Marouane Chamakh
Encyclopedia
Marouane Chamakh is a French
-Moroccan
footballer who plays for English
club Arsenal
in the Premier League and the Moroccan national team
as a striker
. He is described as a prototypical target man and is noted for his "tall stature" and "excellent heading ability".
Chamakh started his career training throughout various clubs in the Aquitaine
region
. In 2000, he signed with Bordeaux
. Chamakh made his professional debut for the club in the 2002–03 season. He spent nine years at the club and helped Bordeaux win the Coupe de la Ligue
in 2007. In the 2008–09 season, Chamakh won his first league title as Bordeaux were crowned champions for the first time since the 1998–99 season. The club also won the Coupe de la Ligue completing the league and league cup double
. In May 2010, Chamakh joined Arsenal of the Premier League on a free transfer after agreeing to a four-year contract with the club. In October 2010, Chamakh became the first player in UEFA Champions League
history to score in six consecutive matches.
Although born and raised in France, Chamakh chose to play international football
for Morocco, because he had Moroccan parents. He made his national team debut in July 2003 and has played at three Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, including the 2004 tournament in which Morocco finished runner-up. In August 2010, he captained the national team for the first time.
, a small town near the Garonne
River, to Moroccan
parents, and was raised in the nearby commune
of Aiguillon. His father, El Mostafa Chamakh, was a former footballer in Morocco and played for Difaâ Aïn Sbaâ in Casablanca
. In 1979, he left Morocco to locate more favorable living conditions and to find a better job. After settling in France and finding work as a stonemason, the elder Chamakh brought his family over soon after. Among Chamakh's family members include his younger brother Yassin who owns a café
. Chamakh has stated that when he goes back home, he often waits
tables to help out his brother.
While pursuing his career as a professional footballer, Chamakh was equally adept off the field earning good grades in school. During his early years at Bordeaux, he began attending high school. He hoped to earn a Baccalauréat
in accounting, which he later accomplished. In addition to having a Baccalauréat, Chamakh is also very interested in politics
and, in February 2010, voiced his support for the Democratic Movement
(MoDem) political party ahead of the upcoming regional elections. In the 2010 regional elections
, Chamakh was, surprisingly, listed as a candidate by the MoDem for the Gironde
department in the Aquitaine
region
. The lead deputy of the party, Jean Lassalle
, stated on the decision to name Chamakh to the ballot: "I want to gather all the forces of Aquitaine to sustain our region, and Marouane is one of those forces who Aquitaine needs." Chamakh was listed as a non-eligible candidate on the ballot and Lasalle was accused of using Chamakh in order to garner votes from football supporters in the region.
of Nérac
. While at Nérac, youth coaches at the club nicknamed him "Mr. George" after the former FIFA World Player of the Year
George Weah
because Chamakh "used to score four or five goals in every game". After six years at Nérac, Chamakh joined FC Marmandais. While in Marmande
, he developed his physical skills and traits, growing as tall as 6 ft 0 in (1.84 m) and also earning his first regional selection to play for the Aquitaine
regional team in the Coupe Nationale.
, Toulouse
, Lorient
, and Bordeaux
. Chamakh eventually decided to sign with Bordeaux due to the club's infrastructure and training facilities and also because of the close proximity to his family. Upon his arrival, Chamakh was placed into the club's youth academy. For the 2001–02 season, he was promoted to the club's Championnat de France amateur 2 team in the fifth division. Chamakh was involved heavily in the campaign of the team, coached by Jean-Louis Garcia
. He appeared in 17 matches and scored six goals as the team finished first in their group, thus earning promotion to the Championnat de France amateur.
Following the season, Chamakh turned professional and signed a three-year contract with Bordeaux. He spent the first half of the 2002–03 campaign playing in the fourth division, but following the winter break, was called up to the senior team by manager Elie Baup
. Chamakh made his professional debut on 19 January 2003 in the team's Coupe de la Ligue
match against Metz
. He appeared as a substitute and played 15 minutes in a 1–0 defeat. Chamakh made his league debut three weeks later in a 2–0 home defeat to Bastia
again appearing as a substitute. On 20 May, he scored his first professional goal against Nice
, netting the equalizing goal just a minute before injury time in a 1–1 draw. Chamakh appeared in 14 games, always as a substitute, during the campaign. In the 2003–04 season, he was promoted to the senior team permanently by new manager Michel Pavon
and made his first professional league start on 1 November 2003 in a 1–0 win over Marseille
. In the team's following match, Chamakh scored the opening goal in a 1–1 draw with Strasbourg
just before halftime. However, mid-way through the second half, he received his first career red card
after incurring a second yellow
. Upon returning from his one-game suspension, Chamakh developed into a regular starter for the club, scoring goals in consecutive matches against Metz and Montpellier
. He finished the league campaign with six goals in 25 matches. In the club's UEFA Cup campaign, Chamakh netted four times in eight appearances.
In the 2004–05 season, Pavon decided to move Chamakh into the lead striker position and install Argentine
playmaker
Juan Pablo Francia
as a support striker. The move was a success with Chamakh scoring ten league goals. He opened the campaign by scoring his first professional hat trick
in a 5–1 victory over Nice. In September 2004, Chamakh scored goals in back-to-back matches against Bastia and Derby de la Garonne
rivals Toulouse. He finished the campaign by scoring the opening goal in a 1–1 draw with Monaco
. Despite the positive individual season from Chamakh, Bordeaux finished the campaign in 15th place; its worst finish since ending the league campaign in 16th over a decade before. Pavon, due to heart problems, stepped down from his position and was replaced by Ricardo Gomes. Under Gomes, Chamakh struggled to meet the success of his previous season scoring only 12 league goals in 58 matches over the course of two seasons. Two of his notable performances during Gomes' reign included scoring a double in league matches against Metz and Nancy
. In the match against the former club, Chamakh scored both of his goals within a minute of each other. He was later ejected from the match after committing a red card offense. Chamakh ended the 2006–07 Ligue 1 campaign by hoisting the Coupe de la Ligue
trophy after featuring in the team's 1–0 victory over Lyon
in the final match. It was Chamakh's first major club honour.
Following the departure of Gomes, Bordeaux hired rookie manager Laurent Blanc
ahead of the 2007–08 season. Chamakh has stated on several occasions that Blanc was an important figure in his development as a footballer. However, when Blanc first arrived to the club, Chamakh struggled to earn meaningful minutes because Blanc preferred David Bellion
, a new recruit. His playing time up front was further hampered by the arrival of striker Fernando Cavenaghi
, who had a prolific season scoring 15 goals in only 23 appearances. Due to Cavenaghi's emergence, Chamakh was used as a target man and scored four goals, his lowest output since becoming a professional. In the 2008–09 season, Chamakh was relegated to appearing as a substitute for the first-half of the campaign. However, on 21 December 2008, Chamakh convinced Blanc to change his mind. With Bordeaux trailing 3–0 against Monaco
, Chamakh appeared as a substitute and, within minutes on the field, scored a goal. Following a goal from Alou Diarra
to make the match 3–2, Chamakh equalized three minutes from time and, two minutes later, Cavenaghi netted the game-winner to give Bordeaux a 4–3 victory. Following the winter break, Blanc decided to use both Chamakh and Cavenaghi in the attack with influential playmaker Yoann Gourcuff
acting in support. It was the former who developed a consistent partnership with Gourcuff, and Chamakh responded by scoring eight league goals in the second half of the season. On 30 May 2009, Bordeaux sealed their first league title since the 1998–99 season after defeating Caen
1–0 at the Stade Chaban Delmas. Chamakh played the entire match. The club also won the Coupe de la Ligue, completing the league and league cup double
.
