Sebastien Pocognoli

At 36 years old, Sebastien Pocognoli has this physical status:

Sébastien Pocognoli (born 1 August 1987) is a Belgian international footballer who plays as a left back for Standard Liège.

Early and personal life

Pocognoli, who was born in Seraing, is of Italian descent.

Pocognoli confessed that his father worked next to the stadium. He confessed to initially loathing football, but thanks to his stubborn father, he began to love football as a sport.

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Club career

Pocognoli started his career with Standard Liège's youth team, but he left Genk at the age of 15, where the club ruled that Standard Liege would not give him a first team opportunity if he had stayed.

In a 1–0 victory over Gent on April 9, Pocognoli made his Genk debut, where he appeared as a substitute for Marco Ingrao in the second half. René Vandereycken, the incoming manager of the reserve team, was sent to the reserve team the following season. He made his first team debut with the club in 2006 and played for the first time in two years against Charleroi. Pocognoli scored his first Genk goal (and his first professional goal) in a 2–0 victory over Westerlo on January 28th, 2006. He made fifteen appearances and one goal in the 2005–06 season.

Despite increased interest from clubs such as Ajax and Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur, Pocognoli stayed at the club and did well when he set up a goal for Ivan Bonjak in a 1-1 draw against Standard Liège on September 19, 2006. Pocognoli joined Genk in a new deal that would keep him until 2008, and two months later, he signed a new deal with the club, keeping him until 2011. Despite being suspended for a second bookable offence against Sint-Truidense on October 29, 2006, he made thirty-four appearances in all competition. Pocognoli had been nominated for the Young Player Footballer of the Year award at the 2006–07 season, but lost out to Lucas Biglia.

Pocognoli left Genk to join Element Iz Alkmaar on June 20, 2007, a five-year deal with the party. The fee was about €2.75 million. Pocognoli told the club that he had been invited to join Bayer Leverkusen but decided against Arizona instead.

In a 4–0 victory over VV-Venlo in the first game of the season, Pocognoli made his AZ Alkmaar debut, where he came on as a replacement in the second half. In a 1–0 win over Paços de Ferreira on September 20, 2007, Pocognoli scored his first goal for the team in the UEFA Cup match. In a 2–1 victory over Utrecht on December 9, 2007, Pocognoli scored his first league goal for the club, while his second came later on January 22nd, 2008. Despite being absent several times, Pocognoli continued to make thirty-three appearances and scoring three times in all competition under Louis van Gaal's leadership.

Pocognoli continued to be in the club's first regular lineup throughout the season and then scored his first goal of the season as a replacement in a 3–3 draw against Heerenveen on November 1, 2008. His second goal for the club came on January 21st, 2009, when he scored again in a 2–0 victory over De Graafschap on January 21, 2009. Pocognoli sustained an injury that kept him out for six weeks as he began with a 2008–09 season. Despite this, he played for the club's first time since 1981 after title candidate Ajax lost 6–2 to PSV Eindhoven on April 18, 2009. In all competition in the 2008–2009 season, Pocognoli made 20-seven appearances and scoring three times.

Pocognoli uninhibitedly attracted attention from Barcelona's La Liga team ahead of the 2009–10 season. When he signed a deal with the club on June 14, 2009, he put an end to the transfer rumors, and he stayed with him until 2014. In a 5–1 victory over Heereveen, Pocognoli helped the club beat the Johan Cruyf Shield, where he set up one of the team's goals. However, his first team opportunities were limited under new coach Ronald Koeman's new regime, and he spent the majority of the season on the reserve bench. Despite this, Pocognoli scored one of the UEFA Champions League's Group Stage match against Standard Liège on December 9, 2009, winning by 3–0 over ADO Den Haag a week later.

Pocognoli later praised Van Gaal for his contribution to his formation as a footballer during his time in Arizona.

Pocognoli was in talks with a move to Belgian Pro League on January 23, 2010, signing for his former club Standard Liège. The move was announced the next day, where he had signed a three-year contract, effectively ending him until 2014. Pocognoli was given number thirty-five shirt for the new season as a member of the club.

Pocognoli scored his first goal in his first game against Genk on February 7, 2010 before losing by 1–0 over Westerlo in the next round. Despite suffering from an injury, Pocognoli returned to the first team from injury, where he set up one of the goals against Zulte Waregem on March 14, 2010. In all competition in the second half of the season, Pocognoli made sixteen appearances and scoring once.

Pocognoli started the season right in 2010-2011 when he scored his first goal of the season in a 4–0 victory over Lierse on August 6, 2010. However, Pocognoli was sent–off after a second bookable offence in a 1–0 loss in a match against Sint-Truidense on August 20, 2010. In a 1–0 win over Germinal Beerschot on November 13, 2010, Pocognoli was sent-off for the second time this season. Despite suffering from an injury in the last game of the season, Pocognoli completed the 2010-11 season, making forty appearances and scoring once in all competitions.

