Julián Estéban

Julián Esteban (born 16 September 1986) is a Swiss retired footballer. He spent most of his playing career at Servette FC.

Julián Esteban
Personal information
Full name Julián Esteban
Date of birth (1986-09-16) 16 September 1986
Place of birth Geneva, Switzerland
Height 1.74 m (5 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Position(s) Striker
Youth career
1993–1996 FC City
1996–1997 FC Aïre-le-Lignon
1997–2004 Servette
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2006 Servette 17 (14)
2007–2010 Stade Rennais 8 (1)
2009–2010 → Servette (loan) 14 (1)
2010–2013 Servette 53 (11)
International career‡
2006–2007 Switzerland U21 11 (6)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23 March 2013
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 7 October 2007

Football career

Born in Geneva, Estebán was an academy product of hometown club Servette FC. He made his first team breakthrough in the 2006–07 season, and scored a remarkable 14 goals in 17 games for the second division side, in only the first half of the season. A host of top European clubs, including Arsenal FC, Ajax Amsterdam and NK Dinamo Zagreb were interested in his services.

In October 2006, Esteban signed a four-year contract with Stade Rennais FC, worth approximately 7 million Swiss Franc, effective as of January of the following year. He became the fourth Swiss to join the French outfit, after Christophe Ohrel and Marco Grassi and Alexander Frei (who also played for Servette before Rennes, which also eventually led to some comparisons between the pair, due to their goalscoring prowess).

On 3 March 2007, Esteban played his first league match for Rennes, against AJ Auxerre, appearing four minutes in a 0–1 away loss.[1] He appeared very rarely throughout his first two 1/2 seasons combined, less than 10 matches. In summer 2009 turned back to his home club Servette FC on loan from Stade Rennais FC until 30 June 2010.[2] During this loan spell he appeared 14 times, scoring twice.

On 31 July 2010, Estéban signed for Servette on a permanent contract, after Stade Rennais F.C. agreed to terminate his contract.[3] His time at Stade Rennais F.C. was disappointing and he was very injury prone, therefore not being able to take part in many games and unable to prove himself.

On 8 January 2013, Estéban, in his 26th year, decided to hang up his playing boots as the injuries kept on piling up for him.[4]

International career

Esteban was also a Swiss under-21 international.

References
  1. "Tactical Formation". Football-Lineups.com. Retrieved 2 March 2007.
  2. Esteban: Über Servette zurück zum Erfolg? – Sportal-plus
  3. "Servette FC sign Julian Esteban". stade-rennais-online.com. Retrieved 2 August 2010.
  4. "Julian Esteban cesse la compétition". Servette official website (in French). Archived from the original on 17 December 2013. Retrieved 23 March 2013.
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