Blaise Matuidi
Encyclopedia
Blaise Matuidi is a French football player who currently plays for French club Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1
. He primarily plays as a combative defensive midfielder often occupying a withdrawn position as a deep-lying playmaker and is described as a "fierce and strong tackler".
Matuidi began his football career playing for amateur clubs in the Île-de-France
region
, such as US Fontenay-sous-Bois and CO Vincennois. In 1999, he was selected to attend the prestigious Clairefontaine
academy. After departing Clairefontaine, Matuidi joined semi-professional club Créteil
and spent three years developing in the club's youth academy. In 2004, he signed with professional club Troyes
and made his professional debut in the 2004–05 season. After three seasons with Troyes, Matuidi joined Saint-Étienne
. With Saint-Étienne, he played European
football for the first time after participating in the 2008–09 edition of the UEFA Cup
. In the 2009–10 season
, he was named first-choice captain under manager Alain Perrin. In July 2011, after four seasons with Saint-Étienne, Matuidi transferred to Paris Saint-Germain on a three year deal.
Matuidi is a former French youth international
having represented his nation at under-19
and under-21
level. In August 2010, Matuidi was called up to the senior team
for the first time under new manager Laurent Blanc
. He made his international debut in September 2010 in a UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying
match against Bosnia and Herzegovina
.
, Haute-Garonne to an Angola
n father, Faria Rivelino, and a French mother, Élise. Rivelino emigrated to France at a young age. Matuidi has four other siblings and was raised in the Parisian suburbs of Fontenay-sous-Bois
. He grew an attraction to the sport of football watching Paris Saint-Germain and became an admirer of former Paris Saint-Germain attacker Jay-Jay Okocha
. Matuidi began his football career at the age of six playing for hometown club US Fontenay-sous-Bois. After five years at the club, he joined CO Vincennois in nearby Vincennes
where he was club mates with Yacine Brahimi
for a year. In 1999, Matuidi was rated as one of the best players in the Île-de-France region and was subsequently selected to attend the prestigious Clairefontaine
academy. He trained at the academy for three seasons playing there on weekdays, while playing for Vincennes on the weekends. In 2001, Matuidi left Vincennes to sign for semi-professional club Créteil
on an aspirant (youth) contract. He spent four years in the club youth academy quickly becoming one of the club's most sought after prospects. Despite an intriguing offer from the two-time defending champions Lyon
, Matuidi signed with Troyes
citing the club's training center as his primary reason.
. In November 2004, he was called up to the senior team by manager Jean-Marc Furlan
and made his professional debut on 23 November in the team's Ligue 2
match against Gueugnon
. Matuidi started the match and played over 60 minutes in a 2–1 victory. His only other appearance with the senior team in the 2004–05 season came on 4 February 2005 in a league match against Guingamp. Matuidi was relegated back to the club's reserve team for the rest of the campaign where he helped the team finish in a respectable sixth place. In the following season, Matuidi was promoted to the senior team, who were now playing in Ligue 1
, on a permanent basis. He was inserted as a starter by Furlan and appeared in 31 league matches. Matuidi was also one of the league leaders in card accumulation with 11. He scored his first professional goal on 11 January 2006 in a 1–0 victory against Lille
converting a volley, which was described by the media as "magnificent". Despite the impressive individual season from Matuidi, Troyes finished only one spot above the relegation zone.
Following the season, on 16 June 2006, Matuidi signed his first professional contract agreeing to a four-year deal with Troyes, despite interest from English club Charlton Athletic
. Despite the firing of Furlan, Matuidi remained first-choice under new manager Denis Troch
. He appeared in 35 total matches and score three goals. He also reduced his card accumulation to only six. Arguably Matuidi's greatest performance in a Troyes shirt came on 28 April 2007 against Sedan
, whom Troyes were contesting a relegation battle with. With Troyes trailing 2–1 at home with 15 minutes remaining, Matuidi scored an equalizing goal in the 75th minute. Eight minutes later, he scored the winning goal to give Troyes a 3–2 victory. Matuidi scored again on the final match day of the season against Lens
in a 3–0 win, however, Troyes still dropped down to Ligue 2 after finishing the season in the 18th position. The club's relegation back to Ligue 2 caused speculation regarding Matuidi's future with the club.
, Lille
, and Monaco
, on 12 July 2007, it was confirmed by the media that Matuidi had agreed to join AS Saint-Étienne
after agreeing to a four-year deal with the club. Upon his arrival, Matuidi was given the number 12 shirt and was inserted into the starting eleven where he established midfield partnerships with Loïc Perrin
and Christophe Landrin
. He also formed a bond with former and fellow Troyen Bafétimbi Gomis
, who had a breakout season. Matuidi made his club debut on 11 August 2007 in a league match against Valenciennes
. He remained first-choice for the entire season under Laurent Roussey
. The club's play that season culminated into a respectable 5th place finish and qualification for the UEFA Cup
.
