Gilbert Meriel

Gilbert Meriel (born 11 November 1986) is a soccer player from Tahiti who plays for A.S. Vénus and for the Tahiti national team. He was part of the Tahitian squad at the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil.^{[citation needed]}

Gilbert Meriel

Personal information
Full name	Gilbert Meriel[1]
Date of birth	(1986-11-11) 11 November 1986 (age 38)
Place of birth	Tahiti
Height	1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team	A.S. Vénus
Number	1
Youth career
1995–2000	A.S. Vénus
2000–2003	Angers
2003–2006	Carquefou
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2006–2008	Carquefou
2010–2011	A.S. Tefana
2011–2014	AS Central Sport
2014–	A.S. Vénus
International career‡
2011–	Tahiti	4	(0)
Medal record Men's football Representing  Tahiti Pacific Games 2011 New Caledonia
* Club domestic league appearances and goals ‡ National team caps and goals as of 20:16, 23 June 2013 (UTC)

Meriel started playing soccer at the age of nine on Tahitian club A.S. Vénus. Five years later, he went to France to join the youth academy at Angers, where he stayed for three years. While in France, Meriel also played for US Jeanne d'Arc Carquefou competing in the lower leagues, before returning home at 18. Upon his return home Meriel, like many of his national team colleagues, was forced to get another job and become a semi-professional athlete. Metiel earned a bachelor in economy and administration, becoming an auditor for consulting group KPMG.^[2]

On the Confederations Cup, Meriel had his first cap as the starting goalkeeper for Tahiti's in the squad's final game against Uruguay in Recife. While Tahiti lost 8-0, Meriel was applauded once he saved a penalty kick from the eventually sent-off Andres Scotti.^[3][4]

Honours

Tahiti

• Pacific Games: third place 2011^[5]