During the club's victory parade, with only one year left on his contract Chamakh declared that he would be staying at Bordeaux for the 2009–10 season
, despite strong interest from Premier League club Arsenal
. Despite the statement, rumors of a move to Arsenal continued to surface with negotiations reportedly having been ongoing throughout the summer. On 3 August 2009, president Jean-Louis Triaud
declared that Arsenal had sent a bid of €
7 million for Chamakh and that he had rejected it, demanding that Arsenal improve its offer. The following day, Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger
announced that he would not be offering a better deal and declared the possible transfer dead. The announcement subsequently led Chamakh to confirm his intent to remain at Bordeaux for the 2009–10 season. On 29 August, Chamakh reportedly snubbed a move to West Ham
. The club offered Bordeaux £
18 million for the player and offered Chamakh a four-year contract worth £3 million a year. However, Chamakh remained firm on his stance, reiterating his commitment to Bordeaux.
In his final season with Bordeaux, Chamakh was equally adept in both the league and the UEFA Champions League
. He began the season claiming his fifth trophy on 25 July 2009 as Bordeaux won the 2009 Trophée des Champions
in a 2–0 victory over Guingamp. Chamakh scored ten goals in league play and netted five in the Champions League, which included goals against Italian
club Juventus
and German
club Bayern Munich
in the group stage. Bordeaux were only one of two clubs to finish the group-stage portion undefeated. In the knockout rounds, Chamakh scored a goal in Bordeaux's 2–1 victory over Greek
club Olympiacos
in the second leg of the team's UEFA Champions League
opening knockout round match. Bordeaux won the tie with a 3–1 aggregate scoreline
to advance to the quarter-finals, where they faced league rivals Lyon
. In the first leg, which Lyon won 3–1, Chamakh scored a vital away goal. In the second leg, Chamakh converted another goal to get the scoreline 3–2 on aggregate. However, in the second half, Bordeaux were unable to score another as Lyon advanced to the semi-finals on the aggregate scoreline. In Ligue 1
, Chamakh appeared in all 38 matches for the first time in his career. Despite starting the campaign strong, Bordeaux fell out of the running for the league title in the spring and eventually finished the season in sixth place, failing to qualify for European competition
next season
.
on a free transfer after completing his contract with Bordeaux. The transfer took effect on 1 July 2010. He made his debut in a pre-season friendly against Barnet on 17 July, appearing as a substitute. On 27 July, he scored his first pre-season goal for the club, converting a penalty in a 4–0 victory over Austria
n club SC Neusiedl
. In the 2010 edition of the Emirates Cup
, Chamakh scored on his home debut against Italian club Milan
. He made his Premier League debut on 15 August in the team's 1–1 draw with Liverpool
. Chamakh contributed to the team's equalizing goal by heading a cross off the goal post, which then redirected off goalkeeper Pepe Reina and in to the back of the net, resulting in an own goal
.
On 21 August 2010, Chamakh scored his first Premier League goal with a header against Blackpool
. In the same match, he won a penalty when he was fouled by Ian Evatt
, which Andrei Arshavin subsequently converted in a 6–0 win for Arsenal. In his third start in four games, Chamakh scored the team's second goal against Bolton
in a 4–1 victory. On 15 September, in his first UEFA Champions League
match for the club, he scored the third goal in a 6–0 win against Portuguese
club SC Braga
. Two weeks later, Chamakh scored his second Champions League goal for Arsenal against Serbia
n outfit FK Partizan
. The goal was his seventh goal in his last eight Champions League matches. Following the international break, Chamakh continued his solid form, scoring the winning goal in a 2–1 victory over Birmingham City
. Three days later, he scored his eighth goal in nine Champions League matches against Ukrainian
club Shakhtar Donetsk
in a 5–1 rout. On 10 November, Chamakh scored both goals in a midweek victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers
. He scored the opening goal 37 seconds into play, which is the fastest league goal scored in the club's history. The previous record was held by Thierry Henry
, who scored a goal after 58 seconds for Arsenal against Reading
on 22 October 2006.
On 20 November, Chamakh scored a goal in a 3–2 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur
in the North London derby
. A week later, he converted another goal, this time in a 4–2 win over Aston Villa
. Following the goal against Aston Villa, Chamakh went scoreless in the winter months often appearing as a substitute in a majority of the matches. In matches he did start, he was often substituted on early in the second half. On 15 February 2011, Chamakh admitted that he felt burnt out stating "By the start of January I felt that I had completely lost my edge". The striker also admitted he needed some rest and wouldn't return to full form until March. On 20 February, Chamakh played the entire match in Arsenal's 1–1 draw with Leyton Orient
in the FA Cup
. It was the first time in nearly two months he had played the full 90 minutes in a match. On 2 March, in the replay against Leyton Orient, Chamakh scored his first goal since November in a 5–0 win.. On September 17th 2011, Chamakh scored his first goal for Arsenal in the 2011/2012 season against Blackburn Rovers in the Premier League and lost 4–3.
at the senior level. Prior to representing Morocco, he played for the under-19 team
of France
and made his debut on 12 February 2003 in a friendly match against the Czech Republic
. That was his only appearance with the team. Chamakh was called up to the team for the 2003 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship
, but declined the offer after being called up for Morocco national team duty by coach Badou Zaki
for the team's 2004 African Cup of Nations qualification matches against Sierra Leone
and Gabon
. On 7 June 2003, he made his debut with the team in the match against Sierra Leone. On 10 September 2003, Chamakh scored both goals, which included his first international goal, in a 2–0 victory over Trinidad and Tobago
. He participated in the rest of the qualification matches and was later named to participate in the tournament. Chamakh scored two goals in the competition; one against Benin
in the group stage and another in the quarter-finals against Algeria
. Morocco beat Mali
in the semi-finals to reach the final where they faced Tunisia
. In the match, Chamakh played the entire contest as Morocco were defeated 2–1 at the Stade 7 Novembre in Tunis
.
In qualification
for the 2006 FIFA World Cup
, Chamakh scored three goals. One of his goals during qualification occurred on 8 October 2010 against Tunisia. With Morocco needing a win to qualify for the World Cup, Chamakh opened the scoring in the third minute. However, the match finished 2–2, which resulted in the team failing to qualify for the competition. However, the draw did allow Morocco qualification for the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations. In the tournament, Morocco were eliminated in the group stage and departed the tournament without scoring a goal. In 2008, Chamakh was selected to participate in his third consecutive Africa Cup of Nations and was held scoreless in the competition as Morocco were again eliminated in the group stage. In 2009–2010, Chamakh appeared in only four matches and scored no goals as Morocco failed to qualify for both the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2010 FIFA World Cup
.
