Jonathan Bru

Jonathan Bru (born 2 May 1985) is a Mauritian former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder.

Jonathan Bru
Bru during pre-season with Melbourne Victory (2012)
Personal information
Full name Jonathan Bru
Date of birth (1985-05-02) 2 May 1985
Place of birth Neuilly-sur-Seine, France
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Defensive midfielder
Youth career
1995–1998 CS Brétigny
1998–2001 Clairefontaine
2001–2004 Rennes
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004–2006 Rennes B 75 (5)
2006 Rennes 1 (0)
2006–2008 Istres 23 (1)
2008–2009 AEP 20 (0)
2009–2010 Académica 3 (0)
2010–2011 Oliveirense 28 (2)
2011–2012 Moreirense 11 (1)
2012–2014 Melbourne Victory 19 (0)
2014–2015 Oliveirense 26 (2)
2016 AS Poissy 7 (0)
Total 206 (11)
National team
2000–2001 France U16 6 (0)
2001–2002 France U17 13 (1)
2002–2003 France U18 8 (1)
2003–2004 France U19 8 (1)
2004–2005 France U21 1 (0)
2010–2016 Mauritius 21 (3)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Club career

France

Born in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, Bru played youth football at CS Brétigny, INF Clairefontaine and Stade Rennais FC. He began his professional career with the latter, making only one Ligue 1 appearance during his spell.

In the summer of 2006, Bru moved to FC Istres in Ligue 2, playing nine games in his first year and being relegated.

Cyprus and Portugal

After one season with AEP Paphos FC in the Cypriot First Division, Bru joined Académica de Coimbra in Portugal,[1] appearing in only four official matches in his debut campaign in the Primeira Liga.

On 26 July 2010, he signed a one-year deal with Segunda Liga side U.D. Oliveirense,[2] scoring his first goal for his new club on 23 October in a 1–1 home draw against S.C. Freamunde.[3]

In August 2011, Bru continued in Portugal's second level, signing with Moreirense FC. He netted his first goal against his former team, the 3–2 game-winner on 2 October (away fixture).[4]

Australia

On 20 June 2012, Bru signed a two-year deal with two-time A-League champions Melbourne Victory FC, as Ange Postecoglou's first import signing.[5] He helped his new team to the preliminary finals in his first year by making 19 out of a possible 29 appearances, but also nearly came to blows with teammate Danny Allsopp after a training ground incident.[6]

On 8 January 2014, after spending several weeks training on his own,[7] Bru was released by the Victory.[8] After almost nine months without a club, he returned to Oliveirense and the Portuguese second division.[9]

International career

Bru represented France in almost every youth team, but never made an appearance for the senior side. In June 2009, he told Mauritian newspaper L'Express that he hoped to play one day for Mauritius, since both of his parents were born in the country;[10] this became a reality when Mauritius head coach Akbar Patel called him to the squad for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.[11]

Bru made his debut on 4 September 2010 in a 1–3 defeat at the hands of Cameroon, scoring the national team's goal through a penalty kick.[12] His second goal came on 5 June of the following year against DR Congo, also for the ACN qualifiers and from the penalty spot.

In August 2011, Bru was called up by Mauritius for the 2011 Indian Ocean Island Games, and played in all of the matches en route to the final, a loss to Seychelles on penalties.[13]

Personal life

Bru's younger brother, Kévin, is also a footballer midfielder. He spent most of his career in France – with a lengthy spell in England with Ipswich Town – and also represented Mauritius internationally.[14]

Career statistics

International goals
Scores and results list Mauritius' goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Bru goal.
List of international goals scored by Jonathan Bru[15]
#DateLocationOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.4 September 2010Stade Anjalay, Belle Vue Harel, Mauritius Cameroon1–11–32012 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
2.5 June 2011Stade Anjalay, Belle Vue Harel, Mauritius DR Congo1–01–22012 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
3.7 October 2015Stade Anjalay, Belle Vue Harel, Mauritius Kenya2–32–52018 World Cup qualification

Honours

References
  1. "Rogério Gonçalves quer tanto ou mais que Domingos" [Rogério Gonçalves wants same as Domingos if not more]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 22 June 2009. Retrieved 16 February 2018.
  2. "Bru assina por uma época" [Bru signs for one season]. Record (in Portuguese). 26 July 2010. Archived from the original on 15 December 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  3. "Oliveirense-Freamunde 1–1: Caminho das igualdades" [Oliveirense-Freamunde 1–1: Path of draws]. Record (in Portuguese). 23 October 2010. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  4. "Oliveirense-Moreirense, 2–3: Bru dá vitória aos forasteiros" [Oliveirense-Moreirense, 2–3: Bru gives win to outsiders]. Record (in Portuguese). 2 October 2011. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  5. "Victory down under for Mauritius star Bru". BBC Sport. 23 June 2012. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
  6. "Fighting and fit for Victory". The Age. 17 October 2012. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  7. "A look at the Melbourne Victory squad ahead of the 2013/14 A-League season". Herald Sun. 10 October 2013. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  8. "Victory releases Bru from contract". Special Broadcasting Service. 8 January 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  9. "Médio Jonathan Bru regressa à Oliveirense" [Midfielder Jonathan Bru returns to Oliveirense] (in Portuguese). SAPO. 29 August 2014. Retrieved 30 August 2014.
  10. "Jonathan Bru, young footballer: "I dream of playing for Club M"". L'Express. 29 June 2009. Retrieved 17 August 2010.
  11. "?" [Five expatriates called]. Le Mauricien (in French). August 2010. Retrieved 17 August 2010.
  12. "Eto'o lance le Cameroun" [Eto'o thrusts Cameroon]. L'Équipe (in French). 4 September 2010. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  13. "Victory sign Mauritius international Bru". The Sydney Morning Herald. 20 June 2012. Retrieved 20 June 2012.
  14. "FOOTBALL: La sélection sans les frères Bru" [FOOTBALL: National team without the Bru brothers]. Le Mauricien (in French). 16 May 2015. Retrieved 24 May 2016.
  15. "J. Bru – Matches". Soccerway. Retrieved 20 September 2017.
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