ES Troyes AC
Ligue 2 · France
Trained at his home-town club before Clairefontaine, he was given his Ligue 2 debut by Faruk Hadžibegić. Two full seasons and a place in the UNFP Ligue 2 Team of the Year in 2004-05.
62League matches
3Goals
Centre-back · Poland international
DamienPerquis
Born in Troyes, trained at Clairefontaine, he played in Ligue 1, La Liga, MLS and the Championship. Fourteen caps for Poland and a starting place at Euro 2012.
435Professional matches
14Caps for Poland
7Professional clubs
4Countries: France, Spain, Canada, England
The journey
Eighteen seasons at the top level
Damien Perquis spent his whole career at centre-back, known for his commitment and his heading ability.
Trained at the INF Clairefontaine academy and given his Ligue 2 debut by ES Troyes AC, he played seven seasons in Ligue 1 with Saint-Étienne and Sochaux, where he became one of the team's leaders. His career then took him to Andalusia with Real Betis, to Canada with Toronto FC, to England with Nottingham Forest and finally to Corsica with Gazélec Ajaccio.
Granted Polish citizenship in 2011 through his family roots, he played for Poland at the home Euro 2012. He announced his retirement as a player on 15 June 2020, after 435 matches and 21 goals.
Career
Seven clubs, four leagues
AS Saint-Étienne
Ligue 1 · France
He discovered Ligue 1 with Les Verts. On 25 February 2007 he headed the opener at the Parc des Princes in a 2-0 win over PSG.
34League matches
1Goals
FC Sochaux-Montbéliard
Ligue 1 · France
First on loan, then signed permanently, he became a cornerstone of the Sochaux defence. In 2010-11 he scored five Ligue 1 goals, a rare tally for a centre-back.
146League matches
11Goals
Real Betis
La Liga · Spain
He moved to Seville after the Euro. Despite a double jaw fracture in November 2013, he stayed after relegation and won the Segunda División title in 2015.
32League matches
0Goals
Toronto FC
MLS · Canada
Signed in January 2015, he helped the club reach the MLS play-offs for the first time in its history.
37League matches
2Goals
Nottingham Forest
Championship · England
He was reunited with Philippe Montanier in England and scored twice in the Championship.
17League matches
2Goals
Gazélec Ajaccio
Ligue 2 · France
Back in Ligue 2, in Corsica, for his final two seasons. He then joined the club's reserve-team coaching staff.
42League matches
0Goals
Poland national team · 2011 — 2013
Euro 2012 on home soil
Granted Polish citizenship on 1 September 2011, he won his first cap five days later against Germany in Gdańsk. Eight months later he started at centre-back, wearing number 15, in all three of Poland's matches at the Euro.
- Poland — Greece · Warsaw1-1
- Poland — Russia · Warsaw1-1
- Poland — Czech Republic · Wrocław0-1
After the pitch
“The pitch will never be far away”
Damien Perquis, announcing his retirement on 15 June 2020.
In autumn 2020 he joined the coaching staff of Gazélec Ajaccio's reserve team while studying for his coaching licence. He has also worked as a pundit for beIN SPORTS, notably during the 2022 World Cup.
Press