Johan Djourou is a Swiss international football player who was born on January 18, 1987 to Ivorian parents Joachim and Angeline in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. He was later adopted by his father’s first wife Daniele who was a Swiss woman and when Johan Djourou was seventeen months old, Daniele moved to Geneva with him.
Johan Djourou played for Switzerland during his international football career and was a member of the Swiss European Under-19 Football Championship squad in 2004. He made his senior debut for the national side on March 2006, in a game against Scotland. He was also taken into the Switzerland 2006 FIFA World Cup squad, despite the fact that he did not play in the qualifiers. He played in Switzerland's round-16 game against Ukraine, but had to be substituted in the first half after being injured. The same year, Johan Djourou made two appearances during his side’s qualification campaign for the UEFA U-21 Championship.
When he was thirteen years old, he enrolled at the Payerne Training Center, and in 2002, he started playing for local second division side Etoile-Carouge FC as a midfielder. Johan Djourou signed scholarship forms for the Arsenal Academy after few months, and joined Arsenal as a professional on August 1, 2003. A year later, he became a member of the Swiss European Under-19 Football Championship squad.
Johan Djourou started his professional career as a defensive midfielder for former club Etoile Carouge FC. He played as a central defender after his arrival at Arsenal and has also played in the full back position for Arsenal occasionally.
Johan Djourou made his first senior start for Arsenal in a clash against Everton in the Carling Cup, and his team went on to win the match 3-1. He made his full Premiership debut for Arsenal as a centre-back, on January 14, 2006 in a 7-0 victory over Middlesbrough. Johan Djourou went on to play in the third and fourth rounds of the FA Cup against Cardiff City and Bolton Wanderers. He made his next few league appearances on the field in February 2006 against West Ham United, Birmingham City, and Bolton Wanderers. In April 2006, he came into the field as a substitute against Aston Villa in his club’s 5-0 victory.
During this season, Johan Djourou was observed and evaluated for possible hiring by several Italian clubs in Arsenal’s reserve matches. This was because his contract with Arsenal was about to expire at the end of 2006-07 season, but Arsenal extended his contract for six years. Johan Djourou was selected as the Newcomer of the Year 2006 during the TV Show Swiss Sports Awards on December 16, 2006.
On August 10, 2007, Johan Djourou signed for Birmingham City on loan for a five-month tenure and played at central-midfield position. Two days later, he made his debut against Chelsea, who had won the previous season’s FA Cup and League Cup. His loan period with Birmingham City ended on Deceber 22, 2007, after which he returned to play for Arsenal.
