8	1	10	2	4	0	65	9	–
Blackburn Rovers (loan)	2005–06	Premier League	10	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	–		10	1	<ref name=SB/>
Recreativo	2006–07	La Liga	34	12	1	0	–		–		–		35	12	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=BDF>Template:BDFutbol</ref>
	2007–08	La Liga	34	10	3	0	–		–		–		37	10	<ref name=SW/><ref name=BDF/>
	Total		68	22	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	72	22	–
Atlético Madrid	2008–09	La Liga	30	5	4	1	–		9	0	–		43	6	<ref name=SW/><ref name=BDF/>
	2009–10	La Liga	10	0	2	1	–		3	0	–		15	1	<ref name=SW/><ref name=BDF/>
	Total		40	5	6	2	0	0	12	0	0	0	58	7	–
Sporting CP	2009–10	Primeira Liga	5	1	0	0	1	0	1	0	–		7	1	<ref name=SW/>
Zaragoza (loan)	2010–11<ref name=BDF/>	La Liga	24	4	0	0	–		–		–		24	4	<ref name=SW/><ref name=BDF/>
Saint-Étienne (loan)	2011–12	Ligue 1	23	4	1	0	1	0	–		–		25	4	<ref name=SW/>
Rostov	2012–13	Russian Premier League	10	1	1	0	–		–		–		11	1	<ref name=SW/>
	2013–14	Russian Premier League	8	1	3	0	–		–		–		11	1	<ref name=SW/>
	Total		18	2	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	22	2	–
Chicago Fire	2014	Major League Soccer	7	1	0	0	0	0	–		–		7	1	<ref name=SW/>
Dundee United	2015–16	Scottish Premier League	4	0	0	0	0	0	–		–		4	0	<ref>Template:Soccerbase season</ref>
Chainat Hornbill	2016	Thai League 1	10	13	0	0	0	0	–		–		10	13	<ref name=SW/>
	2017	Thai League 2	26	14	0	0	0	0	–		–		26	14	<ref name=SW/>
	2018	Thai League 1	26	6	0	0	0	0	–		–		26	6	<ref name=SW/>
	Total		62	33	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	62	33	–
Career total			341	84	23	5	11	2	23	2	4	0	402	93	–

International

citation

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National team	Year	Apps	Goals
France	2008	1	0
Total		1	0

Honours

Liverpool

• UEFA Champions League: 2004–05<ref name="auto1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• UEFA Super Cup: 2005<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• FIFA Club World Championship runner-up: 2005<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• FA Community Shield: 2006<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Rostov

• Russian Cup: 2013–14

Chainat Hornbill

• Thai League 2: 2017

Saint-Pierroise

• Réunion Premier League: 2019

France U17

• FIFA U-17 World Championship: 2001<ref name="auto1"/>

Individual

• FIFA U-17 World Championship Golden Ball: 2001<ref name="auto1"/>
• FIFA U-17 World Championship Golden Shoe: 2001<ref name="auto1"/>

External links

• Template:FFF player
• Template:UEFA player
• Template:FIFA player