On 11 August 2010, Chamakh captained the national team for the first time in a 2–1 win over the Equatorial Guinea
. Three months later, he scored the opening goal in the team's 1–1 away draw to Northern Ireland
. After going scoreless for six months at international level, on 4 June 2011, Chamakh scored the second goal in a 4–0 win over Algeria
in qualification for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations.
Bordeaux
Morocco
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
-Moroccan
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
footballer who plays for English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
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...
in the Premier League and the Moroccan national team
Morocco national football team
The Morocco national football team , nicknamed أسود الأطلس , is the national team of Morocco and is managed by Eric Gerets. Winners of the African Nations Cup in 1976, they were the first African team to win a group at the World Cup, which they did in 1986, finishing ahead of Portugal, Poland, and...
as a striker
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
. He is described as a prototypical target man and is noted for his "tall stature" and "excellent heading ability".
Chamakh started his career training throughout various clubs in the Aquitaine
Aquitaine
Aquitaine , archaic Guyenne/Guienne , is one of the 27 regions of France, in the south-western part of metropolitan France, along the Atlantic Ocean and the Pyrenees mountain range on the border with Spain. It comprises the 5 departments of Dordogne, :Lot et Garonne, :Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Landes...
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...
. In 2000, he signed with 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....
. Chamakh made his professional debut for the club in the 2002–03 season. He spent nine years at the club and helped Bordeaux win the 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...
in 2007. In the 2008–09 season, Chamakh won his first league title as Bordeaux were crowned champions for the first time since the 1998–99 season. The club also won the Coupe de la Ligue completing the league and league cup double
The Double
The Double is a term in association football which refers to winning a country's top tier division and its primary cup competition in the same season...
. In May 2010, Chamakh joined Arsenal of the Premier League on a free transfer after agreeing to a four-year contract with the club. In October 2010, Chamakh became the first player in UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
history to score in six consecutive matches.
Although born and raised in France, Chamakh chose to play international football
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
for Morocco, because he had Moroccan parents. He made his national team debut in July 2003 and has played at three Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, including the 2004 tournament in which Morocco finished runner-up. In August 2010, he captained the national team for the first time.
Personal life
Chamakh was born on 10 January 1984 in TonneinsTonneins
Tonneins is a town in the Lot-et-Garonne department of south-western France. It stands above the river Garonne between Marmande to the west and Agen to the east and is the first major town below the confluence of the two rivers the Lot and the Garonne after which the department is named. Until...
, a small town near the Garonne
Garonne
The Garonne is a river in southwest France and northern Spain, with a length of .-Source:The Garonne's headwaters are to be found in the Aran Valley in the Pyrenees, though three different locations have been proposed as the true source: the Uelh deth Garona at Plan de Beret , the Ratera-Saboredo...
River, to Moroccan
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
parents, and was raised in the nearby commune
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
of Aiguillon. His father, El Mostafa Chamakh, was a former footballer in Morocco and played for Difaâ Aïn Sbaâ in Casablanca
Casablanca
Casablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Grand Casablanca region.Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It is also the biggest city in the Maghreb. The 2004 census recorded a population of 2,949,805 in the prefecture...
. In 1979, he left Morocco to locate more favorable living conditions and to find a better job. After settling in France and finding work as a stonemason, the elder Chamakh brought his family over soon after. Among Chamakh's family members include his younger brother Yassin who owns a café
Café
A café , also spelled cafe, in most countries refers to an establishment which focuses on serving coffee, like an American coffeehouse. In the United States, it may refer to an informal restaurant, offering a range of hot meals and made-to-order sandwiches...
. Chamakh has stated that when he goes back home, he often waits
Waiter
Waiting staff, wait staff, or waitstaff are those who work at a restaurant or a bar attending customers — supplying them with food and drink as requested. Traditionally, a male waiting tables is called a "waiter" and a female a "waitress" with the gender-neutral version being a "server"...
tables to help out his brother.
While pursuing his career as a professional footballer, Chamakh was equally adept off the field earning good grades in school. During his early years at Bordeaux, he began attending high school. He hoped to earn a Baccalauréat
Baccalauréat
The baccalauréat , often known in France colloquially as le bac, is an academic qualification which French and international students take at the end of the lycée . It was introduced by Napoleon I in 1808. It is the main diploma required to pursue university studies...
in accounting, which he later accomplished. In addition to having a Baccalauréat, Chamakh is also very interested in politics
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
and, in February 2010, voiced his support for the Democratic Movement
Democratic Movement (France)
The Democratic Movement , MoDem) is a centrist, social liberal and pro-European French political party that was founded by centrist politician François Bayrou to succeed his Union for French Democracy and to contest the 2007 legislative election, after his strong showing in the 2007 presidential...
(MoDem) political party ahead of the upcoming regional elections. In the 2010 regional elections
French regional elections, 2010
Regional elections were held in France on 14 and 21 March 2010. At stake were the presidencies of each of France's 26 régions, which, though they do not have legislative autonomy, manage sizable budgets....
, Chamakh was, surprisingly, listed as a candidate by the MoDem for the Gironde
Gironde
For the Revolutionary party, see Girondists.Gironde is a common name for the Gironde estuary, where the mouths of the Garonne and Dordogne rivers merge, and for a department in the Aquitaine region situated in southwest France.-History:...
department in the Aquitaine
Aquitaine
Aquitaine , archaic Guyenne/Guienne , is one of the 27 regions of France, in the south-western part of metropolitan France, along the Atlantic Ocean and the Pyrenees mountain range on the border with Spain. It comprises the 5 departments of Dordogne, :Lot et Garonne, :Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Landes...
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...
. The lead deputy of the party, Jean Lassalle
Jean Lassalle
Jean Lassalle is a French Occitan politician and MoDem deputy in the National Assembly.- Political career :...
, stated on the decision to name Chamakh to the ballot: "I want to gather all the forces of Aquitaine to sustain our region, and Marouane is one of those forces who Aquitaine needs." Chamakh was listed as a non-eligible candidate on the ballot and Lasalle was accused of using Chamakh in order to garner votes from football supporters in the region.
Early career
Chamakh began his football career at the age of four playing for local club Nérac FC in the nearby communeCommunes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
of Nérac
Nérac
Nérac is a commune in the Lot-et-Garonne department in south-western France.-External links:*...
. While at Nérac, youth coaches at the club nicknamed him "Mr. George" after the former FIFA World Player of the Year
FIFA World Player of the Year
The FIFA World Player of the Year was an association football award given annually to the male and female player who were thought to be the best in the world, based on votes by coaches and captains of international teams...
George Weah
George Weah
George Tawlon Manneh Oppong Ousman Weah is a Liberian humanitarian and politician, and an ex-footballer. He ran unsuccessfully for president in the 2005 election, losing to Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in the second round of voting...
because Chamakh "used to score four or five goals in every game". After six years at Nérac, Chamakh joined FC Marmandais. While in Marmande
Marmande
Marmande is a commune in the Lot-et-Garonne département in south-western France.-Geography:Marmande is located 35 km north-west of Agen, on the southern railway from Bordeaux to Sète. The town is situated at the confluence of the Trec with the Garonne on the right bank of the latter river, which...
