Sol Campbell BiographyCampbell is of Jamaican descent, via his Jamaican-born parents.
Campbell was a prodigious schoolboy talent and was part-educated at the FA’s School of Excellence at Lilleshall, before joining the ranks at Tottenham Hotspur. He made his first team debut for Spurs in December 1992, scoring a goal after coming on as a substitute for Nick Barmby, though he didn’t appear again that season. He played up front and in every defensive position over the course of the next two seasons before settling as a central defender. As club captain Gary Mabbutt’s appearances became more limited because of injury and age, Campbell became Spurs’ lynchpin defender.
He made his England debut against Hungary in May 1996, coming on as a substitute. Although he had only one cap by the time Terry Venables selected his squad for Euro 96, Campbell got in as defensive cover, and came on as a substitute in England’s famous 2-0 win over Scotland for his second cap.
Over the next two years, Campbell became a strong and brave presence at the heart of England’s defence, largely displacing Gareth Southgate in the race to partner Tony Adams. The pairing were first choice as new England coach Glenn Hoddle shaped his squad for the 1998 World Cup in France.
Campbell was involved in a highly controversial incident in England’s second round clash against old footballing foes Argentina. The game was locked at 2-2 with fewer than ten minutes to go (and with England down to ten men after David Beckham was sent off) when Campbell managed to head a corner into the Argentinian net. He wheeled away to celebrate his first international goal, which looked certain to put England into the quarter-finals, but a push by Alan Shearer had caused the referee to blow for a foul. Campbell was still in the corner of the pitch with England supporters as Argentina restarted the game and counter-attacked. England went out on penalties but Campbell emerged a hero.
Campbell played in England’s successful qualification campaign for Euro 2000 and in all the three group games at the tournament, which England exited after defeat by Romania. His club career, however, was starting to evoke major concern among Spurs supporters and interest within the media because he was entering the last year of his contract and was stalling on a new deal. Although Campbell successfully captained his side to a League Cup final win over Leicester in 1998-99, Spurs never finished better than eighth during Campbell’s time there, which denied him his wish to play at Europe’s top level, the Champions League.
In the summer of 2001 Campbell’s contract expired. Mindful of the Bosman ruling, Tottenham offered him a contract which would have made him the club’s highest-ever paid player, but after months of negotiations and several public assurances that he would stay at Spurs, Campbell stated his wish to leave the club in order to play Champions League football. With several top European clubs courting him, he stunned football (and left Spurs fans enraged) by joining Arsenal. Ever since, he has been labelled Judas by Spurs supporters, though Campbell always maintained that he loved Tottenham, and that his decision was entirely professional. This explanation has never been accepted by Spurs fans who regard him as a mercenary and symptomatic of the modern player’s focus on personal glories, however hollow, in place of loyalty and integrity. The fact that he left on a Bosman transfer (thus depriving Spurs of a hefty transfer fee) further angered Tottenham fans.
In his first season at Arsenal (2001-02), he won both Premiership and FA Cup winners’ medals as Arsenal won the Double. His partner at the back, Tony Adams, retired as a player at the end of the season leaving Campbell as the senior defender for both club and country.
Campbell scored his first England goal at the 2002 World Cup in the opening group game against Sweden. England drew the game 1-1, but then beat the old enemy Argentina in the next match (in which Campbell was outstanding) and ultimately progressed to the quarter finals, where they lost to eventual winners Brazil. Campbell was subsequently the only England player selected for the FIFA World Cup All-Star Team.
In 2003 Campbell maintained his Arsenal and England place, but an injury he suffered towards the end of the season curtailed the Gunners’ title chances and he also missed their successful retention of the FA Cup. He did, however, help his country qualify for Euro 2004.
After a successful domestic season for Campbell in 2004, when Arsenal regained the Premiership title without losing a game, Campbell yet again had a late goal disallowed as England fought to make progress in a major tournament. Against hosts Portugal in the quarter finals, the game was locked at 1-1 with a minute to go when Campbell won a header in the opposition six-yard box to score what seemed to be a dramatic, late winner for England. However, the referee, Urs Meier, decided that John Terry, Campbell’s defensive partner had pushed Portuguese goalkeeper Ricardo and gave a free kick. The game ended level after 120 minutes of football, and England failed to progress to the next stage after a penalty shootout. Meier received threats to his life afterwards.
Current Status
Campbell continues to play for Arsenal, winning an FA Cup winners’ medal in 2005, as well as England, although his place in the international team has been less secure since the emergence as a partnership of Terry and Ferdinand, which blossomed during Campbell’s period of absence with injury in 2005. That said, in October 2005 he won his 66th cap and earned himself (jointly) a place in the top 20 most capped England players.He has recently been picked to play in the 2006 World Cup Finals and he will become the first England player to feature in the final stages of six separate tournaments.
In the 2005-06 season, Campbell was blighted both with injuries and a loss of form In Arsenal’s 3-2 home loss to West Ham United on February 1, Campbell was largely responsible for West Ham’s first two goals, before being substituted at half-time. Unusually, he then left the stadium, not staying to watch the second half. His team-mate Robert Pires commented that Campbell was facing a “big worry” in relation to his private life, and Campbell did not make any contact with the club for several days. However, he resumed training with his team-mates on February 6 and after 10 weeks away from first team action made his return in a draw away to Portsmouth. He seemed to have regained much of his fitness looking much slimmer and faster than before his lay-off. However his return was marred by his shedding blood as a result of two accidental collisions with Portsmouth players. In the first he was cut above his right eye, but this was quickly glued to stop the bleeding and he returned to the field. The second, in the dying minutes of the match, left him streaming with blood from a broken nose. Campbell had the option of having an operation to fix his nose at the end of the season or straight after the Portsmouth match. He got his nose operated the day after the match because if he decided to operate at the end of the season, it would have threatened his hopes of making the 2006 World Cup.
He was back playing on April 25 in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final against Villarreal in Spain; a 0-0 draw on the night put the Gunners into the final.
In the final in Paris, Campbell scored the opening goal, his first in Europe. However ten-man Arsenal went on to lose 2-1 to Barcelona.
On the 22nd of May, several news sites, including Reuters have reported that Sol has agreed a deal to sign for Turkish club Fenerbahce for a fee of £8million, and personal terms of up to £70,000 per week. This has been denied by Fenerbahce. Since, he has been linked with moves to Inter Milan, Portsmouth FC and Fulham F.C..
After playing in a warm up friendly against Hungary at Old Trafford Sol Campbell is currently part of the England World Cup Squad in Germany his 6th consecutive international tournament. He is regarded as the third choice centre back behind Rio Ferdinand and John Terry with Jamie Carragher providing cover for the right back position.
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