SECAUCUS, NJ - The MetroStars announced today that they have signed World Cup, UEFA Cup, European Championship and Confederations Cup winner Youri Djorkaeff. Djorkaeff joins the Metros after most recently playing for Blackburn of the English Premier League. Per Major League Soccer policy, terms of the deal are not disclosed.
A proven winner, Djorkaeff has amassed 82 caps in his career and has netted 28 goals for France in international play. In 1998, he was a member of the French team that captured the World Cup after defeating Brazil, 3-0. He also won the European Championship and Confederations Cup with Les Bleus in 2000 and 2001, respectively.
"We are thrilled to bring a player of this caliber, in Youri Djorkaeff to the MetroStars and our fans," said MetroStars President and General Manager Nick Sakiewicz. "With Youri, we now have an additional seasoned veteran who is experienced at winning championships. Through the acquisition of both Youri and Jeff Agoos, we've achieved our goal of adding some accomplished winners to our squad on both the offensive and defensive sides of the game."
"It is a honor for me to sign with MetroStars and Major League Soccer," said Djorkaeff. "This is a dream come true, and I am looking forward to playing at Giants Stadium. I am in good shape, and delighted to have this as the final challenge in my football career. I am sure that I am going to enjoy my time with the MetroStars."
The Lyon, France native began his career with Grenoble in 1984 and remained there until 1989. After a two-season stint with Strasbourg, Djorkaeff moved on to AS Monaco, where he would emerge as one of the top players in the world. Djorkaeff garnered both club and individual honors with AS Monaco, as he guided his team to the French Cup title in 1991 in addition to winning the French First Division Scoring Title in 1994 with 20 goals in 35 games.
Following his five years in Monaco, Djorkaeff joined Paris Saint-Germain (Paris SG) for the 1995-1996 season and won the UEFA Cup Winners Cup. He then moved to Italy and signed with Inter Milan of Italian Serie A on August 1, 1996. While in Italy, Djorkaeff helped lead Inter to two UEFA Cup finals appearances in 1997 and 1998 and one UEFA Cup Championship in 1998.
In 1999, Djorkaeff signed with FC Kaiserslautern of the Bundesliga and played in Germany for three seasons. The veteran made an immediate impact on his new team, as he scored 11 goals in 25 games during his first season with Kaiserslautern. He moved on to Bolton of the English Premier League in 2001 and appeared in the League Cup Finals in 2004. During the 2003-2004 season, Djorkaeff notched nine goals in 27 games for Bolton.
"We are extremely excited to bring Youri to the MetroStars and Major League Soccer," said MetroStars Head Coach Bob Bradley. "Youri's experience with the French National Team and some of the best clubs in the World will be invaluable to our team. Above all else, he is a tremendous person and is truly motivated for this new challenge in his career."
Djorkaeff will be formerly introduced to the New York media on Monday, February 21. Details regarding time and location will be released in the near future.