, he developed his physical skills and traits, growing as tall as 6 ft 0 in (1.84 m) and also earning his first regional selection to play for the Aquitaine
Aquitaine
Aquitaine , archaic Guyenne/Guienne , is one of the 27 regions of France, in the south-western part of metropolitan France, along the Atlantic Ocean and the Pyrenees mountain range on the border with Spain. It comprises the 5 departments of Dordogne, :Lot et Garonne, :Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Landes...
regional team in the Coupe Nationale.
Bordeaux
In 2000, Chamakh was pursued by several professional clubs that wanted to obtain his services. He drew interest from LensRC 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...
, 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...
, 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...
, and 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....
. Chamakh eventually decided to sign with Bordeaux due to the club's infrastructure and training facilities and also because of the close proximity to his family. Upon his arrival, Chamakh was placed into the club's youth academy. For the 2001–02 season, he was promoted to the club's Championnat de France amateur 2 team in the fifth division. Chamakh was involved heavily in the campaign of the team, coached by Jean-Louis Garcia
Jean-Louis Garcia
Jean-Louis Garcia is a French football manager and former player.-Career:Garcia was a goalkeeper for many clubs including: AS Cannes, AS Monaco, SO Châtellerault, AS Nancy and FC Nantes Atlantique. As a player, he had quite a successful career apart from one game in Europe in 1995 against Bayer...
. He appeared in 17 matches and scored six goals as the team finished first in their group, thus earning promotion to the Championnat de France amateur.
Following the season, Chamakh turned professional and signed a three-year contract with Bordeaux. He spent the first half of the 2002–03 campaign playing in the fourth division, but following the winter break, was called up to the senior team by manager Elie Baup
Élie Baup
Élie Baup is a former French football player and now a manager.- Coaching career :He won the French championship with the FC Girondins de Bordeaux in 1999. Fired in October 2003 by the president Jean-Louis Triaud, Baup signed for AS Saint-Étienne in 2004 with one of his favourite player: Pascal...
. Chamakh made his professional debut on 19 January 2003 in the team's 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...
match against Metz
FC Metz
Football Club de Metz, commonly referred to as simply Metz , is a French association football club based in Metz. The club was formed in 1932 and has spent most of its history in the Ligue 1, though they currently play in Ligue 2, the second level in French football league system. Metz plays its...
. He appeared as a substitute and played 15 minutes in a 1–0 defeat. Chamakh made his league debut three weeks later in a 2–0 home defeat to Bastia
SC Bastia
Sporting Club de Bastia is a French association football club based in Bastia on the island of Corsica. The club currently plays in the Championnat National, the third division of French football. Bastia previously had stints in both Ligue 1 and Ligue 2...
again appearing as a substitute. On 20 May, he scored his first professional goal against Nice
OGC Nice
Olympique Gymnaste Club Nice Côte d'Azur is a French association football club based in Nice. The club was founded in 1904 and currently plays in Ligue 1, the top-tier of French football. Nice plays its home matches at the Stade Municipal du Ray located within the city. In 2013, the club is...
, netting the equalizing goal just a minute before injury time in a 1–1 draw. Chamakh appeared in 14 games, always as a substitute, during the campaign. In the 2003–04 season, he was promoted to the senior team permanently by new manager Michel Pavon
Michel Pavon
Michel Pavon is a retired French footballer, and a current a coach.During his playing career, the defensive midfielder was mostly known for his hard-working approach...
and made his first professional league start on 1 November 2003 in a 1–0 win over Marseille
Olympique de Marseille
Olympique de Marseille is a French association football club based in Marseille. Founded in 1899, the club plays in Ligue 1 and have spent most of its history in the top tier of French football. Marseille have been French champions nine times and have won the Coupe de France a record ten times. In...
. In the team's following match, Chamakh scored the opening goal in a 1–1 draw with Strasbourg
RC Strasbourg
Racing Club de Strasbourg is a French association football club founded in 1906 and professional since 1933, based in the city of Strasbourg, in Alsace...
just before halftime. However, mid-way through the second half, he received his first career red card
Penalty card
A penalty card is used in many sports as a means of warning, reprimanding or penalising a player, coach or team official. Penalty cards are most commonly used by referees or umpires to indicate that a player has committed an offense. The referee will hold the card above his or her head while...
after incurring a second yellow
Penalty card
A penalty card is used in many sports as a means of warning, reprimanding or penalising a player, coach or team official. Penalty cards are most commonly used by referees or umpires to indicate that a player has committed an offense. The referee will hold the card above his or her head while...
. Upon returning from his one-game suspension, Chamakh developed into a regular starter for the club, scoring goals in consecutive matches against Metz and Montpellier
Montpellier HSC
Montpellier Hérault Sport Club is a French association football club based in the city of Montpellier. The club was founded in 1919 and currently plays in Ligue 1, the top level of French football. Montpellier plays its home matches at the Stade de la Mosson, located within the city...
. He finished the league campaign with six goals in 25 matches. In the club's UEFA Cup campaign, Chamakh netted four times in eight appearances.
In the 2004–05 season, Pavon decided to move Chamakh into the lead striker position and install Argentine
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
playmaker
Playmaker
In association football, a playmaker is a player who controls the flow of the team's offensive play, and is often involved in passing moves which lead to goals....
Juan Pablo Francia
Juan Pablo Francia
Juan Pablo Francia is an Argentine football playmaker who plays for Sportivo Belgrano on loan from Bordeaux of Ligue 1 in France. He is best known for his passing and eye for goal....
as a support striker. The move was a success with Chamakh scoring ten league goals. He opened the campaign by scoring his first professional hat trick
Hat Trick
Hat trick, hat-trick or hattrick may refer to:* hat-trick — in various sports, achieving three goals, wickets, etc. in a single match* Hattrick — online football management game** Hattrick Limited — producers of this game...
in a 5–1 victory over Nice. In September 2004, Chamakh scored goals in back-to-back matches against Bastia and Derby de la Garonne
Derby de la Garonne
The Derby de la Garonne is a football match contested between French clubs FC Girondins de Bordeaux and Toulouse FC. The name of the derby derives from the fact that Bordeaux and Toulouse are the two major clubs that play in cities that situate themselves along the Garonne River...
rivals Toulouse. He finished the campaign by scoring the opening goal in a 1–1 draw with 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...
. Despite the positive individual season from Chamakh, Bordeaux finished the campaign in 15th place; its worst finish since ending the league campaign in 16th over a decade before. Pavon, due to heart problems, stepped down from his position and was replaced by Ricardo Gomes. Under Gomes, Chamakh struggled to meet the success of his previous season scoring only 12 league goals in 58 matches over the course of two seasons. Two of his notable performances during Gomes' reign included scoring a double in league matches against Metz and Nancy
AS Nancy
Association Sportive Nancy-Lorraine is a French association football club based in Nancy. The club was founded in 1967 and currently play in Ligue 1, the top level of French football. Nancy plays its home matches at the Stade Marcel Picot in Tomblaine, a commune located in the Arrondissement of...
