Patrice Evra
Encyclopedia
Patrice Latyr Evra is a French international footballer who currently plays for English club Manchester United
in the Premier League and the France national team
. Originally an attacker, he primarily plays as a left back and is described as "the classic example of a modern full-back" who is renowned for his "pace, athleticism, and determination". Of Senegal
ese descent, Evra "offers a genuine attacking outlet down the left" and is also "strong in the air" despite his noticeably small frame. He is also known for his leadership ability and has served as captain of both Manchester United domestically and France internationally.
The son of a diplomat, Evra was born in Senegal
and arrived in Europe when he was a year old. He was raised in France and began his football career playing for various clubs in the Île-de-France
region
such as hometown club CO Les Ulis
and CSF Brétigny. In 1997, he had a stint at professional club Paris Saint-Germain. A year later, Evra seized his first footballing opportunity in neighboring Italy
when he signed his first professional contract with Marsala
in Sicily. He made his professional debut with the club and, in the ensuing season, joined Monza. After a year playing with Monza
, Evra returned to France to play for Nice
. Originally a midfielder
, while playing at Nice, he was converted into a full back. In 2002, Evra moved to Monégasque
club Monaco
and contributed to the team that won the Coupe de la Ligue
in 2003. He also featured in European competition
for the first time in his career and, in the 2003–04 season, was the starting left back on the Monaco team that reached the 2004 UEFA Champions League Final
. In that same season domestically, Evra was named the National Union of Professional Footballers (UNFP) Ligue 1
Young Player of the Year. He was also named to the organization's Ligue 1 Team of the Year.
Evra's performances with Monaco culminated into a move to English club Manchester United
in January 2006. While playing for Manchester United, Evra has won a slew of trophies, which included winning the Football League Cup in his debut season at the club. In his second season, he eclipsed compatriot Mikaël Silvestre
and Gabriel Heinze
as first-choice left back and has since won four Premier League titles, one UEFA Champions League
title, one FIFA Club World Cup
, three League Cups, and four Community Shield
titles. Evra has been named to the Professional Footballers' Association
(PFA) Team of the Year
on three occasions. For his performances during the 2008–09 season
, he was named to both the FIFPro World XI and the UEFA Team of the Year
.
Evra is also a France international
. Prior to playing at senior level, he played at under-21
level. He made his senior international debut in August 2004 in a friendly match against Bosnia and Herzegovina
. Evra has participated in two major international tournaments for France; UEFA Euro 2008 and the 2010 FIFA World Cup
. In the first competition, he appeared in two group stage matches. Ahead of the 2010 World Cup, Evra was named captain of the national team by Domenech and bore the armband for the first time in the team's friendly match against Costa Rica
in May 2010. At the tournament, France endured a disastrous campaign which saw the players go on strike. The incident resulted in Evra, for his role as captain, being suspended from national team duty for five matches.
, the capital city of Senegal
, to a Senegalese father of Guinea
n descent and Juliette, a Cape Verde
an mother. He has a total of 25 siblings, although two are now deceased. Evra's father was a diplomat and, when Evra was 12 months old, moved to Brussels in Belgium to work at the Senegalese embassy. After over two years living in Belgium, when Evra was three, the family moved to France and settled in Les Ulis
, a commune
south of Paris. The family first settled in the local Bergeries neighborhood before moving to the Hautes-Plaines quarter shortly after. Evra was raised on Senegalese culture and values that quickly became "Westernized". At the age of ten, he did return to Senegal for a short period describing the return as "not a good experience" primarily because he ventured back to the country to undergo circumcision. He has not returned to the country as of 2011. Ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Evra revealed that he had suffered racial abuse from supporters of the Senegal national team
for choosing to represent France internationally over his native homeland.
Evra developed an interest in football at a young age and was fascinated by the play of former Brazilian international
Romário
, though he never really had an idol. He also earned good grades in school. Evra is married to Sandra with whom he has a son, Lenny. He is fluent in five languages and is attempting to learn Korean
in order to better communicate with South Korea
n teammate Park Ji-Sung
.
. After playing in the streets for years, he was brought to the club by friend Tshymen Buhanga who informed the club coach "I bring you the new Romário". Evra spent a year at the club under the watch of coach Jean-Claude Giordanella, who later became vice-president of the club. Giordanella described the player as "more quiet, almost shy. He was a good kid". Evra originally played football in the striker position and, while training at Les Ulis, underwent trials with professional clubs Rennes and Lens
. Following the conclusion of the evaluations, Evra was rejected primarily due to his size. In 1993, he joined amateur club CSF Brétigny based in nearby Brétigny-sur-Orge
. Similar to his stint with Les Ulis, Evra went on trials with several clubs, most notably Toulouse
and Paris Saint-Germain. He was ultimately signed by the latter club and converted into a winger. Evra trained at the Camp des Loges
for a few months, but was later released.
After failing to convince Paris Saint-Germain officials of his ability as a footballer, Evra returned to Brétigny and was invited by a friend to participate in an indoor five-a-side football tournament organized by the Juvisy-sur-Orge
sports center. While playing, he was spotted by an Italian
scout who offered him the opportunity to attend a trial with professional club Torino
in Italy. Evra spent ten days training with the club and, after the trial, was offered a place on the club's youth team. Afterwards, he was approached by Serie C1 club Marsala
whose officials enticed him with the prospect of becoming a professional. Evra chose the latter option and signed his first professional contract at the age of 17. He described the moment as "the best feeling I have had in football". Evra spent only one season with the club appearing in 27 total matches and scoring six goals. After this, he moved to the Serie B
level to join Monza
for a fee of €250,000 after potential moves to Serie A
clubs Roma
and Lazio
came to nothing. Evra only appeared in three matches, making his debut on 29 August 1999 in a 2–1 away defeat against Alzano
. He left the club following one season after becoming frustrated due to his lack of appearances.
in Ligue 2
, the second division of French football
. He spent the majority of his first season with the club playing with its reserve team in the Championnat de France amateur, the fourth level of French football. He primarily played as a midfielder on the team and appeared in 18 matches, converting one goal. Midway through the campaign, Evra was called into the first team by manager Sandro Salvioni
. He was assigned the number 26 shirt and made his club debut on 7 October 2000 in the team's 7–2 defeat to Châteauroux
starting in the left winger position. Evra made four more appearances during the campaign appearing as a substitute in defeats to Cannes
, Nancy
, and starting in the team's 3–0 win over Laval
and 1–0 loss to Le Havre
on the final match day of the season. Evra played primarily as centre forward in the matches.
In the 2001–02 season, Evra switched to the number 17 shirt and was promoted to the first team on a permanent basis. In the team's first league match of the season against Laval, he started in the team's 2–1 win. Towards the end of the match, reserve left back Jean-Charles Cirilli
, who was starting in place of the regular starter José Cobos
, suffered an injury, which required the player to be substituted out. As a consequence, Evra dropped back into the role and played out the rest of the match in the position. Following the match, due to injuries to both Cobos and Cirilli, Evra was informed by Salvioni that he would take over the position. The young player disagreed with the manager's decision declaring that he was a forward, however, after Salvioni informed him "If you want to be in the team you play there", Evra agreed to take on the role. Evra made his debut in the position in the team's following league match against Strasbourg
; a 3–0 defeat. He appeared regularly in the campaign and, following the return of Cobos, was even allowed to play in his preferred left wing role. With the club in the midst of a promotion battle, Evra scored his first and only goal for Nice in his last match with the club; a 4–3 win over Laval. The victory placed Nice in third place, which resulted in the club earning promotion to Ligue 1 for the first time since 1997. For his performances, Evra was named to the National Union of Professional Footballers (UNFP) Ligue 2
Team of the Year in the left back position.
Following the season, Evra was recruited by Nice's Derby de la Côte d'Azur
rivals Monaco
. Despite wanting to play as a left winger again, Evra was advised by manager Didier Deschamps
that he would only play as a left back. Evra has since credited Deschamps for allowing him to become a better defender after initially describing the role as being not fun. Evra was inserted into a back four that consisted of central defenders
Rafael Márquez
and Sébastien Squillaci
and right back Franck Jurietti
. Evra was assigned the number 3 shirt and made his debut for the club in the opening match of the 2002–03 season against Troyes
. He played the entire match in a 4–0 win. On 28 September, Evra scored his first goal for the club netting the game-winning goal in a 2–1 victory against Rennes. On 22 March 2003, he scored his second goal of the season in a 3–0 away win over Le Havre. The victory allowed Monaco to maintain its position at the top of the table as the club was in a three-way battle with Lyon
and Marseille
. Monaco climatically conceded first place to Lyon in May, which resulted in Lyon being declared champions for the first time in its history. Monaco finished the campaign in second place, which merited the club an appearance in the UEFA Champions League
. The club was also rewarded domestically for its performance in the Coupe de la Ligue
where it reached the final. Evra featured in the team's 4–1 win over Sochaux
in the match. The league cup title gave Evra the first major honour of his career.