During the 2008–09 season, Matuidi's performances caught the attention of English club Arsenal
who sent its scout Gilles Grimandi
to watch him. Grimandi subsequently recommended the player to fellow Frenchman Arsène Wenger
. Matuidi was also tracked by Italian club Milan
during the season. On 16 August 2008, he scored his first career goal for Saint-Étienne in a 2–1 win over Sochaux
. Matuidi made his European
debut on 18 September 2008 in the team's first leg tie in the first round of the UEFA Cup
against Israel
i club Hapoel Tel Aviv
. He made eight appearances in the competition as Saint-Étienne ultimately reached the Round of 16 before suffering elimination to German club Werder Bremen
. Matuidi appeared consistently in the league until receiving his first career red card in the team's 3–0 defeat to Lille. In the second half of the season, Matuidi and the club in general struggled with injuries. The team's broken collective resulted in Saint-Étienne barely avoiding relegation having survived on the last day of the season. After the season, Matuidi announced his intent to leave the club telling French newspaper L'Equipe
, "My wish is to leave because I think it's time." Matuidi also stated that he would be happy if he remained at Saint-Étienne. After failing to receive any significant offers from clubs in the 2009 summer, sporting director Damien Comolli
announced that Matuidi would remain at the club for the 2009–10 season
.
Matuidi was named as the club's captain by incoming manager Alain Perrin following the first league match of the 2009–10 season due to injuries to incumbent captain Loïc Perrin
. Despite Perrin returning to the team in September 2009, Matuidi still held onto the armband. Under his leadership, Saint-Étienne defeated the defending champions Bordeaux
3–1 on 3 October 2009. Following the firing of Perrin midway through the season, incoming manager Christophe Galtier
returned the captaincy back to Loïc Perrin. On 18 May 2010, Matuidi was involved in a physical altercation with teammate Dimitri Payet
during the team's 1–0 defeat to Toulouse
. Midway through the first half, Payet received criticism from teammate Yohan Benalouane
for displaying a lack of aggression. He was then confronted by Matuidi who echoed Benalouane's sentiments. Matuidi and Payet went face-to-face with the latter player delivering a blow to Matuidi's head before the two were separated by referee Bruno Coue and teammates. As a result of the incident, Payet was substituted out after 31 minutes and sanctioned by club president Roland Romeyer. On 6 October 2010, following both Matuidi and Payet's call up to the national team, Matuidi described the altercation as a "lack of maturity" on both players part, while Payet described the incident as "an argument that had no place" and that "the incident was explained and the two were on new ground".
who retired from the sport. The transfer fee was undisclosed, but is purported to be in the region of €7.5 million plus future incentives. Matuidi was presented to the media the same day alongside fellow new signing and international teammate Jérémy Menez
and was assigned the number 14 shirt. He made his club debut for the team in its 1–0 defeat to the New York Red Bulls at the Emirates Cup
. Matuidi made his competitive debut for Paris Saint-Germain on 6 August 2011 in the team's opening 1–0 league defeat to Lorient
.
having represented his nation at under-19
and under-21
level. He went unnoticed while developing at both Créteil and Troyes, however, after establishing himself in the 2006–07 season with the latter club, he was called up to the under-19 team by coach Guy Ferrier. Matuidi made his youth international debut on 5 October 2005 in a 4–0 friendly match victory over Norway
. He, subsequently, appeared with the team in qualifying matches
for the 2006 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship
. France ultimately failed to qualify for the competition and Matuidi finished the campaign with nine appearances and no goals.
Matuidi earned his first call up to the under-21 team
under coach René Girard
in the team's first match following the 2006 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
against Belgium
appearing as a half-time substitute for Jimmy Briand
. He featured in qualification matches
for the 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
and appeared as a substitute in both legs of the team's surprising defeat to Israel
in the qualifying playoffs. Matuidi was among a handful of underage players who remained with the team after its elimination appearing with the team in its first match of 2007 against Sweden
, which France won 4–0. Matuidi appeared with the team in the next ten matches, which included qualifiers
for the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
. After missing the last match of 2007, he returned to the team for their first match of 2008 against Spain
. Matuidi remained with the team for the rest of the qualifying campaign. His under-21 career came to an end following the team's defeat to Germany
in a two-legged playoff, which determined who would earn a berth in the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship.
After failing to appear at international level for nearly two years, on 5 August 2010, Matuidi was called up to the senior team
for the first time by new manager Laurent Blanc
for the team's friendly match against Norway
on 11 August 2010. He failed to make an appearance in the match, but was called back into the team the following month as an injury replacement for UEFA Euro 2012 qualification matches against Belarus
and Bosnia and Herzegovina
. Matuidi made his international debut in the team's 2–0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina appearing as a substitute. On 29 March 2011, he made his first start in the team's 0–0 draw with Croatia
.
Ligue 1
Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
. He primarily plays as a combative defensive midfielder often occupying a withdrawn position as a deep-lying playmaker and is described as a "fierce and strong tackler".
Matuidi began his football career playing for amateur clubs in the Île-de-France
Île-de-France (région)
Île-de-France is the wealthiest and most populated of the twenty-two administrative regions of France, composed mostly of the Paris metropolitan area....
region
Régions of France
France is divided into 27 administrative regions , 22 of which are in Metropolitan France, and five of which are overseas. Corsica is a territorial collectivity , but is considered a region in mainstream usage, and is even shown as such on the INSEE website...