. In the match against the former club, Chamakh scored both of his goals within a minute of each other. He was later ejected from the match after committing a red card offense. Chamakh ended the 2006–07 Ligue 1 campaign by hoisting the 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...
trophy after featuring in the team's 1–0 victory over 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...
in the final match. It was Chamakh's first major club honour.
Following the departure of Gomes, Bordeaux hired rookie 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...
ahead of the 2007–08 season. Chamakh has stated on several occasions that Blanc was an important figure in his development as a footballer. However, when Blanc first arrived to the club, Chamakh struggled to earn meaningful minutes because Blanc preferred David Bellion
David Bellion
David Bellion is a French footballer who currently plays for FC Girondins de Bordeaux. He is of Senegalese origin.-Cannes:...
, a new recruit. His playing time up front was further hampered by the arrival of striker Fernando Cavenaghi
Fernando Cavenaghi
Fernando Ezequiel Cavenaghi is an Argentine football player who currently plays for River Plate in the second division.-Career:...
, who had a prolific season scoring 15 goals in only 23 appearances. Due to Cavenaghi's emergence, Chamakh was used as a target man and scored four goals, his lowest output since becoming a professional. In the 2008–09 season, Chamakh was relegated to appearing as a substitute for the first-half of the campaign. However, on 21 December 2008, Chamakh convinced Blanc to change his mind. With Bordeaux trailing 3–0 against 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...
, Chamakh appeared as a substitute and, within minutes on the field, scored a goal. Following a goal from Alou Diarra
Alou Diarra
Alou Diarra is a French international footballer who currently plays for French club Marseille in Ligue 1. He primarily plays as a defensive midfielder, but can also deputized as a centre back if necessary...
to make the match 3–2, Chamakh equalized three minutes from time and, two minutes later, Cavenaghi netted the game-winner to give Bordeaux a 4–3 victory. Following the winter break, Blanc decided to use both Chamakh and Cavenaghi in the attack with influential playmaker Yoann Gourcuff
Yoann Gourcuff
Yoann Miguel Gourcuff is a French international footballer who currently plays for French club Olympique Lyonnais in Ligue 1. He operates mainly as an attacking midfielder, but can also be utilized as a withdrawn striker and is described as a "playmaker of real quality" who "is an accomplished...
acting in support. It was the former who developed a consistent partnership with Gourcuff, and Chamakh responded by scoring eight league goals in the second half of the season. On 30 May 2009, Bordeaux sealed their first league title since the 1998–99 season after defeating Caen
SM Caen
Stade Malherbe Caen is a professional French football team, playing in the city of Caen, Normandy. The club was founded on 17 November 1913 following the merger of Club Malherbe Caennais and Club Sportif Caennais...
1–0 at the Stade Chaban Delmas. Chamakh played the entire match. The club also won the Coupe de la Ligue, completing the league and league cup double
The Double
The Double is a term in association football which refers to winning a country's top tier division and its primary cup competition in the same season...
.
During the club's victory parade, with only one year left on his contract Chamakh declared that he would be staying at Bordeaux 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...
, despite strong interest from Premier League 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...
. Despite the statement, rumors of a move to Arsenal continued to surface with negotiations reportedly having been ongoing throughout the summer. On 3 August 2009, president Jean-Louis Triaud
Jean-Louis Triaud
Jean-Louis Triaud is the current president of FC Girondins de Bordeaux. He was first elected in 1996, and upon completion of the term, reelected in 2002....
declared that Arsenal had sent a bid of €
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
7 million for Chamakh and that he had rejected it, demanding that Arsenal improve its offer. The following day, Arsenal manager 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...
announced that he would not be offering a better deal and declared the possible transfer dead. The announcement subsequently led Chamakh to confirm his intent to remain at Bordeaux for the 2009–10 season. On 29 August, Chamakh reportedly snubbed a move to West Ham
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
. The club offered Bordeaux £
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
18 million for the player and offered Chamakh a four-year contract worth £3 million a year. However, Chamakh remained firm on his stance, reiterating his commitment to Bordeaux.
In his final season with Bordeaux, Chamakh was equally adept in both the league and the UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
. He began the season claiming his fifth trophy on 25 July 2009 as Bordeaux won the 2009 Trophée des Champions
2009 Trophée des Champions
The 2009 Trophée des Champions Final was a football match that was played on 25 July 2009. The match contested the winners of 2008–09 Coupe de France, En Avant Guingamp, and the 2008–09 Ligue 1 champions, FC Girondins de Bordeaux...
in a 2–0 victory over Guingamp. Chamakh scored ten goals in league play and netted five in the Champions League, which included goals against Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
club Juventus
Juventus F.C.
Juventus Football Club S.p.A. , commonly referred to as Juventus and colloquially as Juve , are a professional Italian association football club based in Turin, Piedmont...
and German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
club Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups....
in the group stage. Bordeaux were only one of two clubs to finish the group-stage portion undefeated. In the knockout rounds, Chamakh scored a goal in Bordeaux's 2–1 victory over Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
club Olympiacos
Olympiacos CFP
----Olympiacos Club of Fans of Piraeus, , , transliterated Olympiakos Sindesmos Filathlon Pireos, is the most popular multisport club and the most successful in Greece, based in Piraeus....
in the second leg of the team's UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
opening knockout round match. Bordeaux won the tie with a 3–1 aggregate scoreline
Playoff format
There are several different Playoff formats used in various levels of competition in sports and games to determine an overall champion. Some of the most common are the single elimination, the best-of- series, the total points series, and the round-robin tournament.-Single elimination:A Single...
to advance to the quarter-finals, where they faced league rivals 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...
. In the first leg, which Lyon won 3–1, Chamakh scored a vital away goal. In the second leg, Chamakh converted another goal to get the scoreline 3–2 on aggregate. However, in the second half, Bordeaux were unable to score another as Lyon advanced to the semi-finals on the aggregate scoreline. 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....
, Chamakh appeared in all 38 matches for the first time in his career. Despite starting the campaign strong, Bordeaux fell out of the running for the league title in the spring and eventually finished the season in sixth place, failing to qualify for European competition
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....
next season
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...
.
Arsenal
On 21 May 2010, Chamakh completed his move to ArsenalArsenal 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...
on a free transfer after completing his contract with Bordeaux. The transfer took effect on 1 July 2010. He made his debut in a pre-season friendly against Barnet on 17 July, appearing as a substitute. On 27 July, he scored his first pre-season goal for the club, converting a penalty in a 4–0 victory over Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n club SC Neusiedl
SC Neusiedl 1919
SC Neusiedl am See 1919 are an Austrian association footballclub founded in 1919 and playing in the Austrian Regional League East during 2008–09 season.-Current squad:-Coaching staff:...
. In the 2010 edition of 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...
, Chamakh scored on his home debut against 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...
. He made his Premier League debut on 15 August in the team's 1–1 draw with Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
. Chamakh contributed to the team's equalizing goal by heading a cross off the goal post, which then redirected off goalkeeper Pepe Reina and in to the back of the net, resulting in an own goal
Own goal
An own net occurs in goal-scoring games when a player scores a goal that is registered against his or her own team. It is usually accidental, and may be a result of an attempt at defensive play that failed or was spoiled by opponents....
