Franck Grandel

Franck Grandel (born 17 March 1978) is a Guadeloupean former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

Club career Born in Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe, Grandel started his career with Club Colonial on Martinique. He made his professional debut for Racing Besançon in the Championnat National during the 1999–2000 season.

After two seasons in the club from Franche-Comté, he joined FC Libourne, competing for the championship of the fourth-tier Championnat National 2. He played there for two seasons before moving to Greek club Skoda Xanthi ahead of the 2003–04 season. During the 2004–05 season, he returned to France where he signed for Ligue 2 club Troyes AC. At the end of the season, the club finished in third place in the league and found themselves promoted to the Ligue 1. After this feat was reached, he signed a three-year contract with Dutch Eredivisie club FC Utrecht in 2005, where he was seen as the successor to René Ponk who had left for Sparta Rotterdam. Under the leadership of head coach Foeke Booy, he made his debut in the Eredivisie on 14 August 2005, when FC Utrecht drew 0–0 against NEC Nijmegen. In the course of his first season, Grandel alternated between great saves and several blunders, which mockingly became known as Grandelletjes ("Grandels"). He was released from his contract with Utrecht in November 2007.

He signed a two-year contract with French Ligue 2 side Dijon FCO just before the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Lacking playing time, he left the club after two seasons.

In 2011, he joined USL Dunkerque in the fourth division with whom he won the Championnat de France Amateur in 2013 and promoted to Championnat National.

In 2013, he returned to Troyes AC, who had just been relegated to Ligue 2, to be the backup. In 2015, the club won the Ligue 2 title, but he failed to make any league appearances that season, or the following season in Ligue 1.

International career During the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup, when Guadeloupe team surprisingly advanced to the tournament semifinals, Grandel was given top goalkeeper award and was also named to the tournament All-star team. He had to leave the 2009 Gold Cup squad because of injury.

Honours USL Dunkerque Championnat de France Amateur: 2012–13

Guadeloupe CONCACAF Gold Cup Top Goalkeeper: 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup All-Tournament team: 2007