, such as US Fontenay-sous-Bois and CO Vincennois. In 1999, he was selected to attend the prestigious Clairefontaine
Clairefontaine
Le Centre Technique National Fernand Sastre , commonly referred to as INF Clairefontaine , INF, or simply Clairefontaine, is the national association football centre that specializes in training French football players...
academy. After departing Clairefontaine, Matuidi joined semi-professional club Créteil
US Créteil-Lusitanos
Union Sportive Créteil-Lusitanos Football is a French football club based in Créteil, a southeastern suburb of Paris. The club was founded in 1936 and currently play in the Championnat National, the third division of French football...
and spent three years developing in the club's youth academy. In 2004, he signed with professional club Troyes
Troyes AC
Espérance Sportive Troyes Aube Champagne is a French association football club, based in Troyes. It was founded in 1900. The club was promoted to Ligue 1 for the 2005–06 season and their first Ligue 1 season was in 1954/55, and their second spell came in 1999/2000 Espérance Sportive Troyes Aube...
and made his professional debut in the 2004–05 season. After three seasons with Troyes, Matuidi joined Saint-Étienne
AS Saint-Étienne
Association Sportive de Saint-Étienne Loire is a French association football club based in Saint-Étienne. The club was founded in 1919 and currently play in Ligue 1, the top division of French football. Saint-Étienne plays its home matches at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard located within the city...
. With Saint-Étienne, he played European
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
football for the first time after participating in the 2008–09 edition of the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
. In the 2009–10 season
2009–10 Ligue 1
The 2009–10 Ligue 1 season was the 72nd since its establishment. Bordeaux were the defending champions. The fixtures were announced on 5 June 2009, and play commenced on 8 August and ended on 15 May 2010. There were three promoted teams from Ligue 2, replacing the three teams that were relegated...
, he was named first-choice captain under manager Alain Perrin. In July 2011, after four seasons with Saint-Étienne, Matuidi transferred to Paris Saint-Germain on a three year deal.
Matuidi is a former French youth international
France national youth football team
The France national youth football team are the national under-20, under-19, under-18, under-17 and under-16 football teams of France and are controlled by the Fédération Française de Football. The youth teams of France participate in tournaments sanctioned by both FIFA and UEFA and also...
having represented his nation at under-19
France national under-19 football team
The France national under-19 football team is the national under-19 football team of France and is controlled by the French Football Federation. The team competes in the annual UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship. They were the 2010 champions of the competition having won on home soil...
and under-21
France national under-21 football team
The France national under-21 football team , known in France as Les Espoirs , is the national under-21 football team of France and is controlled by the French Football Federation. The team competes in the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years...
level. In August 2010, Matuidi was called up to the senior team
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
for the first time under new manager Laurent Blanc
Laurent Blanc
Laurent Robert Blanc is a French association football manager and former player. He is the head coach of the French national team, having replaced Raymond Domenech in the wake of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. He was previously the manager of Bordeaux...
. He made his international debut in September 2010 in a UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying
UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying
The qualifying competition for UEFA Euro 2012 is a series of parallel association football competitions held over 2010 and 2011 to decide the qualifiers for UEFA Euro 2012, to be held in Poland and Ukraine...
match against Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team
The Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team is the national football team of Bosnia and Herzegovina, governed by the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina...
.
Early career
Matuidi was born in ToulouseToulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
, Haute-Garonne to an Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
n father, Faria Rivelino, and a French mother, Élise. Rivelino emigrated to France at a young age. Matuidi has four other siblings and was raised in the Parisian suburbs of Fontenay-sous-Bois
Fontenay-sous-Bois
Fontenay-sous-Bois is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.-Name:The name Fontenay was recorded in the Middle Ages as Fontanetum, meaning "the springs", from Medieval Latin fontana .The commune was known alternatively as Fontenay-les-Bois ,...
. He grew an attraction to the sport of football watching Paris Saint-Germain and became an admirer of former Paris Saint-Germain attacker Jay-Jay Okocha
Jay-Jay Okocha
Augustine Azuka "Jay-Jay" Okocha is a Nigerian former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder. He is known for his stepovers, skill, technique, and being 'so good that they named him twice'...
. Matuidi began his football career at the age of six playing for hometown club US Fontenay-sous-Bois. After five years at the club, he joined CO Vincennois in nearby Vincennes
Vincennes
Vincennes is a commune in the Val-de-Marne department in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. It is one of the most densely populated municipalities in Europe.-History:...
where he was club mates with Yacine Brahimi
Yacine Brahimi
Yacine Brahimi is a French football player who currently plays for French club Rennes in Ligue 1. He plays as an attacking midfielder and a winger and is described as a "technically gifted player"...
for a year. In 1999, Matuidi was rated as one of the best players in the Île-de-France region and was subsequently selected to attend the prestigious Clairefontaine
Clairefontaine
Le Centre Technique National Fernand Sastre , commonly referred to as INF Clairefontaine , INF, or simply Clairefontaine, is the national association football centre that specializes in training French football players...
academy. He trained at the academy for three seasons playing there on weekdays, while playing for Vincennes on the weekends. In 2001, Matuidi left Vincennes to sign for semi-professional club Créteil
US Créteil-Lusitanos
Union Sportive Créteil-Lusitanos Football is a French football club based in Créteil, a southeastern suburb of Paris. The club was founded in 1936 and currently play in the Championnat National, the third division of French football...
on an aspirant (youth) contract. He spent four years in the club youth academy quickly becoming one of the club's most sought after prospects. Despite an intriguing offer from the two-time defending champions Lyon
Olympique Lyonnais
Olympique Lyonnais is a French association football club based in Lyon. They play in France's highest football division, Ligue 1. The club was formed as Lyon Olympique Universitaire in 1899, according to many supporters and sport historians, but was nationally established as a club in 1950. The...