After the season, Marquez and Jurietti departed the club for Spanish club Barcelona and Bordeaux
, respectively. The two were replaced by Gaël Givet
and Hugo Ibarra, the latter player joining the club on loan. In the 2003–04 league season, Deschamps installed Evra as a vice-captain and he responded by appearing in 33 matches assisting on four goals. Monaco spent six months from September to March in first place, but, like last season, conceded the top spot to Lyon as the season wore on. Evra made his UEFA Champions League
debut on 17 September 2003 in the team's opening group stage match against Dutch club PSV. Evra played the entire match in a 2–1 win. He appeared in all six group stage matches as Monaco finished in first place. For his performances in the first half of the 2003–04 season, Evra was linked with a 2004 winter move to English club Arsenal
, Italian clubs Juventus
and Milan
, and Spanish outfit Barcelona.
After appearing consistently with the team, on 24 March 2004, Evra suffered an ankle injury in the team's 4–2 first leg defeat to Spanish club Real Madrid
in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. Evra subsequently missed two weeks in the league, but was healthy enough to return for the team's second leg quarter-final tie against Madrid, which Monaco won 3–1. The win allowed the club advancement to the Champions League semi-finals on the away goals rule. In the semi-finals, Monaco faced English club Chelsea
. Evra appeared in both matches as Monaco advanced to the final beating the London club 5–3 on aggregate. In the 2004 UEFA Champions League Final
, Monaco were pitted against Portuguese
contenders Porto at the Arena AufSchalke
in Gelsenkirchen
, Germany. The club was defeated 3–0 by Porto. Evra played the full 90 minutes. After the season, Evra was given the UNFP Young Player of the Year award, becoming only the second defender and the first since 1997 (Philippe Christanval
) to win the award. He was also named to the organization's Ligue 1 Team of the Year.
Despite missing out on playing in UEFA Euro 2004, Evra endured a tumultuous summer in which the player was linked with moves with Manchester United in England and Juventus, as well Internazionale
in Italy. Despite offers, Evra remained at Monaco. On 24 September 2004, he signed a one-year contract extension with the club until 2008. In the season, Evra was a regular appearing in a career-high 52 matches scoring one goal and assisting on seven as Monaco reached the semi-finals in both the Coupe de la Ligue and Coupe de France
. Evra scored his only goal of the season on 8 January 2005 in the team's Round of 64 Coupe de France match against amateur club AC Seyssinet-Pariset. He netted the opener in a 7–0 win. In the Champions League, Monaco reached the first knockout round where the club suffered defeat to PSV 3–0 on aggregate. Evra appeared in nine of the ten matches the team contested in the competition. In April 2005, Evra confirmed that he was interested in departing the club stating "I will have a decision to make for the rest of my career" and "If attracted clubs show concrete interest, I will think about it seriously". Despite several clubs declaring interest in Evra, Deschamps declared that the player would not be sold. At the start of the 2005–06 season, Monaco struggled falling to 15th place after only a month of play. In September, Deschamps surprisingly resigned as manager of the club due to the its poor start, despite the media declaring it was because of his constant disagreements with the club president. On 21 December 2005, Evra made his final appearance with the club in a 1–0 win over Lille
in the Coupe de la Ligue.
confirmed that a deal for Evra was done. Four days later, the transfer was official as Evra joined the club for a transfer fee of around £
5.5 million and put pen to paper on a three-and-a-half-year contract. Evra's arrival signalled Ferguson's intention to shore up the club's defence that had suffered since the sidelining of Gabriel Heinze
. After joining the club, Evra affirmed that Manchester
was his only future destination pronouncing "I was not very keen to go forward in the talks with Arsenal, Liverpool or Real Madrid. They all talked with my agent in the past two seasons. But to me, it was over. As I said to the Monaco officials, I only wanted to hear about Manchester".
Evra initially had some problems adapting to the English game. He made his debut for the club on 14 January in a 3–1 away defeat to Manchester City
in the Premier League. He was substituted out at half-time after failing to make an impact. Following the conclusion of the match, Ferguson stated "Maybe it was a bit of a gamble playing Evra", while the player himself admitted that "playing for Manchester United was something I was not prepared for". Despite the initial set-back, Evra started in the team's ensuing match against Liverpool, a 1–0 victory, and was praised for his performance by team-mate Rio Ferdinand
. On 26 February, Evra appeared as a substitute in United's 4–0 win over Wigan
in the 2006 Football League Cup Final. On 2 March, it was reported that Liverpool defender Steve Finnan
had racially abused Evra in the match. Finnan denied the charge and, after an investigation, The Football Association
(FA) decided against charging the player. Evra regularly alternated between the bench and the starting eleven to close out the campaign. He finished the half season with 14 total appearances.
In Evra's first full season as a Manchester United player, he struggled to consistently appear as a starter early on in the season as Ferguson preferred Evra's compatriot Mikaël Silvestre
. After appearing as an unused substitute in United's first two Champions League matches, on 17 October 2006, Evra made his European debut for the club in its 3–0 group stage win over Danish
club Copenhagen
. On 18 November, he assisted on the game-winning goal scored by Wayne Rooney
in the team's 2–1 win over Sheffield United
. Eight days later, Evra scored his first goal for the club in a 3–0 league win over Everton
. He also assisted on a goal in the match. By December, Evra began featuring as a regular in the starting eleven. After starting in United's 3–1 Champions League win over Portuguese
club Benfica on 6 December, the left back went on a streak, in which he started nine consecutive matches. Evra assisted on goals in two of the matches; a Rooney goal in a 2–1 away defeat to Arsenal and another in a 2–0 victory over Charlton
. On 10 April 2007, Evra scored the final goal in a 7–1 second leg mastery of Roma. The goal was his first-ever in the Champions League and helped progress Manchester United to the semi-finals where the club suffered defeat to the eventual champions Milan. Following the league season, which Manchester United won by a six-point margin, Evra was named to the Professional Footballers' Association
(PFA) Team of the Year
, despite only appearing in 24 league matches.
Evra began the 2007–08 season as the first-choice left back. He began the campaign appearing in United's 3–0 penalty shootout win over rivals Chelsea in the 2007 FA Community Shield
. In competitive matches, Evra appeared in the club's first 12 matches. He missed his first match of the season against Ukrainian
club Dynamo Kyiv
in the Champions League after suffering a calf injury during warm-ups. Evra returned to the team a few days later for the team's league match against Arsenal. The rest paid off as he assisted on a Cristiano Ronaldo
goal in the 82nd minute to give United a 2–1 lead. France international teammate William Gallas
later equalized for Arsenal to draw the match at 2–2. In the return leg against Dynamo Kyiv in the Champions League, Evra assisted on a goal in a 4–0 victory. Though he made 48 appearances in all competitions, Evra failed to score a goal. Manchester United clinched its second consecutive Premier League title on the final day, edging Chelsea by two points. The club later completed the double
after defeating the same club on penalties in the 2008 UEFA Champions League Final
. Evra made ten appearances in the competition, which included playing the entire 120 minutes in the final. After the season, on 12 June, he signed a four-year contract extension with Manchester United, a deal that was set to keep him at Old Trafford
until 2012.
on penalties. Evra was ever-present in Manchester United's first 22 competitive matches of the season starting 19 of them. On 18 November, the hearing date for the charges was set for 5 December. On the date of the hearing, Evra was handed a four-match ban – due to start on 22 December 2008 – and a £15,000 fine after he was found guilty of improper conduct by the FA.
Despite the suspension, Evra still featured with Manchester United in December as the club participated in the 2008 FIFA Club World Cup
. He appeared in both matches the team contested as United came out as champions after defeating Ecuador
rian club LDU Quito in the final
. Evra temporarily returned to the team domestically for its home match, coincidentally, against Chelsea on 11 January 2009. In the match, Evra assisted on the second goal in a 3–0 victory. He was later forced to leave the match due to a foot injury, which was later discovered to be serious. Evra missed a month and returned to the lineup on 15 February in a 3–0 shutout win over Fulham
. Evra subseqeuntly appeared in every remaining competitive match for United, excluding an April league match against Sunderland
, as the club cruised to its third consecutive Premier League title, won the Football League Cup
, and reached the 2009 UEFA Champions League Final
after defeating league rivals Arsenal 4–1 on aggregate in the semi-finals. Following the second leg against Arsenal, Evra made a vocal statement. When asked his opinion of the team's 3–1 second leg victory, Evra declared "It was 11 men against 11 babies. We never doubted ourselves". The finals appearance marked Evra's third overall as Manchester United faced Barcelona. In the match, United were defeated 2–0 courtesy of goals in each half from the opposition. Following the season, Evra was included in the PFA Team of the Year for the second time.
For the first time in his career, in the 2009–10 season, Evra appeared in all 38 league matches. The campaign initially began badly for the player after Evra delivered a soft penalty shot, described by some in the media as "awful", in the team's penalty shootout defeat to Chelsea in the 2009 FA Community Shield
. Due to injuries to Rio Ferdinand
, Gary Neville
and Ryan Giggs
, he captained the team in several matches during the season wearing the armband for the first time in his Manchester United career in the team's 3–1 Champions League victory over VfL Wolfsburg
. In December 2009, Evra was among three Manchester United players named to the FIFPro World XI for the 2009 calendar year. In the following month, he was named to the UEFA Team of the Year
. On 28 February 2010, Evra captained Manchester United to a 2–1 win against Aston Villa
in the 2010 Football League Cup Final
. The league cup title was Evra's fourth overall as well as his first title earned as a captain. He also became only the second Frenchman after Eric Cantona
to captain a Manchester United team to victory in a major competition. In league play, Manchester United failed to win its fourth straight league title conceding the honour to Chelsea. The club also failed to reach the UEFA Champions League final for the third straight season losing to German champions Bayern Munich
in the quarterfinals.