.
On 21 August 2010, Chamakh scored his first Premier League goal with a header against Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
. In the same match, he won a penalty when he was fouled by Ian Evatt
Ian Evatt
Ian Ross Evatt is an English footballer who currently plays for Blackpool.He began his professional career in 1999 at Derby County and has also played for Northampton Town , Chesterfield and Queens Park Rangers.-Early life:...
, which Andrei Arshavin subsequently converted in a 6–0 win for Arsenal. In his third start in four games, Chamakh scored the team's second goal against Bolton
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
in a 4–1 victory. On 15 September, in his first UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
match for the club, he scored the third goal in a 6–0 win against Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
club SC Braga
SC Braga
Sporting Clube de Braga , commonly known as Sporting de Braga or just Braga, is a Portuguese sports club, from the city of Braga. Its football team plays at the AXA Stadium, also known as The Quarry, which was built for UEFA Euro 2004...
. Two weeks later, Chamakh scored his second Champions League goal for Arsenal against Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n outfit FK Partizan
FK Partizan
Fudbalski klub Partizan is a professional football club based in Belgrade, Serbia. In its long history, FK Partizan won as many as 37 trophies. The club is the holder of 23 national championships, 12 national cups and 1 national supercup, and has also won the Mitropa Cup in 1978...
. The goal was his seventh goal in his last eight Champions League matches. Following the international break, Chamakh continued his solid form, scoring the winning goal in a 2–1 victory over Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
. Three days later, he scored his eighth goal in nine Champions League matches against Ukrainian
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
club Shakhtar Donetsk
FC Shakhtar Donetsk
FC Shakhtar Donetsk is a Ukrainian professional football club from the city of Donetsk. Shakhtar has appeared in several European competitions and currently is often a participant of the UEFA Champions League. The club became the first Ukrainian club to win the UEFA Cup in 2009, the last year...
in a 5–1 rout. On 10 November, Chamakh scored both goals in a midweek victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
. He scored the opening goal 37 seconds into play, which is the fastest league goal scored in the club's history. The previous record was held by Thierry Henry
Thierry Henry
Thierry Daniel Henry is a French professional footballer who plays for the New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer.Henry was born in Les Ulis, Essonne where he played for an array of local sides as a youngster and showed great promise as a goal-scorer. He was spotted by AS Monaco in 1990 and...
, who scored a goal after 58 seconds for Arsenal against Reading
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
on 22 October 2006.
On 20 November, Chamakh scored a goal in a 3–2 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
in the North London derby
North London derby
The North London derby is the name of the football local derby between the two major teams in North London – Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur.-History:...
. A week later, he converted another goal, this time in a 4–2 win over Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
. Following the goal against Aston Villa, Chamakh went scoreless in the winter months often appearing as a substitute in a majority of the matches. In matches he did start, he was often substituted on early in the second half. On 15 February 2011, Chamakh admitted that he felt burnt out stating "By the start of January I felt that I had completely lost my edge". The striker also admitted he needed some rest and wouldn't return to full form until March. On 20 February, Chamakh played the entire match in Arsenal's 1–1 draw with Leyton Orient
Leyton Orient F.C.
Leyton Orient F.C. are an English professional football club in East London. They currently play in Football League One and are known to their fans as the O's.Leyton Orient have spent one season in the top flight of English football, in 1962–63...
in the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
. It was the first time in nearly two months he had played the full 90 minutes in a match. On 2 March, in the replay against Leyton Orient, Chamakh scored his first goal since November in a 5–0 win.. On September 17th 2011, Chamakh scored his first goal for Arsenal in the 2011/2012 season against Blackburn Rovers in the Premier League and lost 4–3.
International career
Chamakh is a Moroccan internationalMorocco national football team
The Morocco national football team , nicknamed أسود الأطلس , is the national team of Morocco and is managed by Eric Gerets. Winners of the African Nations Cup in 1976, they were the first African team to win a group at the World Cup, which they did in 1986, finishing ahead of Portugal, Poland, and...
at the senior level. Prior to representing Morocco, he played for the under-19 team
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...
of France
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...
and made his debut on 12 February 2003 in a friendly match against the Czech Republic
Czech Republic national football team
The Czech Republic national football team represents the Czech Republic in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of the Czech Republic, the governing body for football in the Czech Republic. Their current head coach is Michal Bílek...
. That was his only appearance with the team. Chamakh was called up to the team for the 2003 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship
2003 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship
The 2003 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship was held in Liechtenstein from 16 to 26 July 2003. Players born after 1 January 1984 can participate in this competition.- Venues :- Teams :The eight teams that participated in the final tournament were:...
, but declined the offer after being called up for Morocco national team duty by coach Badou Zaki
Badou Zaki
Ezzaiki Badou, nicknamed "Zaki" was the manager of the Morocco national football team from 2002 to 2005. Before coaching, he was a noted goalkeeper, appearing as the keeper for the Morocco national football team at the 1984 Summer Olympics and at the 1986 FIFA World Cup. He was named by France...
for the team's 2004 African Cup of Nations qualification matches against Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone national football team
The Sierra Leone national football team, nicknamed the Leone Stars, is the national team of Sierra Leone and is controlled by the Sierra Leone Football Association...
and Gabon
Gabon national football team
The Gabon national football team, nicknamed Azingo Nationale, is the national team of Gabon and is controlled by the Fédération Gabonaise de Football...
. On 7 June 2003, he made his debut with the team in the match against Sierra Leone. On 10 September 2003, Chamakh scored both goals, which included his first international goal, in a 2–0 victory over Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago national football team
The Trinidad and Tobago national football team, nicknamed The Soca Warriors, is the national team of Trinidad and Tobago and is run by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation. It reached the first round of the 2006 FIFA World Cup Finals...
. He participated in the rest of the qualification matches and was later named to participate in the tournament. Chamakh scored two goals in the competition; one against Benin
Benin national football team
The Benin national football team, nicknamed Les Écureuils , is the national football team of Benin and is controlled by the Fédération Béninoise de Football. They were known as the Dahomey national football team until 1975, when Dahomey became Benin. They have never made the World Cup but have...
in the group stage and another in the quarter-finals against Algeria
Algeria national football team
The Algeria national football team , nicknamed الأفنــاك, Les Fennecs , represents Algeria in association football and is controlled by the Fédération Algérienne de Football. Algeria's home ground is the Stade 5 Juillet 1962 in Algiers and their head coach is Vahid Halilhodžić.Algeria has qualified...
. Morocco beat Mali
Mali national football team
The Mali national football team, nicknamed Les Aigles , is the national team of Mali and is controlled by the Fédération Malienne de Football. They have never qualified for the World Cup finals.-History:...
in the semi-finals to reach the final where they faced Tunisia
Tunisia national football team
The Tunisia national football team , nicknamed Les Aigles de Carthage , is the national team of Tunisia and is controlled by the Fédération Tunisienne de Football. They have qualified for four FIFA World Cups, the first one in 1978, but have yet to make it out of the first round...