, Matuidi signed with Troyes
Troyes AC
Espérance Sportive Troyes Aube Champagne is a French association football club, based in Troyes. It was founded in 1900. The club was promoted to Ligue 1 for the 2005–06 season and their first Ligue 1 season was in 1954/55, and their second spell came in 1999/2000 Espérance Sportive Troyes Aube...
citing the club's training center as his primary reason.
Troyes
Matuidi began his career with Troyes playing on the club's reserve team in the Championnat de France amateur 2, the fifth division of French footballFootball in France
Football is the most popular sport in France. The Fédération Française de Football is the national governing bodyand is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the game of association football in the country, both professional and amateur...
. In November 2004, he was called up to the senior team by manager Jean-Marc Furlan
Jean-Marc Furlan
Jean-Marc Furlan is a football manager. He currently coaches Troyes AC.-Coaching career:...
and made his professional debut on 23 November in the team's Ligue 2
Ligue 2
Ligue 2 , formerly known as Division 2, is a French professional football league. The league serves as the second division of French football and is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel , the other being Ligue 1, the country's top football division...
match against Gueugnon
FC Gueugnon
Football Club Gueugnonnais was a French association football club based in Gueugnon. The club was formed in 1940 and played in the Championnat National, the third level of French football, before entering liquidation in April 2011. Gueugnon played its home matches at the Stade Jean Laville...
. Matuidi started the match and played over 60 minutes in a 2–1 victory. His only other appearance with the senior team in the 2004–05 season came on 4 February 2005 in a league match against Guingamp. Matuidi was relegated back to the club's reserve team for the rest of the campaign where he helped the team finish in a respectable sixth place. In the following season, Matuidi was promoted to the senior team, who were now playing in Ligue 1
Ligue 1
Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
, on a permanent basis. He was inserted as a starter by Furlan and appeared in 31 league matches. Matuidi was also one of the league leaders in card accumulation with 11. He scored his first professional goal on 11 January 2006 in a 1–0 victory against Lille
Lille OSC
LOSC Lille Métropole is a French association football club based in Lille. The club was founded in 1944 as a result of a merger and currently play in Ligue 1, the first division of French football. Lille plays its home matches at the Stade Lille-Metropole in nearby Villeneuve-d'Ascq. In 2012, the...
converting a volley, which was described by the media as "magnificent". Despite the impressive individual season from Matuidi, Troyes finished only one spot above the relegation zone.
Following the season, on 16 June 2006, Matuidi signed his first professional contract agreeing to a four-year deal with Troyes, despite interest from English club Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
. Despite the firing of Furlan, Matuidi remained first-choice under new manager Denis Troch
Denis Troch
Denis Troch is a former French professional football player and now manager.Troch's last job in management was with Chamois Niortais, but he was sacked in June 2009 after the club were relegated to the Championnat de France amateur...
. He appeared in 35 total matches and score three goals. He also reduced his card accumulation to only six. Arguably Matuidi's greatest performance in a Troyes shirt came on 28 April 2007 against Sedan
CS Sedan Ardennes
Club Sportif Sedan Ardennes, commonly referred to as CS Sedan or simply Sedan , is a French association football club based in Sedan. The club was formed in 1919 and currently play in Ligue 2, the second level of French football. Sedan plays its home matches at the Stade Louis Dugauguez located...
, whom Troyes were contesting a relegation battle with. With Troyes trailing 2–1 at home with 15 minutes remaining, Matuidi scored an equalizing goal in the 75th minute. Eight minutes later, he scored the winning goal to give Troyes a 3–2 victory. Matuidi scored again on the final match day of the season against Lens
RC Lens
Racing Club de Lens is a French association football club based in the northern city of Lens in the Pas-de-Calais department. Its nickname, sang et or , comes from its traditional colours of red and gold. Their primary rivals are their northern neighbors Lille OSC, whom they contest the Derby du...
in a 3–0 win, however, Troyes still dropped down to Ligue 2 after finishing the season in the 18th position. The club's relegation back to Ligue 2 caused speculation regarding Matuidi's future with the club.
Saint-Étienne
Despite being linked with a hosts of Ligue 1 clubs, notably BordeauxFC Girondins de Bordeaux
Football Club des Girondins de Bordeaux is a French association football club based in the city of Bordeaux. The club currently play in Ligue 1, the first division of French football, and won its last Ligue 1 title in the 2008–09 season....
