Olivier Dacourt
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Olivier Nicolas André Dacourt | ||
| Date of birth | 25 September 1974 | ||
| Place of birth | Montreuil-sous-Bois, France | ||
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1989–1991 | Aulnay-sous-Bois | ||
| 1991–1992 | Strasbourg | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1992–1998 | Strasbourg | 127 | (4) |
| 1998–1999 | Everton | 30 | (2) |
| 1999–2000 | Lens | 26 | (2) |
| 2000–2003 | Leeds United | 57 | (3) |
| 2003 | → Roma (loan) | 18 | (0) |
| 2003–2006 | Roma | 77 | (2) |
| 2006–2009 | Internazionale | 35 | (0) |
| 2009 | → Fulham (loan) | 9 | (0) |
| 2009–2010 | Standard Liège | 9 | (0) |
| Total | 388 | (13) | |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2001–2004 | France | 21 | (1) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 18 February 2010. ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 18 January 2010 |
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Olivier Nicolas André Dacourt (born 25 September 1974 in Montreuil-sous-Bois) is a former French footballer who played as a defensive midfielder. He is also a former French international and is best known for his spells at English side Leeds United, and Italian clubs A.S. Roma and Internazionale.
Dacourt made his debut match in Division 1 with Strasbourg on 20 March 1993 in an away game with Auxerre, which Strasbourg lost 2–0. On 24 May 1997, he scored his first Ligue 1 goal for Strasbourg in an away match against Paris Saint-Germain, however, Strasbourg lost the match 2–1.
Dacourt transferred to Everton in 1998 and his debut game in the Premier League was a 0–0 draw against Aston Villa on 15 August 1998. On 17 February 1999, he scored his first goal in the 5–0 victory against Middlesbrough. Dacourt became a fan favourite with the Everton supporters, but was booed at the club's final home game of the season in May 1999 against West Ham after comments in a French article that he was unhappy at the club and looking to leave in the summer.
Dacourt returned to France after one season at Everton playing for RC Lens, where he impressed and earned a multimillion-pound move back to the Premier League to the Yorkshire club Leeds United.
Dacourt joined Leeds United from Lens in a £7.2 million move in 2000, and broke Leeds' transfer record at the time. He proved to be an instant hero at Elland Road with his tenacious style and ball winning play. His time at Leeds saw them reach the Champions League semi finals and also finishing in the top 4 of the Premier League. He was a regular in centre midfield under manager David O'Leary, mainly partnering David Batty at the heart of Leeds' midfield. His form at Leeds also saw Dacourt become a regular for the French national side. But after the sacking of O'Leary, his replacement Terry Venables dropped Dacourt from the Leeds team and favoured players like Paul Okon ahead of him in the pecking order.
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