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Nicolas Benezet

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Nicolas Benezet
Benezet being interviewed in 2014
Personal information
Full name Nicolas Benezet
Date of birth (1991-02-24) 24 February 1991 (age 33)
Place of birth Montpellier, France
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
Colorado Rapids
Number 9
Youth career
2000–2004 Montpellier
2004–2010 Nîmes
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2013 Nîmes 90 (18)
2013–2015 Évian 40 (3)
2015Caen (loan) 12 (4)
2015–2020 Guingamp 78 (11)
2019Toronto FC (loan) 8 (2)
2020– Colorado Rapids 12 (0)
International career
2011 France U20 3 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 04:11, 9 November 2020 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 16 August 2014

Nicolas Benezet (born 24 February 1991) is a French professional footballer who plays for the Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer. He plays as an attacking midfielder and is known for his positional versatility and small frame.[1]

Club career

France

Born in Montpellier, Benezet played in the youth academy of Montpellier before signing with Nîmes in 2004.[1] He made his professional debut in the 2010–11 season on 15 October 2010 in a league match against Istres appearing as a substitute in a 0–0 draw.[2] On 8 December 2010, he signed his first professional contract after agreeing to a three-year deal with Nîmes.[3] Two days later, he rewarded Nîmes by scoring his first professional goal in a 3–2 victory over Istres in the Coupe de France.[2] On 21 December, he scored his first professional league goal in a 2–0 win against Metz.[4]

At the end of the 2012–13 season, top-flight clubs Sochaux-Montbéliard and Evian Thonon Gaillard showed interest in signing him[5] and in July 2013, Benezet joined Evian.[6]

On 3 July 2015, Benezet signed for En Avant de Guingamp.

Major League Soccer

In July 2019, following Guingamp's relegation from Ligue 1, Benezet joined Major League Soccer club Toronto FC on loan for the remainder of their season, with the club holding an option to make the transfer permanent at the conclusion of the loan, which would be triggered automatically if he started six regular season matches (he ultimately started five).[7][8] Toronto chose not to acquire him permanently after the loan due to a lack of salary cap space after the re-signing of Michael Bradley.[9]

In January, Benezet returned to MLS, signing with Colorado Rapids, who paid a $500,000 transfer fee to Guingamp for him, after acquiring his MLS rights from Toronto in a trade.[10][11] He made his Rapids debut on 12 July against Real Salt Lake at the MLS is Back Tournament. he earned his first assist in Burgundy on Kellyn Acosta's opening goal against Sporting Kansas City on 17 July. Benezet finished the season with three assists among 13 appearances, including Colorado's first-round playoff loss at Minnesota United FC.[12].

Career statistics

Club

As of 22 November 2020[13][14]
Club Season League National Cup[nb 1] Playoffs[nb 2] Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Nîmes 2010–11 Ligue 2 23 2 3 1 26 3
2011–12 Championnat National 34 7 0 0 34 7
2012–13 Ligue 2 33 9 3 0 36 9
Total 90 18 6 1 96 19
Évian 2013–14 Ligue 1 29 3 1 0 30 3
2014–15 11 0 1 0 12 7
Total 40 3 2 0 42 3
Caen (loan) 2014–15 Ligue 1 12 4 0 0 12 4
Guingamp 2015–16 Ligue 1 19 4 2 0 21 4
2016–17 5 1 2 1 7 2
2017–18 29 3 1 0 30 3
2018–19 25 3 3 0 28 3
Total 78 11 8 1 86 13
Toronto FC (loan) 2019 MLS 8 2 1 0 4 1 13 3
Colorado Rapids 2020 MLS 12 0 1 0 13 0
Career total 152 25 17 2 5 1 174 28

Notes

References

  1. ^ a b "Nicolas Benezet vrai feu follet" [Nicolas Benezet, real wisp] (in French). Midi Libre. 10 December 2010. Archived from the original on 28 December 2010. Retrieved 7 January 2011.
  2. ^ a b "Istres v. Nîmes Match Report" (in French). Ligue de Football Professionnel. 15 October 2010. Archived from the original on 23 April 2012. Retrieved 7 January 2011.
  3. ^ "Nicolas Benezet passe pro" [Nicolas Benezet goes pro] (in French). Foot-National. 8 December 2010. Retrieved 7 January 2011.
  4. ^ "Nîmes v. Istres CDF Match Report" (in French). Ligue de Football Professionnel. 10 December 2010. Archived from the original on 23 August 2011. Retrieved 7 January 2011.
  5. ^ "Le Nîmois Nicolas Benezet affirme avoir signé à Evian/Thonon" [Nîmes Nicolas Benezet claims to have signed in Evian / Thonon]. Fabrice Dubault (in French). France 3. 25 June 2013. Retrieved 10 August 2013.
  6. ^ "Officiel : Nicolas Benezet s'engage pour 4 ans !" [Official=Nicolas Benezet is Committed for 4 Years!]. Official site (in French). Evian Thonon Gaillard FC. 1 July 2013. Archived from the original on 11 August 2013. Retrieved 10 August 2013.
  7. ^ "Toronto FC Acquire Nicolas Benezet on Loan". torontofc.ca. 30 July 2019. Retrieved 30 July 2019.
  8. ^ John Jacques (28 December 2019). "Benezet Left Feeling Betrayed By Toronto FC". northerntribune.ca.
  9. ^ "Toronto FC narrowing search for next Designated Player, unlikely to bring Benezet back". mlssoccer.com. 13 December 2019. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  10. ^ "Sources: Colorado Rapids sign ex-Toronto FC winger Nicolas Benezet". mlssoccer.com. 12 January 2020.
  11. ^ "Colorado Rapids acquire French winger Nicolas Benezet". coloradorapids.com. 14 January 2020.
  12. ^ "Nicolas Benezet".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  13. ^ "Nicolas Benezet". L'Équipe (in French). Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  14. ^ "N. Benezet". Soccerway. Retrieved 5 January 2018.