, Lille
Lille OSC
LOSC Lille Métropole is a French association football club based in Lille. The club was founded in 1944 as a result of a merger and currently play in Ligue 1, the first division of French football. Lille plays its home matches at the Stade Lille-Metropole in nearby Villeneuve-d'Ascq. In 2012, the...
, and Monaco
AS Monaco FC
Association Sportive de Monaco Football Club are a French football club based in Fontvieille, Monaco. The club was founded in 1924 and currently play in Ligue 2, the second tier of French football. The team plays its home matches at the Stade Louis II located within Fontvieille...
, on 12 July 2007, it was confirmed by the media that Matuidi had agreed to join AS Saint-Étienne
AS Saint-Étienne
Association Sportive de Saint-Étienne Loire is a French association football club based in Saint-Étienne. The club was founded in 1919 and currently play in Ligue 1, the top division of French football. Saint-Étienne plays its home matches at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard located within the city...
after agreeing to a four-year deal with the club. Upon his arrival, Matuidi was given the number 12 shirt and was inserted into the starting eleven where he established midfield partnerships with Loïc Perrin
Loïc Perrin
Loïc Perrin is a French football midfielder who currently plays for Saint-Étienne. He is usually played as a central defensive midfielder but on occasion has also played on the side of midfield. He was named captain of the Stéphanois side for the 2007–08 season, after the departure of Julien...
and Christophe Landrin
Christophe Landrin
Christophe Landrin is a French football midfielder, currently playing for AC Arles-Avignon. His brother, Sebastien, is one of the main players of the French national rink hockey team.-External links:*...
. He also formed a bond with former and fellow Troyen Bafétimbi Gomis
Bafétimbi Gomis
Bafétimbi Gomis |Var]]) is a French footballer of Senegalese descent who currently plays as a striker for Lyon and the French national team.-Saint-Étienne:...
, who had a breakout season. Matuidi made his club debut on 11 August 2007 in a league match against Valenciennes
Valenciennes FC
Valenciennes Football Club is a French association football club based in Valenciennes. The club was founded in 1913 and currently play in Ligue 1, the top level of French football. Valenciennes plays its home matches at the recently-built Stade du Hainaut located within the city...
. He remained first-choice for the entire season under Laurent Roussey
Laurent Roussey
Laurent Roussey is a French former football striker and manager.-External links:* *...
. The club's play that season culminated into a respectable 5th place finish and qualification for the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
.
During the 2008–09 season, Matuidi's performances caught the attention of English club Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
who sent its scout Gilles Grimandi
Gilles Grimandi
Gilles Grimandi is a retired French footballer, who currently is a scout for Arsenal.- Club career :...
to watch him. Grimandi subsequently recommended the player to fellow Frenchman Arsène Wenger
Arsène Wenger
Arsène Wenger, OBE is a French association football manager and former player, who has managed English Premier League side Arsenal since 1996...
. Matuidi was also tracked by Italian club Milan
A.C. Milan
Associazione Calcio Milan, commonly referred to as A.C. Milan or simply Milan , is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, that plays in the Serie A. Milan was founded in 1899 by English lace-maker Herbert Kilpin and businessman Alfred Edwards among others...
during the season. On 16 August 2008, he scored his first career goal for Saint-Étienne in a 2–1 win over Sochaux
FC Sochaux-Montbéliard
Football Club Sochaux-Montbéliard is a French association football club based in the city of Montbéliard. The club was founded in 1928 and currently plays in Ligue 1, the top tier of French football. Sochaux plays its home matches at the Stade Auguste Bonal located within the city...
. Matuidi made his European
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
debut on 18 September 2008 in the team's first leg tie in the first round of the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
against Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i club Hapoel Tel Aviv
Hapoel Tel Aviv FC
Hapoel Tel Aviv Football Club is an Israeli football club based in Tel Aviv. The club currently competes in the Israeli Premier League and plays its home matches at the Bloomfield Stadium. To date, the club has won thirteen championships and thirteen State Cups, making them the country's second...
. He made eight appearances in the competition as Saint-Étienne ultimately reached the Round of 16 before suffering elimination to German club Werder Bremen
SV Werder Bremen
SV Werder Bremen is a German sports club best known for its association football team playing in Bremen, in the northwest German federal state of the same name. The club was founded on 4 February 1899 as Fußballverein Werder by a group of sixteen vocational high school students who had won a prize...
. Matuidi appeared consistently in the league until receiving his first career red card in the team's 3–0 defeat to Lille. In the second half of the season, Matuidi and the club in general struggled with injuries. The team's broken collective resulted in Saint-Étienne barely avoiding relegation having survived on the last day of the season. After the season, Matuidi announced his intent to leave the club telling French newspaper L'Equipe
L'Équipe
L'Équipe is a French nationwide daily newspaper devoted to sports, owned by Éditions Philippe Amaury. The paper is noted for coverage of football , rugby, motorsports and cycling...