In a 1–0 victory over Zulte Waregem on October 23, 2011, Pocognoli continued to be a first team regular in the first team as a left-back position and scored well when he set up his only goal in the game. In a 2–1 victory over Club Brugge two weeks later, Pocognoli set up one of the goals once more on November 6, 2011. In a 3–2 victory over Mechelen three weeks later, Pocognoli scored one of the goals on November 25th, 2011. Pocognoli retired from the 2011-12 season, making fifty-one appearances in all competition.

Pocognoli missed the first game of the season after being suspended, but he continued to play his first team position after returning from injury. However, Pocognoli suffered with injuries in the first half of the season. Pocognoli returned to the first team, where he served as a substitute in the second half of a 6–1 victory over Charleroi on December 7, 2012. In the first half of the season, Pocognoli made eleven appearances in all competitions.

Pocognoli left Belgium on January 22, 2013 after he signed a three-year deal, keeping him until 2016.

Pocognoli made his Hannover 96 debut against Wolfsburg three days later, where he made his first appearance for the club, but he was suspended in the 34th minute in his 34th game. Pocognoli made his first team return, where he made his second appearance, in a 5–1 victory over Hamburg on February 23, 2013. Pocognoli won by 2–0 after a match against Augsburg on March 30, 2013. Despite being forced to miss out due to injuries, Pocognoli made eleven appearances in all competitions in the second half of the 2012-13 season.

Despite fighting with Christian Pander over a left-back position, Pocognoli maintained his first team spot in the 2013-2014 season. Pocognoli continued to recover his left-back position in the first half of the season before being plagued with injuries that have dogged most of the season. Despite this, Pocognoli made twenty appearances in all competition during the 2013-14 season.

Pocognoli left Hannover 96 to join West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League for a three-year deal, with a year-option. Pocognoli was given the number fifteen shirt on joining the team.

Pocognoli made his West Bromwich Albion debut in the season's first game, losing by 22-0 to Sunderland. He made his first appearance in the pre-season friendly game against Shrewsbury Town. Pocognoli returned from injury in a 2–0 loss to Everton on September 13, 2014 after missing a game due to a thigh injury he sustained during a match against Southampton. However, Pocognoli lost his first team position after being hampered by injury concerns, as the 2014–15 season progressed. Pocognoli retired with 16 appearances to his name in his first season at West Brom.

Pocognoli considered leaving the team ahead of the 2015–16 season, citing a lack of first team opportunities. Despite Pulis' openly that Pocognoli might leave if the club's valuation was met, Pocognoli stayed with the club through pre-season and made his first appearance of the season in a 3–0 loss against Norwich City in the second round of League Cup. Pocognoli had been expected to leave the club after being placed on the transfer list by West Brom in January 2016, but no move was made. Following this, Pocognoli said he was still determined to compete for his first team position, despite the fact that he made only four appearances in the 2015–16 season. In a 1–0 victory over Manchester United on March 6, Pocognoli made his first league appearance of the season, while Salomón Rondón scored his only goal. This was to be his first Premier League appearance of the season.

Following an injury to first-choice left-back Liam Rosenior, Pocognoli joined Football League Championship club Brighton & Hove Albion on a season-long loan contract from the end of August. Pocognoli made his Brighton & Hove Albion debut against Ipswich Town on September 27, 2016, playing the full match against Gatan Bong for the left-back position. In a 2–1 victory over Queens Park Rangers on April 7, 2017, he scored his first goal for Brighton. Pocognoli returned to West Brom at the end of the season and was released at the end of his deal. He had made 20 Championship appearances during his time as a fan.

Pocognoli returned to Standard Liège for his third stint in the club where he began his career in June 16.

Standard Liege defeated Genk 1–0 in extra time on March 17th to lift the 2018 Belgian Cup Final and qualify for the UEFA Europa League. In January 2020, he joined Union SG.

International career

At under-16, under-17, under-19, and under-21 level, Pocognoli played youth football for Belgium. He was a squad member of the 2007 European Under-21 Football Championships. He appeared in the 2008 Summer Olympics for the sixth time, making six appearances in the tournament.

Pocognoli made his senior team debut on May 30th in a 3–1 loss against Italy, his first appearance in FIFA World Cup qualifying matches after being called by the senior team for the first time on May 24, 2008, and he has appeared in FIFA World Cup qualifying matches. Pocognoli was complicit in a dressing room altercation with teammates Timmy Simons and Stijn Stijnen while playing for the national team in 2009.

Coaching career

He was recruited by Union SG to direct their Under-21 team after retiring from playing in the 2020–21 season.

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