Early on during the 2010–11 season
, Evra was hampered by constant inquiries about what happened at the 2010 FIFA World Cup
from the French Football Federation
, the French media, as well as the French government. Evra's contract with Manchester United was also up at the end of the 2011–12 season, which led to the player being linked with a move to Real Madrid. Evra's hearing with the federation in Paris, which he attended, was held the day after the team's opening 3–0 league win over Newcastle United
. Evra played over 85 minutes in the match. On 20 November, Evra scored his second Premier League goal in a 2–0 win at home against Wigan. On 21 February 2011, after weeks of negotiations, Evra signed a contract extension with Manchester United that is set to keep him with the club until at least the end of the 2013–14 season. Two days after signing his contract extension, Evra participated in United's 0–0 draw with Marseille
in the first leg of the team's first knockout round tie in the Champions League. The match, played at the Stade Vélodrome
in Marseille
, was Evra's first match played in France since the 2010 World Cup debacle. He was, subsequently, subject to a barrage of jeers and boos every time he touched the ball.
At the start of the 2011–12 season
, Evra helped United win the 2011 Community Shield
against Manchester City on 7 August. Despite being caught out in the first half by a header from Joleon Lescott
and a long range Edin Džeko
strike that put City into a 2–0 lead, United rallied back in the second half and won 3–2 to claim the Shield. On 15 October, Evra captained Manchester United in the club's 1–1 draw away to Liverpool. Following the match, in an interview with French television channel Canal+
, Evra asserted that Liverpool player Luis Suárez
had racially abused him multiple times during the match. He also stated that he had informed referee Andre Marriner
of the incidents at the conclusion of the match. The following day, the FA announced that it would investigate the claim, and on 17 November, the FA announced it would charge Suárez with "abusive and/or insulting words and/or behaviour contrary to FA rules", including "a reference to the ethnic origin and/or colour and/or race of Patrice Evra."
having played for the under-21 team
. Due to harboring in Italy during his development years, he failed to earn call-ups with teams below the under-21 level. Evra earned his first call-up to the under-21 team under coach Raymond Domenech
on 3 October 2002 for matches against Slovenia
and Malta. He made his under-21 debut in the match against Slovenia as France cruised to a 1–0 victory. Evra was forced to miss the match against Malta after suffering an injury in the win over Slovenia. The defender regularly appeared for the team through 2002–2004 as France attempted to qualify for both the 2004 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
and the football tournament at the 2004 Summer Olympics. France failed to qualify for both competitions, which resulted in the end of Evra's youth career.
Evra earned his first call-up to the senior national team
in May 2004 after coach Jacques Santini named him to the 31-man preliminary squad to participate in UEFA Euro 2004. Following the trimming of the squad to 23 players, Evra was not included and subsequently missed out on the competition. Following the European Championship, with former under-21 coach Domenech now coaching the team, Evra was called up to the senior team for its friendly against Bosnia and Herzegovina
on 18 August 2004. The defender admitted that he was "very proud" to have been called up to the team. Evra made his senior international debut in the match against Bosnia and Herzegovina. He started on the left wing before being substituted out in the 75th minute for Robert Pirès
. The match ended in a 1–1 draw. Due to an injury to starter Éric Abidal
, Evra supplanted him and appeared as the starting left back in France's first two 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
matches. After being called up for the team's March 2005 friendly against Switzerland
, Evra was forced to withdraw from the team due to injury. As a result, William Gallas
was inserted in the role as a makeshift left back. Following Abidal's return from injury and, due to Domenech preferring Mikaël Silvestre
as the incumbent's backup, Evra went without a call-up for almost two years and, consequently, missed the 2006 FIFA World Cup
. In October 2007, the defender explained to L'Equipe
that World Cup snub had "gave me my determination".
Evra returned to the team in November 2006 for the team's friendly match against Greece
. He appeared as a half-time substitute for Abidal as France won the match 1–0. After going another year without representing France, Evra began appearing as a regular under Domenech in 2007. On 28 May 2008, he was included in the squad to participate in UEFA Euro 2008. Evra was initially placed onto the squad to serve as backup to Abidal, however, after failing to appear in the team's opening 0–0 draw with Romania
, there were calls from the French media urging Domenech to insert Evra into the starting lineup at the behest of Abidal. Domenech relented and started Evra in the team's next match against the Netherlands
, which was a 4–1 defeat. In the must-win final group stage match against Italy
, Evra started his second consecutive match. France lost 2–0 and were eliminated from the competition. Following the match, cameras witnessed Evra and team-mates Patrick Vieira
and Abidal getting into an altercation in the tunnel. Vieira later stated that the video was shot after he got into an argument with a set of French supporters. A day after the team's elimination, Evra admitted his frustration to French newspaper L'Equipe
stating "I am someone who does not like losing but I'm not going to make excuses. We had three games in this Euro, we have not won one. It's even hard to believe, to say it's over now".
retired from the team. To accommodate the player's retirement, Domenech decided to move Abidal into the centre back position, which allowed Evra to take over as the starting left back. In the team's first competitive match since Euro 2008 against Austria
, Evra assisted on France's only goal scored by Sidney Govou
in a surprising 3–1 defeat. During the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
campaign, Evra participated in ten of the team's 12 matches, which included both legs in the team's playoff round win over the Republic of Ireland
. On 26 May 2010, Evra captained the national team for the first time in a friendly match against Costa Rica
; France won the match 2–1. He was subsequently named the captain for the 2010 FIFA World Cup
ahead of Thierry Henry
, who was relegated to the bench for the tournament. Evra bored the armband in the team's first two matches, a 0–0 draw with Uruguay
and a 2–0 loss to Mexico
. On 21 June, striker Nicolas Anelka
was dismissed from the squad after reportedly having a dispute, in which obscenities were passed, with Domenech during half-time of the team's loss to Mexico. The resulting disagreement over Anelka's seclusion between the players, the coaching staff, and federation officials resulted in Evra leading a player protest against the decision on 20 June, in which the players refused to train. Prior to leading the revolt, Evra had gotten into a verbal argument with national team fitness coach Robert Duverne. The strike was denounced by the French Football Federation
, as well as government officials. The following day, the players returned to training without incident. As a result of the mutiny, Evra was stripped of the captaincy and benched for the team's final group stage match against hosts South Africa
. France lost 2–1 and were knocked out of the competition.
Following the competition, former national team captain Lilian Thuram stated that Evra should be banned permanently from playing for the national team. His sentiments were later echoed by sports minister Chantal Jouanno
who declared "I have nothing against Evra but, as a France player and especially captain, he did not defend the values of sport which are shared by the Republic. I am sure there exist other talents who have not sullied France and are waiting for the chance to write new history". On 6 August, Evra was one of five players summoned to attend a hearing held by the Disciplinary Committee of the French Football Federation in response to the team's strike held at the World Cup. On 17 August, he received a five-match international ban for his part in the incident.
for the first time since the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He had been eligible to return to the team since the previous month after serving his five-match suspension, however, he was not called up to the team by Blanc with the manager citing sporting reasons as being why. Evra made his return to the team on 25 March in the team's UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying
match against Luxembourg
. He started the match and played the full 90 minutes in a 2–0 win. Four days later, Evra appeared on the bench in his first match at the Stade de France
since the World Cup, against Croatia
.
Statistics accurate as of match played 26 November 2011
Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
in the Premier League and the France national 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...
. Originally an attacker, he primarily plays as a left back and is described as "the classic example of a modern full-back" who is renowned for his "pace, athleticism, and determination". Of Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
ese descent, Evra "offers a genuine attacking outlet down the left" and is also "strong in the air" despite his noticeably small frame. He is also known for his leadership ability and has served as captain of both Manchester United domestically and France internationally.
The son of a diplomat, Evra was born in Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
and arrived in Europe when he was a year old. He was raised in France and began his football career playing for various 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 hometown club CO Les Ulis
CO Les Ulis
Le Club Omnisports des Ulis is a French association football club founded in 1977. They are based in Les Ulis, Essonne and are currently playing in the Division Supérieure Régionale of Île-de-France, the seventh tier of the French football league system. They play at the Stade Salinier, named after...
and CSF Brétigny. In 1997, he had a stint at professional club Paris Saint-Germain. A year later, Evra seized his first footballing opportunity in neighboring Italy
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...
when he signed his first professional contract with Marsala
S.C. Marsala 1912
Sport Club Marsala 1912 is an Italian association football club from the city of Marsala, Sicily. It was founded in 1912 and its official and historical colours are white and blue...
in Sicily. He made his professional debut with the club and, in the ensuing season, joined Monza. After a year playing with Monza
A.C. Monza Brianza 1912
Associazione Calcio Monza Brianza 1912 is an Italian football club based in Monza, Lombardy.Founded in 1912, Monza currently plays in Lega Pro Prima Divisione group A, having last been in Serie B in 2000. Monza spent the last few years in Serie C1 and Serie C2.-History:Monza was founded on 1...
, Evra returned to France to play for 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...