, "My wish is to leave because I think it's time." Matuidi also stated that he would be happy if he remained at Saint-Étienne. After failing to receive any significant offers from clubs in the 2009 summer, sporting director Damien Comolli
Damien Comolli
Damien Comolli is the Director of Football for Liverpool. He has previously worked as a football coach and scout, with AS Monaco, AS Saint-Étienne, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur. He speaks fluent English, Spanish and French.He was born in Béziers, France, and played as a youth team player at AS...
announced that Matuidi would remain at the club for the 2009–10 season
2009–10 Ligue 1
The 2009–10 Ligue 1 season was the 72nd since its establishment. Bordeaux were the defending champions. The fixtures were announced on 5 June 2009, and play commenced on 8 August and ended on 15 May 2010. There were three promoted teams from Ligue 2, replacing the three teams that were relegated...
.
Matuidi was named as the club's captain by incoming manager Alain Perrin following the first league match of the 2009–10 season due to injuries to incumbent captain Loïc Perrin
Loïc Perrin
Loïc Perrin is a French football midfielder who currently plays for Saint-Étienne. He is usually played as a central defensive midfielder but on occasion has also played on the side of midfield. He was named captain of the Stéphanois side for the 2007–08 season, after the departure of Julien...
. Despite Perrin returning to the team in September 2009, Matuidi still held onto the armband. Under his leadership, Saint-Étienne defeated the defending champions Bordeaux
FC Girondins de Bordeaux
Football Club des Girondins de Bordeaux is a French association football club based in the city of Bordeaux. The club currently play in Ligue 1, the first division of French football, and won its last Ligue 1 title in the 2008–09 season....
3–1 on 3 October 2009. Following the firing of Perrin midway through the season, incoming manager Christophe Galtier
Christophe Galtier
Christophe Galtier is a French former football defender, who is currently the Head Coach of AS Saint-Étienne.-Career:Galtier spent most of his career in France before ending his career with stints in Italy and China....
returned the captaincy back to Loïc Perrin. On 18 May 2010, Matuidi was involved in a physical altercation with teammate Dimitri Payet
Dimitri Payet
Florent Dimitri Payet is a French football player of Réunionnais heritage who currently plays for French club Lille in Ligue 1...
during the team's 1–0 defeat to Toulouse
Toulouse FC
Toulouse Football Club is a French association football club based in the city of Toulouse. The club was founded in 1970 and currently play in Ligue 1, the top level of French football. Toulouse plays its home matches at the Stadium Municipal located within the city. The first team is managed by...
. Midway through the first half, Payet received criticism from teammate Yohan Benalouane
Yohan Benalouane
Yohan Benalouane is a Tunisian–French football defender. He currently plays in Italy for A.C. Cesena....
for displaying a lack of aggression. He was then confronted by Matuidi who echoed Benalouane's sentiments. Matuidi and Payet went face-to-face with the latter player delivering a blow to Matuidi's head before the two were separated by referee Bruno Coue and teammates. As a result of the incident, Payet was substituted out after 31 minutes and sanctioned by club president Roland Romeyer. On 6 October 2010, following both Matuidi and Payet's call up to the national team, Matuidi described the altercation as a "lack of maturity" on both players part, while Payet described the incident as "an argument that had no place" and that "the incident was explained and the two were on new ground".
Paris Saint-Germain
On 25 July 2011, French club Paris Saint-Germain confirmed that the club had signed Matuidi to a three-year contract as a replacement for the departed Claude MakéléléClaude Makélélé
Claude Makélelé Sinda is a retired football player who used to play as a defensive midfielder for Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1. Prior to joining Paris Saint-Germain, Makélélé played for Nantes, Olympique de Marseille, Celta Vigo, Real Madrid and Chelsea...
who retired from the sport. The transfer fee was undisclosed, but is purported to be in the region of €7.5 million plus future incentives. Matuidi was presented to the media the same day alongside fellow new signing and international teammate Jérémy Menez
Jérémy Menez
Jérémy Ménez is a French international footballer who currently plays for French club Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1. He plays many positions in the attacking midfield, usually as a winger and a playmaker...
and was assigned the number 14 shirt. He made his club debut for the team in its 1–0 defeat to the New York Red Bulls at the Emirates Cup
Emirates Cup
The Emirates Cup is an annual two-day pre-season football tournament hosted by English Premier League club Arsenal and held at the Emirates Stadium, the club's home ground...
. Matuidi made his competitive debut for Paris Saint-Germain on 6 August 2011 in the team's opening 1–0 league defeat to Lorient
FC Lorient
Football Club Lorient-Bretagne Sud is a French association football club based in Lorient. The club was founded in 1926 and currently play in Ligue 1, the top level of French football. Lorient plays its home matches at the Stade du Moustoir located within the city. The team is managed by Christian...
.
International career
Matuidi is a former French youth internationalFrance national youth football team
The France national youth football team are the national under-20, under-19, under-18, under-17 and under-16 football teams of France and are controlled by the Fédération Française de Football. The youth teams of France participate in tournaments sanctioned by both FIFA and UEFA and also...
having represented his nation at under-19
France national under-19 football team
The France national under-19 football team is the national under-19 football team of France and is controlled by the French Football Federation. The team competes in the annual UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship. They were the 2010 champions of the competition having won on home soil...
and under-21
France national under-21 football team
The France national under-21 football team , known in France as Les Espoirs , is the national under-21 football team of France and is controlled by the French Football Federation. The team competes in the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years...
level. He went unnoticed while developing at both Créteil and Troyes, however, after establishing himself in the 2006–07 season with the latter club, he was called up to the under-19 team by coach Guy Ferrier. Matuidi made his youth international debut on 5 October 2005 in a 4–0 friendly match victory over Norway
Norway national under-19 football team
The Norwegian national under-19 football team, controlled by the Football Association of Norway, is the national football team of Norway for players of 19 years of age or under at the start of a UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship campaign....
