| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | (1978-01-06)6 January 1978[citation needed] | ||
| Place of birth | Mons, Belgium[citation needed] | ||
| Date of death | 24 June 2023(2023-06-24) (aged 45) | ||
| Place of death | Mons, Belgium[citation needed] | ||
| Height | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1994–1998 | La Louvière | 107 | (49) |
| 1998–2000 | Gent | 32 | (8) |
| 1999–2000 | →Coventry City (loan) | 10 | (2) |
| 2000–2001 | Coventry City | 28 | (6) |
| 2001–2003 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 25 | (2) |
| 2002–2003 | →Mons (loan) | 33 | (22) |
| 2003–2004 | Genk | 31 | (14) |
| 2004 | Rubin Kazan | 6 | (1) |
| 2004–2006 | Standard Liège | 15 | (6) |
| 2006 | Zulte Waregem | 14 | (4) |
| 2007 | Brescia | 3 | (0) |
| 2007–2010 | Mons | 43 | (12) |
| 2010 | AEK Larnaca | 0 | (0) |
| 2010 | La Louvière | 0 | (0) |
| 2010–2011 | HSV Hoek | 0 | (0) |
| 2011 | RUS Beloeil | ||
| 2012–2013 | CS Entité Manageoise | ||
| 2013 | R.R.C Waterloo | ||
| International career | |||
| 1993–1994 | Belgium U16 | 4 | (3) |
| 1995–1996 | Belgium U18 | 7 | (5) |
| 1995 | Belgium U19 | 5 | (0) |
| 1997–1999 | Belgium U21 | 12 | (10) |
| 2003 | Belgium | 3 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Cédric Roussel (6 January 1978 – 24 June 2023) was a Belgian professionalfootballer who played as aforward.[1]
Roussel started his professional football career in 1997 withGent and later joined Premier League clubCoventry City in 1999. Despite initial success, he struggled with injuries and was eventually sold toWolverhampton Wanderers. He played for various clubs, includingMons,Genk,Rubin Kazan,Standard Liège,Zulte Waregem,Brescia, andHSV Hoek, before retiring in 2015. Roussel made his first appearance for theBelgium national team in 2003. After retiring, he started a career in real estate.
In 1997, Roussel took part in theFIFA World Youth Championship. In the season that followed the tournament, he was promoted to theGent senior team.[citation needed]
Roussel signed a season-long loan deal forPremier League clubCoventry City on 12 October 1999.[2] He made his debut on 16 October, during the 4–1 win overNewcastle United, coming on as a late substitute forGary McAllister.[3] On 22 November 1999 he scored his first goal for the club, a header againstAston Villa atHighfield Road.[4] Having impressed during his initial loan spell, Coventry signed Roussel in January 2000 for a fee of £1.2 million,[5] despite "substantial" bids fromLeeds United andTottenham Hotspur.[6] He finished his first season in the Premier League with six goals, including two goals in the 3–2 defeat toManchester United in February 2000.[7] Roussel also formed a successful strike partnership with young IrishmanRobbie Keane.[8] However,the following season he began to struggle on the goalscoring front, owing partly to injury setbacks.[9]
Midway through January 2001, with Coventry struggling in the league, a number of bids were made for Roussel's services, including one fromWimbledon.[10] After refusing to sign for Wimbledon,[11] he criticized the Coventry board for trying to use him as a makeweight in a deal to bringJohn Hartson to the club.[12] He was particularly critical of the club's chairmanBryan Richardson for forcing through the Wimbledon transfer, accusing him of not repaying the loyalty Roussel himself had shown in signing permanently for the club, despite interest from "several classier clubs."[13] Roussel would however later describe his time at Coventry as "the best part of my career."[14]
Roussel was eventually sold a few weeks later to theFirst Division clubWolverhampton Wanderers, for a fee of "about £2m".[15] Generally disappointing atMolineux, he left after 18 months, having scored two goals in twenty five appearances. He was loaned out for the2002–03 season to his hometown clubMons, who had recently been promoted to theBelgian Pro League. He finished the season as the division's joint top scorer withWesley Sonck; both players scored 22 goals.[citation needed]
His goalscoring form attracted interest from bigger clubs in the league and Roussel signed forGenk in 2003. His reputation in Belgian football increased and he made his first appearance for theBelgium national team in 2003. After just one season at Genk, in which he scored on thirteen occasions, he moved on again, this time signing forRubin Kazan in Russia.[citation needed]
Roussel never felt at home in Russia and returned to Belgium to play forStandard Liège. At Standard he struggled to break into the first team and after two unsuccessful years at the club he signed forZulte Waregem. His time there was again short-lived and a year later he signed for ItalianSerie B clubBrescia. Roussel soon found himself frozen out at Brescia,[16] and the club became open to offers for him.
In August 2007, he spent a week on trial withScottish Premier League clubDundee United but returned home without signing the agreed loan deal.[17]
Roussel instead chose to return to his former club Mons, where he signed a three-year contract.[18]
On 25 November 2010, Roussel agreed with Dutch sideHSV Hoek to play in theTopklasse. In August 2011 he moved to RUS Beloeil in Belgium.[19]
On 13 February 2015, Roussel announced his retirement from football at the age of 37.[20]
Individual
Roussel had a son (born 2001) with former girlfriend Kirsty Wood.[22][23]
Following his retirement from football, Roussel began a career in real estate.[24]
Roussel died from a cardiac arrest on 24 June 2023, at the age of 45.[25] It was reported that Roussel had collapsed on a terrace inMons, and paramedics were unable to revive him.[26][27]