. Originally a midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
, while playing at Nice, he was converted into a full back. In 2002, Evra moved to Monégasque
Monaco
Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
club 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...
and contributed to the team that won 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 2003. He also featured in 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....
for the first time in his career and, in the 2003–04 season, was the starting left back on the Monaco team that reached the 2004 UEFA Champions League Final
2004 UEFA Champions League Final
The 2004 UEFA Champions League Final was a football match played at the Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, on 26 May 2004, to decide the winner of the 2003–04 UEFA Champions League...
. In that same season domestically, Evra was named the National Union of Professional Footballers (UNFP) 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....
Young Player of the Year. He was also named to the organization's Ligue 1 Team of the Year.
Evra's performances with Monaco culminated into a move to English club Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
in January 2006. While playing for Manchester United, Evra has won a slew of trophies, which included winning the Football League Cup in his debut season at the club. In his second season, he eclipsed compatriot Mikaël Silvestre
Mikael Silvestre
Mikaël Samy Silvestre is a French international footballer. He plays as defender and is currently signed with Werder Bremen of the Bundesliga. He has also played for the French national team...
and Gabriel Heinze
Gabriel Heinze
Gabriel Iván Heinze is an Argentine footballer who plays for A.S. Roma in Italy. Mainly a left back, he can also operate as a central defender....
as first-choice left back and has since won four Premier League titles, one 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...
title, one 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...
, three League Cups, and four Community Shield
FA Community Shield
The Football Association Community Shield is English football's annual match contested between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium. If the Premier League champions also won the FA Cup then the league runners-up provide the opposition...
titles. Evra has been named to the Professional Footballers' Association
Professional Footballers' Association
The Professional Footballers' Association is the trade union for professional footballers in England and Wales. The world's oldest professional sport trade union, it has 4,000 members....
(PFA) Team of the Year
PFA Team of the Year
The Professional Footballers' Association Team of the Year is an annual award given to a set of 44 footballers in the top four tiers of English football; the Premier League, the Championship, League One and League Two, whom are seen to be deserving of being named in a "Team of the Year".The award...
on three occasions. For his performances during the 2008–09 season
2008–09 in English football
The 2008–09 season was the 129th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:* West Bromwich Albion, Stoke City and Hull City were all playing in the Premier League after winning promotion from the Championship last season. Stoke returned to the top flight after a 23-year absence, while...
, he was named to both the FIFPro World XI and the UEFA Team of the Year
UEFA Team of the Year
The UEFA Team of the Year is a football award given by UEFA through a poll on its . This award started in 2001 to allow users and visitors of the organization's website to choose their own eleven players and a coach based on their overall performances in European club football and international...
.
Evra is also a France international
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...
. Prior to playing at senior level, he played at 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 made his senior international debut in August 2004 in a friendly 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...
. Evra has participated in two major international tournaments for France; UEFA Euro 2008 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...
. In the first competition, he appeared in two group stage matches. Ahead of the 2010 World Cup, Evra was named captain of the national team by Domenech and bore the armband for the first time in the team's friendly match against Costa Rica
Costa Rica national football team
The Costa Rica national football team, nicknamed La Sele, is the national team of Costa Rica and is controlled by the Federación Costarricense de Fútbol. Costa Rica is the third most successful team in CONCACAF after Mexico and the United States...
in May 2010. At the tournament, France endured a disastrous campaign which saw the players go on strike. The incident resulted in Evra, for his role as captain, being suspended from national team duty for five matches.
Personal life
Evra was born in DakarDakar
Dakar is the capital city and largest city of Senegal. It is located on the Cap-Vert Peninsula on the Atlantic coast and is the westernmost city on the African mainland...
, the capital city of Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
, to a Senegalese father of Guinea
Guinea
Guinea , officially the Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa. Formerly known as French Guinea , it is today sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbour Guinea-Bissau. Guinea is divided into eight administrative regions and subdivided into thirty-three prefectures...
n descent and Juliette, a Cape Verde
Cape Verde
The Republic of Cape Verde is an island country, spanning an archipelago of 10 islands located in the central Atlantic Ocean, 570 kilometres off the coast of Western Africa...
an mother. He has a total of 25 siblings, although two are now deceased. Evra's father was a diplomat and, when Evra was 12 months old, moved to Brussels in Belgium to work at the Senegalese embassy. After over two years living in Belgium, when Evra was three, the family moved to France and settled in Les Ulis
Les Ulis
Les Ulis is a commune in the Essonne department located in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is from the center of Paris.Inhabitants of Les Ulis are known as Ulissiens.- Location :...
, a 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...
south of Paris. The family first settled in the local Bergeries neighborhood before moving to the Hautes-Plaines quarter shortly after. Evra was raised on Senegalese culture and values that quickly became "Westernized". At the age of ten, he did return to Senegal for a short period describing the return as "not a good experience" primarily because he ventured back to the country to undergo circumcision. He has not returned to the country as of 2011. Ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Evra revealed that he had suffered racial abuse from supporters of the Senegal national team
Senegal national football team
The Senegal national football team, nicknamed the Lions of Teranga, is the national team of Senegal and is controlled by the Fédération Sénégalaise de Football...
for choosing to represent France internationally over his native homeland.
Evra developed an interest in football at a young age and was fascinated by the play of former Brazilian international
Brazil national football team
The Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
Romário
Romário
Romário de Souza Faria , better known simply as Romário , is a former footballer who played striker,manager and current politician where is currently running for a mayor like position in his hometown...
, though he never really had an idol. He also earned good grades in school. Evra is married to Sandra with whom he has a son, Lenny. He is fluent in five languages and is attempting to learn Korean
Korean language
Korean is the official language of the country Korea, in both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers worldwide. In the 15th century, a national writing...
in order to better communicate with South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
n teammate Park Ji-Sung
Park Ji-Sung
Park Ji-Sung is a South Korean footballer who plays as a midfielder for English club Manchester United. He was also the captain of the South Korean national team until his retirement from international football...
.
Early career
Evra began his football career playing for hometown club CO Les UlisCO Les Ulis
Le Club Omnisports des Ulis is a French association football club founded in 1977. They are based in Les Ulis, Essonne and are currently playing in the Division Supérieure Régionale of Île-de-France, the seventh tier of the French football league system. They play at the Stade Salinier, named after...
. After playing in the streets for years, he was brought to the club by friend Tshymen Buhanga who informed the club coach "I bring you the new Romário". Evra spent a year at the club under the watch of coach Jean-Claude Giordanella, who later became vice-president of the club. Giordanella described the player as "more quiet, almost shy. He was a good kid". Evra originally played football in the striker position and, while training at Les Ulis, underwent trials with professional clubs Rennes and 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...
. Following the conclusion of the evaluations, Evra was rejected primarily due to his size. In 1993, he joined amateur club CSF Brétigny based in nearby Brétigny-sur-Orge
Brétigny-sur-Orge
Brétigny-sur-Orge is a commune in the southern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.-Transport:Brétigny-sur-Orge is served by Brétigny station on Paris RER line C.Inhabitants of Brétigny-sur-Orge are known as Brétignolais....
. Similar to his stint with Les Ulis, Evra went on trials with several clubs, most notably 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...
and Paris Saint-Germain. He was ultimately signed by the latter club and converted into a winger. Evra trained at the Camp des Loges
Camp des Loges
The Camp des Loges is the training centre and club headquarters of French football club Paris Saint-Germain. It is located in the commune of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, which is in the western suburbs of Paris. Following the foundation of Paris Saint-Germain in 1974, the Camp des Loges began operating...
for a few months, but was later released.
After failing to convince Paris Saint-Germain officials of his ability as a footballer, Evra returned to Brétigny and was invited by a friend to participate in an indoor five-a-side football tournament organized by the Juvisy-sur-Orge
Juvisy-sur-Orge
Juvisy-sur-Orge is a commune in the Essonne department in Île-de-France in northern France.Inhabitants of Juvisy-sur-Orge are known as Juvisiens.-Geography:Neighboring communes:* Athis-Mons* Draveil* Savigny-sur-Orge* Viry-Châtillon...
sports center. While playing, he was spotted by an 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...
scout who offered him the opportunity to attend a trial with professional club Torino
Torino F.C.
Torino Football Club, commonly referred to as simply Torino, is a professional Italian football club based in Turin, Piedmont, that was founded in 1906. The club has spent most of its history in the top tier in Italian football....
in Italy. Evra spent ten days training with the club and, after the trial, was offered a place on the club's youth team. Afterwards, he was approached by Serie C1 club Marsala
S.C. Marsala 1912
Sport Club Marsala 1912 is an Italian association football club from the city of Marsala, Sicily. It was founded in 1912 and its official and historical colours are white and blue...
whose officials enticed him with the prospect of becoming a professional. Evra chose the latter option and signed his first professional contract at the age of 17. He described the moment as "the best feeling I have had in football". Evra spent only one season with the club appearing in 27 total matches and scoring six goals. After this, he moved to the Serie B
Serie B
Serie B, currently named Serie bwin due to sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie A. It is contested by 22 teams and organized by the Lega Serie B since July 2010, after the split of Lega Calcio that previously took care of both the...
level to join Monza
A.C. Monza Brianza 1912
Associazione Calcio Monza Brianza 1912 is an Italian football club based in Monza, Lombardy.Founded in 1912, Monza currently plays in Lega Pro Prima Divisione group A, having last been in Serie B in 2000. Monza spent the last few years in Serie C1 and Serie C2.-History:Monza was founded on 1...
for a fee of €250,000 after potential moves to Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
clubs Roma
A.S. Roma
Associazione Sportiva Roma, commonly referred to as simply Roma, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. Founded by a merger in 1927, Roma have participated in the top-tier of Italian football for all of their existence but one season in the early 50s...
and Lazio
S.S. Lazio
Società Sportiva Lazio, commonly referred to as Lazio, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. The team, founded in 1900, play in the Serie A and have spent most of their history in the top tier of Italian football...
came to nothing. Evra only appeared in three matches, making his debut on 29 August 1999 in a 2–1 away defeat against Alzano
F.C. AlzanoCene 1909
Football Club AlzanoCene 1909 is an Italian association football club from Alzano Lombardo and Cene, Lombardy. It currently plays in Serie D.- AlzanoCene :...
