Quick Facts
Biography
Mickaël Debève (born December 1, 1970 in Abbeville) is a former French footballer who played as a midfielder.
Football career
Debève began his career at Toulouse FC; after a slow start - only four first-team appearances in three seasons, he became a main squad member. His first match in the top level came on June 5, 1987, in a 1–0 home win against RC Lens.
The most important part of Debève's career was spent at Lens, who he helped win the national league in 1998, adding the league cup the following year. In the 1998–99 UEFA Champions League, he scored the game's only goal at Wembley, against English champions Arsenal, making Lens the first club from France to win at that ground.
After totalling more than 400 official matches in his country, Debève moved to England with Middlesbrough FC in February 2002, arriving for free and rejoining former Lens mate Franck Queudrue. He made his debut as a substitute in the FA Cup 6th round victory over Everton. He was then thrust into the starting line up for the semi final against Arsenal due to various injuries, making only his second Boro appearance against the team he had knocked out of the UEFA Champions League 4 years earlier. However he couldn't prevent Boro losing 1-0. He left in the summer, and closed out his career in France's second level, with SC Amiens.
Immediately after retiring, Debève became a manager, starting as player-coach with hometown side SC Abbevillois Football.