. He, subsequently, appeared with the team in qualifying matches
2006 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship qualification
UEFA U-19 Championship 2006 is the first round of qualifications for the Final Tournament of UEFA U-19 Championship 2006. Top two teams from each group and the best third-placed team will enter UEFA U-19 Championship 2006 ....
for the 2006 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship
2006 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship
The UEFA U-19 Championship 2006 Final Tournament was held in Poland between 18 July and 29 July 2006. The top three teams in each group qualified for the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup. Players born after 1 January 1987 were allowed to participate in this competition.-Qualifications:There were two...
. France ultimately failed to qualify for the competition and Matuidi finished the campaign with nine appearances and no goals.
Matuidi earned his first call up to the under-21 team
France national under-21 football team
The France national under-21 football team , known in France as Les Espoirs , is the national under-21 football team of France and is controlled by the French Football Federation. The team competes in the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years...
under coach René Girard
René Girard (footballer)
René Girard is a former football midfielder from France.- Career :Girard won seven caps for France and was a member of the squad that finished fourth at the 1982 FIFA World Cup....
in the team's first match following the 2006 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
2006 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
-Group B:---------------------Knockout stage:-Semi-finals:-----Final:-Goalscorers:4 goals Klaas Jan Huntelaar3 goals Thomas Kahlenberg Nicky Hofs2 goals Bryan Bergougnoux Ruslan Fomin Artem Milevskiy...
against Belgium
Belgium national under-21 football team
The Belgium national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Belgium and is controlled by the Belgian Football Association. The team competes in the European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years...
appearing as a half-time substitute for Jimmy Briand
Jimmy Briand
Jimmy Briand is a French association football player who currently plays for Olympique Lyonnais in Ligue 1. He started his career as a striker, but now he is usually deployed on the wings. Briand is a former graduate of the famous Clairefontaine academy and is formerly a France youth international...
. He featured in qualification matches
2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship qualification
Qualifying for the UEFA U-21 Championship 2007 began in May 2006.Netherlands qualify as hosts and are exempt from qualifying. Of UEFA's 52 member countries, only the Faroe Islands chose not compete...
for the 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
The UEFA U-21 Championship 2007 were held from 10 June 2007 to 23 June 2007. It is the 16th staging of UEFA's European Under-21 Football Championship....
and appeared as a substitute in both legs of the team's surprising defeat to Israel
Israel national under-21 football team
Israel's national Under-21 team , also known as Israel Under-21s or Israel U-21s, is considered to be the feeder team for the Israel national football team...
in the qualifying playoffs. Matuidi was among a handful of underage players who remained with the team after its elimination appearing with the team in its first match of 2007 against Sweden
Sweden national under-21 football team
The Swedish U-21 national football team is the football team representing Sweden in competitions for under-21 year old players. Sweden U21's current captain is Jiloan Hamad with Jakob Johansson as vice captain.-UEFA European U-21 Championship Record:...
, which France won 4–0. Matuidi appeared with the team in the next ten matches, which included qualifiers
2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship qualification
The 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championship started on 31 May 2007 with a qualifying competition and finishes on 15 October 2008, before the final tournament on 15–23 June 2009....
for the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
The 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship began on 15 June 2009, and was the 17th UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship. This was the first tournament after the competition reverted to a two-year format, following the single-year 2006-07 competition, which allowed the change to...
. After missing the last match of 2007, he returned to the team for their first match of 2008 against Spain
Spain national under-21 football team
The Spain national under-21 football team, is the national under-21 football team of Spain and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation. The team, nicknamed La Rojita , competes in the biannual European Under-21 Football Championship.Following the realignment of UEFA's youth...
. Matuidi remained with the team for the rest of the qualifying campaign. His under-21 career came to an end following the team's defeat to Germany
Germany national under-21 football team
The Germany national under-21 football team represents the under-21s of Germany in the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship and is controlled by the German Football Association , the governing body of football in Germany....
in a two-legged playoff, which determined who would earn a berth in the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship.
After failing to appear at international level for nearly two years, on 5 August 2010, Matuidi was called up to the senior team
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
for the first time by new manager Laurent Blanc
Laurent Blanc
Laurent Robert Blanc is a French association football manager and former player. He is the head coach of the French national team, having replaced Raymond Domenech in the wake of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. He was previously the manager of Bordeaux...
for the team's friendly match against Norway
Norway national football team
The Norway national football team represents Norway in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Norway, the governing body for football in Norway. Norway's home ground is Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo and their head coach is Egil Olsen...
on 11 August 2010. He failed to make an appearance in the match, but was called back into the team the following month as an injury replacement for UEFA Euro 2012 qualification matches against Belarus
Belarus national football team
The Belarus national football team represents Belarus in association football and is controlled by the Football Federation of Belarus, the governing body for football in Belarus. Belarus' home ground is Dinamo Stadium in Minsk...
and Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team
The Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team is the national football team of Bosnia and Herzegovina, governed by the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina...