. He left the club following one season after becoming frustrated due to his lack of appearances.
Nice
Evra returned to France joining professional club NiceOGC 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...
in 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...
, the second division of French football
Football 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...
. He spent the majority of his first season with the club playing with its reserve team in the Championnat de France amateur, the fourth level of French football. He primarily played as a midfielder on the team and appeared in 18 matches, converting one goal. Midway through the campaign, Evra was called into the first team by manager Sandro Salvioni
Sandro Salvioni
Sandro Salvioni is an Italian football manager, and a former player.-Playing career:Salvioni mostly played into lower ranks of Italian football, excluding a two-year stint with then-Serie A club Foggia and a lone season with Brescia....
. He was assigned the number 26 shirt and made his club debut on 7 October 2000 in the team's 7–2 defeat to Châteauroux
LB Châteauroux
La Berrichonne de Châteauroux is a French association football club based in Châteauroux. The football team is a part of a sports club that consists of several other sports and was founded in 1883. The team currently plays in Ligue 2, the second division of French football, having finished 16th in...
starting in the left winger position. Evra made four more appearances during the campaign appearing as a substitute in defeats to Cannes
AS Cannes
Association Sportive de Cannes Football is a French association football club based in Cannes. The club was formed 1902 as a sports club and currently play in the Championnat de France amateur, the fourth division of French football. Cannes plays its home matches at the Stade Pierre de Coubertin...
, 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...
, and starting in the team's 3–0 win over Laval
Stade Lavallois
Stade Lavallois Mayenne Football Club is a French association football club based in Laval. The club was formed on 17 July 1902 and currently play in Ligue 2, the second level of French football. Laval plays its home matches at the Stade Francis Le Basser located in the city and is managed by...
and 1–0 loss to Le Havre
Le Havre AC
Le Havre Athletic Club Football Association is a French association football club based in Le Havre. The club was founded originally as an athletics and rugby club in 1872, thus making it the oldest association football and rugby club registered in France...
on the final match day of the season. Evra played primarily as centre forward in the matches.
In the 2001–02 season, Evra switched to the number 17 shirt and was promoted to the first team on a permanent basis. In the team's first league match of the season against Laval, he started in the team's 2–1 win. Towards the end of the match, reserve left back Jean-Charles Cirilli
Jean-Charles Cirilli
Jean-Charles Cirilli is a French professional football player. Currently, he plays in the Ligue 2 for AC Arles-Avignon.-External links:*...
, who was starting in place of the regular starter José Cobos
José Cobos
José Javier Cobos Castillo , known as Cobos, is a retired French footballer who played as a left defender.-Football career:...
, suffered an injury, which required the player to be substituted out. As a consequence, Evra dropped back into the role and played out the rest of the match in the position. Following the match, due to injuries to both Cobos and Cirilli, Evra was informed by Salvioni that he would take over the position. The young player disagreed with the manager's decision declaring that he was a forward, however, after Salvioni informed him "If you want to be in the team you play there", Evra agreed to take on the role. Evra made his debut in the position in the team's following league match against 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...
; a 3–0 defeat. He appeared regularly in the campaign and, following the return of Cobos, was even allowed to play in his preferred left wing role. With the club in the midst of a promotion battle, Evra scored his first and only goal for Nice in his last match with the club; a 4–3 win over Laval. The victory placed Nice in third place, which resulted in the club earning promotion to Ligue 1 for the first time since 1997. For his performances, Evra was named to the National Union of Professional Footballers (UNFP) 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...
Team of the Year in the left back position.
Monaco
Derby de la Côte d'Azur
The Derby de la Côte d'Azur is a football match contested between French clubs AS Monaco and OGC Nice. The name of the derby derives from the fact that Monaco and Nice are the two major clubs in France that are situated on or near the Côte d'Azur, known in English as the French Riviera...
rivals 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 wanting to play as a left winger again, Evra was advised by manager Didier Deschamps
Didier Deschamps
Didier Claude Deschamps is a retired French footballer and current manager of Marseille. He played as a defensive midfielder. As an international, he assisted France with victories in the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000...
that he would only play as a left back. Evra has since credited Deschamps for allowing him to become a better defender after initially describing the role as being not fun. Evra was inserted into a back four that consisted of central defenders
Defender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
Rafael Márquez
Rafael Márquez
Rafael Márquez Álvarez is a Mexican footballer who plays for New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer and the Mexico national team. He plays as a centre back or defensive midfielder....
and Sébastien Squillaci
Sébastien Squillaci
Sébastien Squillaci is a French international footballer who plays for Arsenal. He plays as a central defender and is described as a player who "reads the game well" and is "strong in the air and on the ground"...
and right back Franck Jurietti
Franck Jurietti
Franck Jurietti is a former French football defender, who spent most of his career in Bordeaux.-Club career:...
. Evra was assigned the number 3 shirt and made his debut for the club in the opening match of the 2002–03 season against 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...
. He played the entire match in a 4–0 win. On 28 September, Evra scored his first goal for the club netting the game-winning goal in a 2–1 victory against Rennes. On 22 March 2003, he scored his second goal of the season in a 3–0 away win over Le Havre. The victory allowed Monaco to maintain its position at the top of the table as the club was in a three-way battle with 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...
and 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...
. Monaco climatically conceded first place to Lyon in May, which resulted in Lyon being declared champions for the first time in its history. Monaco finished the campaign in second place, which merited the club an appearance in 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...
. The club was also rewarded domestically for its performance in 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...
where it reached the final. Evra featured in the team's 4–1 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...
in the match. The league cup title gave Evra the first major honour of his career.
After the season, Marquez and Jurietti departed the club for Spanish club Barcelona 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....
, respectively. The two were replaced by Gaël Givet
Gaël Givet
Gaël Givet-Viaros is a French footballer who plays for Blackburn Rovers. Givet is a left-footed centre back who can also play left-back.-Monaco:...
and Hugo Ibarra, the latter player joining the club on loan. In the 2003–04 league season, Deschamps installed Evra as a vice-captain and he responded by appearing in 33 matches assisting on four goals. Monaco spent six months from September to March in first place, but, like last season, conceded the top spot to Lyon as the season wore on. Evra made his 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...
debut on 17 September 2003 in the team's opening group stage match against Dutch club PSV. Evra played the entire match in a 2–1 win. He appeared in all six group stage matches as Monaco finished in first place. For his performances in the first half of the 2003–04 season, Evra was linked with a 2004 winter move to 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...
, Italian clubs 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 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...
, and Spanish outfit Barcelona.
After appearing consistently with the team, on 24 March 2004, Evra suffered an ankle injury in the team's 4–2 first leg defeat to Spanish club Real Madrid
Real Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. Evra subsequently missed two weeks in the league, but was healthy enough to return for the team's second leg quarter-final tie against Madrid, which Monaco won 3–1. The win allowed the club advancement to the Champions League semi-finals on the away goals rule. In the semi-finals, Monaco faced English club Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
. Evra appeared in both matches as Monaco advanced to the final beating the London club 5–3 on aggregate. In the 2004 UEFA Champions League Final
2004 UEFA Champions League Final
The 2004 UEFA Champions League Final was a football match played at the Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, on 26 May 2004, to decide the winner of the 2003–04 UEFA Champions League...
, Monaco were pitted 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...
contenders Porto at the Arena AufSchalke
Veltins-Arena
Veltins-Arena is a football stadium in Gelsenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It opened in 2001, as the new home ground for German Bundesliga club Schalke 04....
in Gelsenkirchen
Gelsenkirchen
Gelsenkirchen is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the Ruhr area. Its population in 2006 was c. 267,000....
, Germany. The club was defeated 3–0 by Porto. Evra played the full 90 minutes. After the season, Evra was given the UNFP Young Player of the Year award, becoming only the second defender and the first since 1997 (Philippe Christanval
Philippe Christanval
Philippe Charles Lucien Christanval is a retired French footballer of Guadeloupian origin who most recently played for Fulham as a centre back.-Club career:...
) to win the award. He was also named to the organization's Ligue 1 Team of the Year.
Despite missing out on playing in UEFA Euro 2004, Evra endured a tumultuous summer in which the player was linked with moves with Manchester United in England and Juventus, as well Internazionale
F.C. Internazionale Milano
Football Club Internazionale Milano, often referred to as Internazionale or simply Inter, is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Italy. Outside Italy, the club is often called Inter Milan. They are the reigning FIFA Club World champions and Coppa Italia holders.Inter have always...
in Italy. Despite offers, Evra remained at Monaco. On 24 September 2004, he signed a one-year contract extension with the club until 2008. In the season, Evra was a regular appearing in a career-high 52 matches scoring one goal and assisting on seven as Monaco reached the semi-finals in both the Coupe de la Ligue and 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...