. In the match, Chamakh played the entire contest as Morocco were defeated 2–1 at the Stade 7 Novembre in Tunis
Tunis
Tunis is the capital of both the Tunisian Republic and the Tunis Governorate. It is Tunisia's largest city, with a population of 728,453 as of 2004; the greater metropolitan area holds some 2,412,500 inhabitants....
.
In qualification
2006 FIFA World Cup qualification – CAF Second Round
The CAF Second Round of 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification began on 5 June 2005 and finished on 8 October 2005.The highest-ranked country in each group at the end of the stage qualified for the 2006 FIFA World Cup...
for the 2006 FIFA World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
, Chamakh scored three goals. One of his goals during qualification occurred on 8 October 2010 against Tunisia. With Morocco needing a win to qualify for the World Cup, Chamakh opened the scoring in the third minute. However, the match finished 2–2, which resulted in the team failing to qualify for the competition. However, the draw did allow Morocco qualification for the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations. In the tournament, Morocco were eliminated in the group stage and departed the tournament without scoring a goal. In 2008, Chamakh was selected to participate in his third consecutive Africa Cup of Nations and was held scoreless in the competition as Morocco were again eliminated in the group stage. In 2009–2010, Chamakh appeared in only four matches and scored no goals as Morocco failed to qualify for both the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
.
On 11 August 2010, Chamakh captained the national team for the first time in a 2–1 win over the Equatorial Guinea
Equatorial Guinea national football team
The Equatorial Guinea national football team, nicknamed Nzalang Nacional, is the national team of Equatorial Guinea and is controlled by the Federación Ecuatoguineana de Fútbol. It is a member of CAF...
. Three months later, he scored the opening goal in the team's 1–1 away draw to Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland national football team
The Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in international association football. Before 1921 all of Ireland was represented by a single side, the Ireland national football team, organised by the Irish Football Association...
. After going scoreless for six months at international level, on 4 June 2011, Chamakh scored the second goal in a 4–0 win over Algeria
Algeria national football team
The Algeria national football team , nicknamed الأفنــاك, Les Fennecs , represents Algeria in association football and is controlled by the Fédération Algérienne de Football. Algeria's home ground is the Stade 5 Juillet 1962 in Algiers and their head coach is Vahid Halilhodžić.Algeria has qualified...
in qualification for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations.
Club
- Statistics accurate as of 29 September 2011
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | |||
| 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.... |
2002–03 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 2 | |
| 2003–04 | 25 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 10 | 2 | ||
| 2004–05 | 33 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 11 | 6 | ||
| 2005–06 | 29 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 7 | 5 | ||
| 2006–07 | 29 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 7 | 5 | ||
| 2007–08 | 32 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 8 | 7 | ||
| 2008–09 | 34 | 13 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 47 | 16 | 7 | ||
| 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... |
38 | 10 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 52 | 16 | 1 | ||
| | Total | 230 | 56 | 32 | 31 | 4 | 2 | 38 | 16 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 301 | 76 | 36 | ||
| 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... |
2010–11 2010–11 Premier League The 2010–11 Premier League was the 19th season of the Premier League since its establishment in 1992. The 2010–11 fixtures were released on 17 June 2010 at 09:00 BST. The season began on 14 August 2010, and ended on 22 May 2011... |
29 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 11 | 8 | |
| 2011–12 2011–12 Premier League The 2011–12 Premier League is the twentieth season of the Premier League since its establishment in 1992. The 2011–12 fixtures were announced on 17 June 2011 at 9:00 BST. The season began on 13 August 2011 and is due to end on 13 May 2012... |
6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 0 | ||
| | Total | 35 | 8 | 6 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 54 | 12 | 8 | ||
| Career total | 265 | 64 | 38 | 41 | 5 | 3 | 47 | 19 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 355 | 88 | 44 | ||
International
- Statistics accurate as of 20 October 2011
| National team | Season | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morocco Morocco national football team The Morocco national football team , nicknamed أسود الأطلس , is the national team of Morocco and is managed by Eric Gerets. Winners of the African Nations Cup in 1976, they were the first African team to win a group at the World Cup, which they did in 1986, finishing ahead of Portugal, Poland, and... |
2002–03 | 2 | 0 |
| 2003–04 | 12 | 4 | |
| 2004–05 | 7 | 2 | |
| 2005–06 | 9 | 3 | |
| 2006–07 | 5 | 3 | |
| 2007–08 | 8 | 1 | |
| 2008–09 | 5 | 1 | |
| 2009–10 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2010–11 | 7 | 2 | |
| 2011–12 | 1 | 1 | |
| Total | 59 | 17 | |
International goals
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 September 2003 | Stade El Harti Stade El Harti Stade El Harti is a multi-use stadium in Marrakech, Morocco. It is currently used mostly for football matches and hosts the home games of Kawkab Marrakech. The stadium holds 20,000 people. It is due to be replaced by Stade de Marrakech in 2009.... , Marrakech Marrakech Marrakech or Marrakesh , known as the "Ochre city", is the most important former imperial city in Morocco's history... , Morocco |
Friendly | |||
| 2 | ||||||
| 3 | 31 January 2004 | Stade Taïeb El Mhiri, Sfax Sfax Sfax is a city in Tunisia, located southeast of Tunis. The city, founded in AD 849 on the ruins of Taparura and Thaenae, is the capital of the Sfax Governorate , and a Mediterranean port. Sfax has population of 340,000... , Tunisia |
2004 African Cup of Nations 2004 African Cup of Nations The 2004 African Cup of Nations was the 24th edition of the African Cup of Nations, the soccer championship of Africa . It was hosted by Tunisia. Just like in 2002, the field of sixteen teams was split into four groups of four... |
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| 4 | 8 February 2004 | Stade Taïeb El Mhiri, Sfax Sfax Sfax is a city in Tunisia, located southeast of Tunis. The city, founded in AD 849 on the ruins of Taparura and Thaenae, is the capital of the Sfax Governorate , and a Mediterranean port. Sfax has population of 340,000... , Tunisia |
2004 African Cup of Nations 2004 African Cup of Nations The 2004 African Cup of Nations was the 24th edition of the African Cup of Nations, the soccer championship of Africa . It was hosted by Tunisia. Just like in 2002, the field of sixteen teams was split into four groups of four... |
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| 5 | 10 October 2004 | Stade 28 Septembre Stade 28 Septembre Stade 28 Septembre is a multi-purpose stadium in Conakry, Guinea. It is currently used mostly for football matches. The stadium has a capacity of 35,000 people.... , Conakry Conakry Conakry is the capital and largest city of Guinea. Conakry is a port city on the Atlantic Ocean and serves as the economic, financial and cultural centre of Guinea with a 2009 population of 1,548,500... , Guinea |
2006 World Cup qualification 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification – CAF Second Round The CAF Second Round of 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification began on 5 June 2005 and finished on 8 October 2005.The highest-ranked country in each group at the end of the stage qualified for the 2006 FIFA World Cup... |