. Matuidi made his international debut in the team's 2–0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina appearing as a substitute. On 29 March 2011, he made his first start in the team's 0–0 draw with Croatia
Croatia national football team
The Croatia national football team represents Croatia in international football. The team is controlled by the Croatian Football Federation, the governing body for football in the country, and has been managed since 2006 by former player Slaven Bilić...
.
Club
(Correct as of 14 September 2011)| Club | Season | League | CupIncludes Coupe de France Coupe de France The Coupe Charles Simon, commonly known as the Coupe de France , is the premier knockout cup competition in French football organized by the French Football Federation... , Coupe de la Ligue Coupe de la Ligue The Coupe de la Ligue , known outside of France as the French League Cup, is a knockout cup competition in French football organized by the Ligue de Football Professionnel... , Trophée des Champions Trophée des champions The Trophée des champions , is a French association football trophy contested in an annual match between the champions of Ligue 1 and the winners of the Coupe de France. It is equivalent to the Super Cups found in many countries... , Coppa Italia Coppa Italia The Coppa Italia is an Italian football annual cup competition. Its first edition was held in 1922, but the second champions were not crowned until 1936. Roma and Juventus lead the way with nine wins. Roma has contested more finals, 16, while Torino and Juventus follow with 13... , Supercoppa Italiana Supercoppa Italiana The Supercoppa Italiana is a pre-season football competition held the week before the season begins in Italy every year. It is contested by the winners of the Serie A and the Coppa Italia in the previous season, as a curtain raiser to the new season. It is usually played at the home of the Serie A... |
Europe UEFA The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer.... Includes UEFA Supercup, FIFA Club World Cup FIFA Club World Cup The FIFA Club World Cup is a football competition between the champion clubs from all six continental confederations.The first FIFA Club World Championship took place in Brazil in January 2000... |
Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | ||
| Troyes Troyes AC Espérance Sportive Troyes Aube Champagne is a French association football club, based in Troyes. It was founded in 1900. The club was promoted to Ligue 1 for the 2005–06 season and their first Ligue 1 season was in 1954/55, and their second spell came in 1999/2000 Espérance Sportive Troyes Aube... |
2004–05 Ligue 2 season 2004-05 The Ligue 2 season 2004/2005, organised by the LFP was won by AS Nancy and saw the promotions of AS Nancy, Le Mans UC72 and Troyes AC, whereas Angers SCO and SC Bastia were relegated to National.-20 participating teams:-Final table:-Recap:... |
2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2005–06 | 31 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 1 | 4 | |
| 2006–07 | 34 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 3 | 2 | |
| Total | 67 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 68 | 4 | 6 | |
| Saint-Étienne AS Saint-Étienne Association Sportive de Saint-Étienne Loire is a French association football club based in Saint-Étienne. The club was founded in 1919 and currently play in Ligue 1, the top division of French football. Saint-Étienne plays its home matches at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard located within the city... |
2007–08 | 35 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 0 | 4 |
| 2008–09 | 27 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 35 | 2 | 3 | |
| 2009–10 2009–10 Ligue 1 The 2009–10 Ligue 1 season was the 72nd since its establishment. Bordeaux were the defending champions. The fixtures were announced on 5 June 2009, and play commenced on 8 August and ended on 15 May 2010. There were three promoted teams from Ligue 2, replacing the three teams that were relegated... |
36 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 1 | 1 | |
| 2010–11 2010–11 Ligue 1 The 2010–11 Ligue 1 season was the 73rd since its establishment. Entering the season, Marseille were the defending champions. The fixtures were announced on 21 May 2010 and the season began on 7 August and ended on 29 May 2011. The winter break was in effect between 23 December and 15 January 2011... |
34 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 0 | 2 | |
| Total | 132 | 3 | 9 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 153 | 3 | 10 | |
| Paris SG | 2011–12 2011–12 Ligue 1 The 2011–12 Ligue 1 season is the 74th since its establishment. Lille are the defending champions. The league schedule was announced on 31 March 2011 and the fixtures were determined on 10 June. The season began on 6 August 2011 and will end on 20 May 2012... |
5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | |
| Career total | 204 | 7 | 15 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 227 | 7 | 16 | |
International
- (Correct as of 10 August 2011)
National team Season Apps Goals Assists France France national football teamThe France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...2010–11 2010–11 in French footballThe 2010–11 season is the 78th season of competitive professional football in France. The league season began on 6 August 2010 for the Championnat National and Ligue 2 and on 7 August for Ligue 1 and the Championnat de France amateur. The season concluded on 26 May 2011 for Ligue 2, 27 May for the...3 0 0 2011–12 2011–12 in French footballThe 2011–12 season is the 118th overall season of football and the 79th season of competitive professional football in France.The men's French national team began play on 10 August 2011 contesting a friendly match against Chile. The team will continue its qualification matches for the upcoming UEFA...1 0 0 Total 4 0 0