. Evra scored his only goal of the season on 8 January 2005 in the team's Round of 64 Coupe de France match against amateur club AC Seyssinet-Pariset. He netted the opener in a 7–0 win. In the Champions League, Monaco reached the first knockout round where the club suffered defeat to PSV 3–0 on aggregate. Evra appeared in nine of the ten matches the team contested in the competition. In April 2005, Evra confirmed that he was interested in departing the club stating "I will have a decision to make for the rest of my career" and "If attracted clubs show concrete interest, I will think about it seriously". Despite several clubs declaring interest in Evra, Deschamps declared that the player would not be sold. At the start of the 2005–06 season, Monaco struggled falling to 15th place after only a month of play. In September, Deschamps surprisingly resigned as manager of the club due to the its poor start, despite the media declaring it was because of his constant disagreements with the club president. On 21 December 2005, Evra made his final appearance with the club in a 1–0 win over 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...
in the Coupe de la Ligue.
2006–2008
On 27 December, French sources revealed that Manchester United was interested in signing Evra. Despite rumors of Monaco reaching a transfer agreement with Italian club Internazionale, on 3 January 2006, Evra revealed that he'd prefer to move to England to join Manchester United. The following day, Manchester United officially issued a transfer bid for the player. On 6 January, Manchester United manager Alex FergusonAlex Ferguson
Sir Alexander Chapman "Alex" Ferguson, CBE is a Scottish association football manager and former player, currently managing Manchester United, where he has been in charge since 1986...
confirmed that a deal for Evra was done. Four days later, the transfer was official as Evra joined the club for a transfer fee of around £
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...
5.5 million and put pen to paper on a three-and-a-half-year contract. Evra's arrival signalled Ferguson's intention to shore up the club's defence that had suffered since the sidelining of Gabriel Heinze
Gabriel Heinze
Gabriel Iván Heinze is an Argentine footballer who plays for A.S. Roma in Italy. Mainly a left back, he can also operate as a central defender....
. After joining the club, Evra affirmed that Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
was his only future destination pronouncing "I was not very keen to go forward in the talks with Arsenal, Liverpool or Real Madrid. They all talked with my agent in the past two seasons. But to me, it was over. As I said to the Monaco officials, I only wanted to hear about Manchester".
Evra initially had some problems adapting to the English game. He made his debut for the club on 14 January in a 3–1 away defeat to Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
in the Premier League. He was substituted out at half-time after failing to make an impact. Following the conclusion of the match, Ferguson stated "Maybe it was a bit of a gamble playing Evra", while the player himself admitted that "playing for Manchester United was something I was not prepared for". Despite the initial set-back, Evra started in the team's ensuing match against Liverpool, a 1–0 victory, and was praised for his performance by team-mate Rio Ferdinand
Rio Ferdinand
Rio Gavin Ferdinand is an English footballer. He plays at centre back for Manchester United in the Premier League and for the England national football team...
. On 26 February, Evra appeared as a substitute in United's 4–0 win over Wigan
Wigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
in the 2006 Football League Cup Final. On 2 March, it was reported that Liverpool defender Steve Finnan
Steve Finnan
Stephen John "Steve" Finnan is a retired Irish international footballer who played as a right back. He is the only player to have played in the World Cup, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Cup, all four levels of the English league football and the Football Conference.-Early career:Finnan was born in...
had racially abused Evra in the match. Finnan denied the charge and, after an investigation, The Football Association
The Football Association
The Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of football in England, and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. It was formed in 1863, and is the oldest national football association...
(FA) decided against charging the player. Evra regularly alternated between the bench and the starting eleven to close out the campaign. He finished the half season with 14 total appearances.
In Evra's first full season as a Manchester United player, he struggled to consistently appear as a starter early on in the season as Ferguson preferred Evra's compatriot Mikaël Silvestre
Mikael Silvestre
Mikaël Samy Silvestre is a French international footballer. He plays as defender and is currently signed with Werder Bremen of the Bundesliga. He has also played for the French national team...
. After appearing as an unused substitute in United's first two Champions League matches, on 17 October 2006, Evra made his European debut for the club in its 3–0 group stage win over Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
club Copenhagen
F.C. Copenhagen
F.C. Copenhagen is a professional Danish football club in Copenhagen, Denmark. It is part of the Parken Sport & Entertainment....
. On 18 November, he assisted on the game-winning goal scored by Wayne Rooney
Wayne Rooney
Wayne Mark Rooney is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Manchester United and the England national team...
in the team's 2–1 win over Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
. Eight days later, Evra scored his first goal for the club in a 3–0 league win over Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
. He also assisted on a goal in the match. By December, Evra began featuring as a regular in the starting eleven. After starting in United's 3–1 Champions League win over 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 Benfica on 6 December, the left back went on a streak, in which he started nine consecutive matches. Evra assisted on goals in two of the matches; a Rooney goal in a 2–1 away defeat to Arsenal and another in a 2–0 victory over Charlton
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,...
. On 10 April 2007, Evra scored the final goal in a 7–1 second leg mastery of Roma. The goal was his first-ever in the Champions League and helped progress Manchester United to the semi-finals where the club suffered defeat to the eventual champions Milan. Following the league season, which Manchester United won by a six-point margin, Evra was named to the Professional Footballers' Association
Professional Footballers' Association
The Professional Footballers' Association is the trade union for professional footballers in England and Wales. The world's oldest professional sport trade union, it has 4,000 members....
(PFA) Team of the Year
PFA Team of the Year
The Professional Footballers' Association Team of the Year is an annual award given to a set of 44 footballers in the top four tiers of English football; the Premier League, the Championship, League One and League Two, whom are seen to be deserving of being named in a "Team of the Year".The award...
, despite only appearing in 24 league matches.
Evra began the 2007–08 season as the first-choice left back. He began the campaign appearing in United's 3–0 penalty shootout win over rivals Chelsea in the 2007 FA Community Shield
2007 FA Community Shield
The 2007 FA Community Shield was a football match played on 5 August 2007 between 2006–07 Premier League champions Manchester United and 2006–07 FA Cup winners Chelsea. Manchester United won the game 3–0 on penalties, after the match finished 1–1 after 90 minutes; the Community Shield...
. In competitive matches, Evra appeared in the club's first 12 matches. He missed his first match of the season 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 Dynamo Kyiv
FC Dynamo Kyiv
FC Dynamo Kyiv is a professional football club based in the Ukrainian capital city of Kyiv. Founded in 1927, the club currently participates in the Ukrainian Premier League and has spent its entire history in the top league of Soviet and later Ukrainian football...
in the Champions League after suffering a calf injury during warm-ups. Evra returned to the team a few days later for the team's league match against Arsenal. The rest paid off as he assisted on a Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, OIH, , commonly known as Cristiano Ronaldo, is a Portuguese footballer who plays as a winger or striker for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and is the captain of the Portuguese national team...
goal in the 82nd minute to give United a 2–1 lead. France international teammate William Gallas
William Gallas
William Eric Gallas is a French footballer who plays for Tottenham Hotspur.Gallas began his career in France, before being signed by English club Chelsea in 2001. He transferred to rivals Arsenal as part of an exchange deal in 2006...
later equalized for Arsenal to draw the match at 2–2. In the return leg against Dynamo Kyiv in the Champions League, Evra assisted on a goal in a 4–0 victory. Though he made 48 appearances in all competitions, Evra failed to score a goal. Manchester United clinched its second consecutive Premier League title on the final day, edging Chelsea by two points. The club later completed the 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...
after defeating the same club on penalties in the 2008 UEFA Champions League Final
2008 UEFA Champions League Final
The 2008 UEFA Champions League Final was a football match that took place on Wednesday, 21 May 2008 at 20:45 CEST . The match was played at the Luzhniki Stadium, in Moscow, Russia, to determine the winner of the 2007–08 UEFA Champions League...
. Evra made ten appearances in the competition, which included playing the entire 120 minutes in the final. After the season, on 12 June, he signed a four-year contract extension with Manchester United, a deal that was set to keep him at Old Trafford
Old Trafford
Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
until 2012.
2008–present
Prior to the start of the 2008–09 season, on 18 July 2008, Evra was charged with four separate counts of improper conduct by the FA. The charges were related to an incident that occurred during the 2007–08 season when Evra had an altercation with a Chelsea groundsman during a cool-down following a match on 26 April. The defender denied the charges and was supported by several members of the club’s staff who commented that the player was racially abused by the groundsman prior to the confrontation. Despite the charges, Evra remained free to play for United as the date for the hearings had not been set. He began the campaign in similar fashion to last season as Manchester United won the Community Shield following the team's 3–0 victory over PortsmouthPortsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
on penalties. Evra was ever-present in Manchester United's first 22 competitive matches of the season starting 19 of them. On 18 November, the hearing date for the charges was set for 5 December. On the date of the hearing, Evra was handed a four-match ban – due to start on 22 December 2008 – and a £15,000 fine after he was found guilty of improper conduct by the FA.
Despite the suspension, Evra still featured with Manchester United in December as the club participated in the 2008 FIFA Club World Cup
2008 FIFA Club World Cup
-Play-off for Quarter-finals:-Quarter-finals:-----Semi-finals:-----Match for fifth place:-Match for third place:-Final:-Scorers:3 goals Wayne Rooney...