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| 6 | 4 June 2005 | Stade Moulay Abdellah Stade Moulay Abdellah Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Rabat, Morocco. It is named after Prince Moulay Abdallah of Morocco. It was built in 1983 and is the home ground of FAR Rabat. It is currently used mostly for football matches and it can also stage athletics. The stadium holds 52,000... , Rabat Rabat Rabat , is the capital and third largest city of the Kingdom of Morocco with a population of approximately 650,000... , Morocco |
2006 World Cup qualification 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification – CAF Second Round The CAF Second Round of 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification began on 5 June 2005 and finished on 8 October 2005.The highest-ranked country in each group at the end of the stage qualified for the 2006 FIFA World Cup... |
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| 7 | 8 October 2005 | Stade 7 November Stade 7 November National stadium of Rades is a multi-purpose stadium in Rades, Tunisia. It is currently used mostly for football matches and it also has facilities for athletics. The stadium holds 65,000 and was built in 2001 for the 2001 Mediterranean Games and is considered to be one of the best stadiums in... , Radès Radès Radès is a harbour city in Ben Arous Governorate, Tunisia. Situated 9 kilometres south-east of the capital Tunis, some consider it a Tunis suburb, and parts of the harbour installations of Tunis are located in Radès.... , Tunisia |
2006 World Cup qualification 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification – CAF Second Round The CAF Second Round of 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification began on 5 June 2005 and finished on 8 October 2005.The highest-ranked country in each group at the end of the stage qualified for the 2006 FIFA World Cup... |
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| 8 | 9 January 2006 | Stade Moulay Abdellah Stade Moulay Abdellah Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Rabat, Morocco. It is named after Prince Moulay Abdallah of Morocco. It was built in 1983 and is the home ground of FAR Rabat. It is currently used mostly for football matches and it can also stage athletics. The stadium holds 52,000... , Rabat Rabat Rabat , is the capital and third largest city of the Kingdom of Morocco with a population of approximately 650,000... , Morocco |
Friendly | |||
| 9 | 17 January 2006 | Marrakech Marrakech Marrakech or Marrakesh , known as the "Ochre city", is the most important former imperial city in Morocco's history... , Morocco |
Friendly | |||
| 10 | 2 September 2006 | Stade Moulay Abdellah Stade Moulay Abdellah Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Rabat, Morocco. It is named after Prince Moulay Abdallah of Morocco. It was built in 1983 and is the home ground of FAR Rabat. It is currently used mostly for football matches and it can also stage athletics. The stadium holds 52,000... , Rabat Rabat Rabat , is the capital and third largest city of the Kingdom of Morocco with a population of approximately 650,000... , Morocco |
2008 Africa Cup of Nations qualification | |||
| 11 | 7 February 2007 | Stade Moulay Abdellah Stade Moulay Abdellah Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Rabat, Morocco. It is named after Prince Moulay Abdallah of Morocco. It was built in 1983 and is the home ground of FAR Rabat. It is currently used mostly for football matches and it can also stage athletics. The stadium holds 52,000... , Rabat Rabat Rabat , is the capital and third largest city of the Kingdom of Morocco with a population of approximately 650,000... , Morocco |
Friendly | |||
| 12 | 2 June 2007 | Stade Mohamed V Stade Mohamed V Stade Mohamed V is part of a big athletic complex situated in the heart of the city of Casablanca, Morocco, in the western part of Maarif district... , Casablanca Casablanca Casablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Grand Casablanca region.Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It is also the biggest city in the Maghreb. The 2004 census recorded a population of 2,949,805 in the prefecture... , Morocco |
2008 Africa Cup of Nations qualification | |||
| 13 | 16 January 2008 | Rabat Rabat Rabat , is the capital and third largest city of the Kingdom of Morocco with a population of approximately 650,000... , Morocco |
Friendly | |||
| 14 | 31 March 2009 | Estádio do Restelo Estádio do Restelo The Estádio do Restelo is a multi-purpose stadium in Lisbon, Portugal. The stadium has a capacity of 25,000 people and was built in 1956.It is situated behind the world-renowned Jerónimos Monastery in the Lisbon district of Santa Maria de Belém.... , Lisbon Lisbon Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban... , Portugal |
Friendly | |||
| 15 | 17 November 2010 | Windsor Park Windsor Park Windsor Park is a football stadium in Belfast, Northern Ireland and the home ground of Linfield F.C. and the Northern Ireland national football team. It is also where the Irish Cup and Irish League Cup finals are played.-History:... , Belfast Belfast Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly... , Northern Ireland |
Friendly | |||
| 16 | 4 June 2011 | Stade de Marrakech Stade de Marrakech Stade de Marrakech, The Marrakesh Stadium, is a multi-use stadium in Marrakech, Morocco. It was designed by Gregotti Associati International.... , Marrakech Marrakech Marrakech or Marrakesh , known as the "Ochre city", is the most important former imperial city in Morocco's history... , Morocco |
2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualification | |||
| 17 | 9 October 2011 | Stade de Marrakech Stade de Marrakech Stade de Marrakech, The Marrakesh Stadium, is a multi-use stadium in Marrakech, Morocco. It was designed by Gregotti Associati International.... , Marrakech Marrakech Marrakech or Marrakesh , known as the "Ochre city", is the most important former imperial city in Morocco's history... , Morocco |
2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
Club
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....
- Ligue 1Ligue 1Ligue 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....
: 2008-09 - Coupe de la LigueCoupe de la LigueThe 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...
: 2007Coupe de la Ligue Final 2007The Coupe de la Ligue Final 2007 was a football match held at Stade de France, Saint-Denis on March 31, 2007, that saw FC Girondins de Bordeaux defeat Olympique Lyonnais 1-0 thanks to a goal by Henrique.-Match details:...
, 2009Coupe de la Ligue Final 2009The 2009 Coupe de la Ligue Final was the 15th final in this young cup's history. The final was played at the Stade de France in Paris on 25 April 2009 was contested between FC Girondins de Bordeaux of Ligue 1 and Vannes OC of Ligue 2. This was the first meeting between the two clubs... - Trophée Des ChampionsTrophée des championsThe 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...
: 20082008 Trophée des ChampionsThe 2008 Trophée des Champions Final was a football match that saw the 2007-08 Ligue 1 and Coupe de France champions Olympique Lyonnais face off against FC Girondins de Bordeaux. Since Lyon won both the league and the Coupe de France, they faced the club that finished in second place in Ligue 1...
, 20092009 Trophée des ChampionsThe 2009 Trophée des Champions Final was a football match that was played on 25 July 2009. The match contested the winners of 2008–09 Coupe de France, En Avant Guingamp, and the 2008–09 Ligue 1 champions, FC Girondins de Bordeaux...
International
MoroccoMorocco national football team
The Morocco national football team , nicknamed أسود الأطلس , is the national team of Morocco and is managed by Eric Gerets. Winners of the African Nations Cup in 1976, they were the first African team to win a group at the World Cup, which they did in 1986, finishing ahead of Portugal, Poland, and...
- Africa Cup of Nations Second Place 2004
Individual
- Ligue 1Ligue 1Ligue 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....
Team of the Year: 2009–10
External links
- Marouane Chamakh profile at Arsenal.com
- ESPN Profile