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Thomas MeunierBelgian footballer, defender
Date of Birth: 12.09.1991
Country:  Belgium |
Content:
- Thomas Meunier: Belgian Footballing Star
- Rise to Prominence
- International Career
- Style of Play
- Achievements
Thomas Meunier: Belgian Footballing Star
Early BeginningsThomas Meunier, a Belgian footballer, was born in Saint-Ode, Luxembourg Province. His passion for the sport ignited at a young age when he joined the local club, Saint-Ode. He further honed his skills at Jeunesse Virton, Standard Liège, and Virton at the youth level. In 2009, he became a first-team player for Virton, amassing 50 appearances over two seasons.
Rise to Prominence
In January 2011, Meunier secured a contract with Club Brugge, officially joining the team in the summer. The club had missed out on signing Jelle Van Damme and Dalibor Veselinovic, leading them to prioritize Meunier to cover their shortage of defenders. He outshone other Belgian clubs also interested in his acquisition, including Anderlecht, Standard Liège, Sint-Truidense, and Zulte-Waregem.
On July 31, 2011, Meunier made his debut for Brugge against Westerlo, playing for 20 minutes. Initially deployed as a striker or right winger, his versatility led to managers Juan Carlos Garrido and Georges Leekens adapting him to the role of right-back due to injuries to Tom Høgli and Davy De Fauw. Meunier quickly established himself and became a regular starter.
The subsequent season started promising for Meunier as he scored a crucial goal in the UEFA Europa League qualifiers against Charleroi. However, an ankle injury in late August sidelined him until December.
International Career
Meunier received his first international call-up in September 2011 to represent Belgium's U-21 team in a European Championship qualifier against Azerbaijan. It was during this match that he scored his first goal at the international level. His senior team debut came on November 14, 2013, in a friendly against Colombia as part of Belgium's preparation for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He also featured in friendlies against Japan and Iceland.
Style of Play
Meunier is known for his versatility. He can play in various positions, including forward, on either wing of midfield, and most notably, as a right-back. His impressive acceleration and speed allow him to support attacks, combine in short passes, and deliver crosses from the opponent's byline after solo runs. Additionally, he has the agility to return quickly to defense, effectively covering the entire flank.
Achievements
Club Brugge- Belgian Cup: 2014/15
Paris Saint-Germain
- French Super Cup: 2016
Controversy
Meunier faced criticism and heated debates among Club Brugge fans after a report in the local newspaper "Het Nieuwsblad" alleged that he had supported Anderlecht, a rival team, as a child. Meunier denied publicly expressing any affiliation with Anderlecht.