. He appeared in both matches the team contested as United came out as champions after defeating Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
rian club LDU Quito in the final
2008 FIFA Club World Cup Final
The 2008 FIFA Club World Cup Final was the final match of the 2008 FIFA Club World Cup, a football tournament for the champion clubs from each of FIFA's six continental confederations. The match took place at the International Stadium of Yokohama, Japan, on 21 December 2008, and pitted South...
. Evra temporarily returned to the team domestically for its home match, coincidentally, against Chelsea on 11 January 2009. In the match, Evra assisted on the second goal in a 3–0 victory. He was later forced to leave the match due to a foot injury, which was later discovered to be serious. Evra missed a month and returned to the lineup on 15 February in a 3–0 shutout win over Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
. Evra subseqeuntly appeared in every remaining competitive match for United, excluding an April league match against Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
, as the club cruised to its third consecutive Premier League title, won the Football League Cup
2009 Football League Cup Final
The 2009 Football League Cup Final was the final match of the 2008–09 Football League Cup, the 49th season of the Football League Cup, a football competition for the 92 teams in the Premier League and The Football League...
, and reached the 2009 UEFA Champions League Final
2009 UEFA Champions League Final
The 2009 UEFA Champions League Final was played on 27 May 2009 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy. The match determined the winners of the 2008–09 season of the UEFA Champions League, a tournament for the top football clubs in Europe. The match was won by Barcelona of Spain, who beat England's...
after defeating league rivals Arsenal 4–1 on aggregate in the semi-finals. Following the second leg against Arsenal, Evra made a vocal statement. When asked his opinion of the team's 3–1 second leg victory, Evra declared "It was 11 men against 11 babies. We never doubted ourselves". The finals appearance marked Evra's third overall as Manchester United faced Barcelona. In the match, United were defeated 2–0 courtesy of goals in each half from the opposition. Following the season, Evra was included in the PFA Team of the Year for the second time.
For the first time in his career, in the 2009–10 season, Evra appeared in all 38 league matches. The campaign initially began badly for the player after Evra delivered a soft penalty shot, described by some in the media as "awful", in the team's penalty shootout defeat to Chelsea in the 2009 FA Community Shield
2009 FA Community Shield
The 2009 FA Community Shield was the 87th FA Community Shield, an annual football match contested by the winners of the previous season's Premier League and FA Cup competitions...
. Due to injuries to Rio Ferdinand
Rio Ferdinand
Rio Gavin Ferdinand is an English footballer. He plays at centre back for Manchester United in the Premier League and for the England national football team...
, Gary Neville
Gary Neville
Gary Alexander Neville is a former English footballer. He is England's most capped right-back and was Manchester United's club captain for five years....
and Ryan Giggs
Ryan Giggs
Ryan Joseph Giggs OBE is a Welsh professional footballer who plays for Manchester United. Giggs made his first appearance for the club during the 1990–91 season and has been a regular player since the 1991–92 season...
, he captained the team in several matches during the season wearing the armband for the first time in his Manchester United career in the team's 3–1 Champions League victory over VfL Wolfsburg
VfL Wolfsburg
VfL Wolfsburg is a professional German association football club based in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, who play in the Bundesliga football competition. Wolfsburg have won the Bundesliga once in their history, in the 2008–09 season, and were DFB-Pokal runners-up in 1995. The current head coach is Felix...
. In December 2009, Evra was among three Manchester United players named to the FIFPro World XI for the 2009 calendar year. In the following month, he was named to the UEFA Team of the Year
UEFA Team of the Year
The UEFA Team of the Year is a football award given by UEFA through a poll on its . This award started in 2001 to allow users and visitors of the organization's website to choose their own eleven players and a coach based on their overall performances in European club football and international...
. On 28 February 2010, Evra captained Manchester United to a 2–1 win against 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...
in the 2010 Football League Cup Final
2010 Football League Cup Final
The 2010 Football League Cup Final was the final match of the 2009–10 Football League Cup, the 50th season of the Football League Cup, a football competition for the 92 teams in the Premier League and The Football League. The match, played at Wembley Stadium on 28 February 2010, was won by...
. The league cup title was Evra's fourth overall as well as his first title earned as a captain. He also became only the second Frenchman after Eric Cantona
Eric Cantona
Eric Daniel Pierre Cantona is a French actor and former French international footballer. He played for Auxerre, Martigues, Marseille, Bordeaux, Montpellier, Nîmes and Leeds United before ending his professional footballing career at Manchester United, where he won four Premier League titles in...
to captain a Manchester United team to victory in a major competition. In league play, Manchester United failed to win its fourth straight league title conceding the honour to Chelsea. The club also failed to reach the UEFA Champions League final for the third straight season losing to German champions 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 quarterfinals.
Early on during the 2010–11 season
2010–11 in English football
The 2010–11 season was the 131st season of competitive football in England.The season began on 6 August 2010 for the Football Leagues, with the Premier League and Football Conference both starting eight days later on 14 August 2010. The Championship, League One, and League Two ended on 7 May...
, Evra was hampered by constant inquiries about what happened at 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...
from the French Football Federation
French Football Federation
The French Football Federation is the governing body of association football in France, as well as the overseas departments and territories . It was formed in 1919 and is based in the capital Paris...
, the French media, as well as the French government. Evra's contract with Manchester United was also up at the end of the 2011–12 season, which led to the player being linked with a move to Real Madrid. Evra's hearing with the federation in Paris, which he attended, was held the day after the team's opening 3–0 league win over Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
. Evra played over 85 minutes in the match. On 20 November, Evra scored his second Premier League goal in a 2–0 win at home against Wigan. On 21 February 2011, after weeks of negotiations, Evra signed a contract extension with Manchester United that is set to keep him with the club until at least the end of the 2013–14 season. Two days after signing his contract extension, Evra participated in United's 0–0 draw with 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 first leg of the team's first knockout round tie in the Champions League. The match, played at the Stade Vélodrome
Stade Vélodrome
The Stade Vélodrome is a football stadium in Marseille, France. It is home to the Olympique de Marseille football club of Ligue 1, and was a venue in the 1998 FIFA World Cup and the 2007 Rugby World Cup. It is the largest club-football ground in France, with a capacity of 60,031 spectators,...
in Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
, was Evra's first match played in France since the 2010 World Cup debacle. He was, subsequently, subject to a barrage of jeers and boos every time he touched the ball.
At the start of the 2011–12 season
2011–12 Manchester United F.C. season
The 2011–12 season is Manchester United's 20th season in the Premier League, and their 37th consecutive season in the top-flight of English football. United are defending Premier League champions, and will be aiming for an unprecedented 20th league title this season. Furthermore, they are competing...
, Evra helped United win the 2011 Community Shield
FA Community Shield
The Football Association Community Shield is English football's annual match contested between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium. If the Premier League champions also won the FA Cup then the league runners-up provide the opposition...
against Manchester City on 7 August. Despite being caught out in the first half by a header from Joleon Lescott
Joleon Lescott
Joleon Patrick Lescott is an English footballer who currently plays for Manchester City. He plays as a centre-back, though he has played in various other positions across the defensive line, in particular left-back....
and a long range Edin Džeko
Edin Džeko
Edin Džeko is a Bosnian footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Manchester City and the Bosnian national team. He was named Bosnian Footballer of the Year for 2009 and 2010...
strike that put City into a 2–0 lead, United rallied back in the second half and won 3–2 to claim the Shield. On 15 October, Evra captained Manchester United in the club's 1–1 draw away to Liverpool. Following the match, in an interview with French television channel Canal+
Canal+
Canal+ is a French premium pay television channel launched in 1984. It is 80% owned by the Canal+ Group, which in turn is owned by Vivendi SA. The channel broadcasts several kinds of programming, mostly encrypted...
, Evra asserted that Liverpool player Luis Suárez
Luis Suárez (Uruguayan footballer)
Luis Alberto Suárez Díaz , commonly known as Luis Suárez and nicknamed "El Pistolero" , is a Uruguayan footballer who plays for Liverpool and the Uruguayan national team...
had racially abused him multiple times during the match. He also stated that he had informed referee Andre Marriner
Andre Marriner
Andre Marriner is an English professional football referee who officiates in the Premier League. He is based in Sheldon, West Midlands.-Career:...
of the incidents at the conclusion of the match. The following day, the FA announced that it would investigate the claim, and on 17 November, the FA announced it would charge Suárez with "abusive and/or insulting words and/or behaviour contrary to FA rules", including "a reference to the ethnic origin and/or colour and/or race of Patrice Evra."
International career
Evra 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 played for 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...
. Due to harboring in Italy during his development years, he failed to earn call-ups with teams below the under-21 level. Evra earned his first call-up to the under-21 team under coach Raymond Domenech
Raymond Domenech
Raymond Domenech is a retired French footballer and the former manager of the France national team.-2006 World Cup:On 12 July 2004, Domenech was a surprise choice to succeed Jacques Santini after the country's disappointing exit from UEFA Euro 2004 by losing in the quarter-final match to the...
on 3 October 2002 for matches against Slovenia
Slovenia national under-21 football team
The Slovenia national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Slovenia and is controlled by the Football Association of Slovenia.-Current squad:...
and Malta. He made his under-21 debut in the match against Slovenia as France cruised to a 1–0 victory. Evra was forced to miss the match against Malta after suffering an injury in the win over Slovenia. The defender regularly appeared for the team through 2002–2004 as France attempted to qualify for both the 2004 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
2004 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
UEFA U-21 Championship 2004 was the 14th staging of UEFA's European Under-21 Football Championship. The final tournament was hosted by Germany between 27 May and 8 June 2004.Italy U-21s won the competition for the fifth time...
and the football tournament at the 2004 Summer Olympics. France failed to qualify for both competitions, which resulted in the end of Evra's youth career.
Evra earned his first call-up to the senior national 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...
in May 2004 after coach Jacques Santini named him to the 31-man preliminary squad to participate in UEFA Euro 2004. Following the trimming of the squad to 23 players, Evra was not included and subsequently missed out on the competition. Following the European Championship, with former under-21 coach Domenech now coaching the team, Evra was called up to the senior team for its friendly 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...
on 18 August 2004. The defender admitted that he was "very proud" to have been called up to the team. Evra made his senior international debut in the match against Bosnia and Herzegovina. He started on the left wing before being substituted out in the 75th minute for Robert Pirès
Robert Pirès
Robert Emmanuel Pirès is a former French international footballer. He is perhaps best known for his time with Arsenal, with whom he won three FA Cups and two FA Premier League titles including the club's famous unbeaten season of 2003–04...
. The match ended in a 1–1 draw. Due to an injury to starter Éric Abidal
Éric Abidal
Éric Sylvain Abidal is a French footballer who plays as a left or central defender for FC Barcelona and the France national team.-Club career:...
, Evra supplanted him and appeared as the starting left back in France's first two 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
A total of 197 teams entered the qualification process for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, competing for a total of 32 spots in the final tournament. Germany, as the host, qualified automatically, leaving 31 spots open for competition...
matches. After being called up for the team's March 2005 friendly against Switzerland
Switzerland national football team
The Swiss national football team is the national football team of Switzerland...
, Evra was forced to withdraw from the team due to injury. As a result, William Gallas
William Gallas
William Eric Gallas is a French footballer who plays for Tottenham Hotspur.Gallas began his career in France, before being signed by English club Chelsea in 2001. He transferred to rivals Arsenal as part of an exchange deal in 2006...
was inserted in the role as a makeshift left back. Following Abidal's return from injury and, due to Domenech preferring Mikaël Silvestre
Mikael Silvestre
Mikaël Samy Silvestre is a French international footballer. He plays as defender and is currently signed with Werder Bremen of the Bundesliga. He has also played for the French national team...
as the incumbent's backup, Evra went without a call-up for almost two years and, consequently, missed 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...
. In October 2007, the defender explained to 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...
that World Cup snub had "gave me my determination".
Evra returned to the team in November 2006 for the team's friendly match against Greece
Greece national football team
The Greece national football team represents Greece in association football and is controlled by the Hellenic Football Federation, the governing body for football in Greece. Greece's home ground is Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus and their head coach is Fernando Santos...
. He appeared as a half-time substitute for Abidal as France won the match 1–0. After going another year without representing France, Evra began appearing as a regular under Domenech in 2007. On 28 May 2008, he was included in the squad to participate in UEFA Euro 2008. Evra was initially placed onto the squad to serve as backup to Abidal, however, after failing to appear in the team's opening 0–0 draw with Romania
Romania national football team
The Romania national football team is the national football team of Romania and is controlled by the Romanian Football Federation.Romania is one of only four national teams, the other three being Brazil, France, and Belgium, that took part in the first three World Cups.However, after that...
, there were calls from the French media urging Domenech to insert Evra into the starting lineup at the behest of Abidal. Domenech relented and started Evra in the team's next match against the Netherlands
Netherlands national football team
The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
, which was a 4–1 defeat. In the must-win final group stage match against Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
, Evra started his second consecutive match. France lost 2–0 and were eliminated from the competition. Following the match, cameras witnessed Evra and team-mates Patrick Vieira
Patrick Vieira
Patrick Vieira is a retired French footballer of Senegalese descent who is the Football Development Executive at Manchester City....
and Abidal getting into an altercation in the tunnel. Vieira later stated that the video was shot after he got into an argument with a set of French supporters. A day after the team's elimination, Evra admitted his frustration to 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...
stating "I am someone who does not like losing but I'm not going to make excuses. We had three games in this Euro, we have not won one. It's even hard to believe, to say it's over now".
2010 FIFA World Cup
After Euro 2008, defending stalwart Lilian ThuramLilian Thuram
Lilian Thuram is a retired professional football defender and is the most capped player in the history of the France national team, and one of the twenty most capped players of all time.He played at the top flight in France, Italy and Spain for over 15 seasons, including ten in the Serie A with both...
retired from the team. To accommodate the player's retirement, Domenech decided to move Abidal into the centre back position, which allowed Evra to take over as the starting left back. In the team's first competitive match since Euro 2008 against Austria
Austria national football team
The Austria national football team is the association football team that represents the country of Austria in international competition and is controlled by the Austrian Football Association ....
, Evra assisted on France's only goal scored by Sidney Govou
Sidney Govou
Sidney Rodrigue Noukpo Govou is a French international footballer of Beninese descent who currently plays for Évian Thonon Gaillard FC. Govou is a naturally attacking player but rarely plays as a striker, he is more commonly deployed as a winger. His main attribute is his pace...
in a surprising 3–1 defeat. During the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
The qualification competition for the 2010 FIFA World Cup was a series of tournaments organised by the six FIFA confederations. Each confederation — the AFC , CAF , CONCACAF , CONMEBOL , OFC , and UEFA — was allocated a certain number of the 32 places at the tournament...
campaign, Evra participated in ten of the team's 12 matches, which included both legs in the team's playoff round win over the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland national football team
The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
. On 26 May 2010, Evra captained the national team for the first time in a friendly match against Costa Rica
Costa Rica national football team
The Costa Rica national football team, nicknamed La Sele, is the national team of Costa Rica and is controlled by the Federación Costarricense de Fútbol. Costa Rica is the third most successful team in CONCACAF after Mexico and the United States...
; France won the match 2–1. He was subsequently named the captain for 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...
ahead of 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 was relegated to the bench for the tournament. Evra bored the armband in the team's first two matches, a 0–0 draw with Uruguay
Uruguay national football team
The Uruguayan national football team represents Uruguay in international association football and is controlled by the Uruguayan Football Association, the governing body for football in Uruguay. The current head coach is Óscar Tabárez...
and a 2–0 loss to Mexico
Mexico national football team
The Mexican national football team represents Mexico in association football and is governed by the Mexican Football Federation , the governing body for football in Mexico. Mexico's home stadium is the Estadio Azteca and their head coach is José Manuel de la Torre...
. On 21 June, striker Nicolas Anelka
Nicolas Anelka
Abdul-Salam Bilal on 14 March 1979) is a French international footballer, who plays as a striker for English Premier League club Chelsea. Anelka was also a regular starter for the French national team...
was dismissed from the squad after reportedly having a dispute, in which obscenities were passed, with Domenech during half-time of the team's loss to Mexico. The resulting disagreement over Anelka's seclusion between the players, the coaching staff, and federation officials resulted in Evra leading a player protest against the decision on 20 June, in which the players refused to train. Prior to leading the revolt, Evra had gotten into a verbal argument with national team fitness coach Robert Duverne. The strike was denounced by the French Football Federation
French Football Federation
The French Football Federation is the governing body of association football in France, as well as the overseas departments and territories . It was formed in 1919 and is based in the capital Paris...
, as well as government officials. The following day, the players returned to training without incident. As a result of the mutiny, Evra was stripped of the captaincy and benched for the team's final group stage match against hosts South Africa
South Africa national football team
The South Africa national football team represents South Africa in association football and is controlled by the South African Football Association, the governing body for football in South Africa. South Africa's home ground is Soccer City, known as FNB Stadium due to a naming rights deal, in...
. France lost 2–1 and were knocked out of the competition.
Following the competition, former national team captain Lilian Thuram stated that Evra should be banned permanently from playing for the national team. His sentiments were later echoed by sports minister Chantal Jouanno
Chantal Jouanno
Chantal Jouanno is a French politician, Minister of Sport in the third government of François Fillon since 14 November 2010. She has been Secretary of State for Ecology in the French Government of François Fillon from 21 January 2009 to 14 November 2010...
who declared "I have nothing against Evra but, as a France player and especially captain, he did not defend the values of sport which are shared by the Republic. I am sure there exist other talents who have not sullied France and are waiting for the chance to write new history". On 6 August, Evra was one of five players summoned to attend a hearing held by the Disciplinary Committee of the French Football Federation in response to the team's strike held at the World Cup. On 17 August, he received a five-match international ban for his part in the incident.
Return
As a result of being captain, Evra bore the brunt of the criticism, however, despite the public ridicule, Evra maintained his stance regarding his future with the national team stating "I can’t see my future without the France team". On 17 March 2011, he was called up to the national team by new manager Laurent BlancLaurent 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 first time since the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He had been eligible to return to the team since the previous month after serving his five-match suspension, however, he was not called up to the team by Blanc with the manager citing sporting reasons as being why. Evra made his return to the team on 25 March in the team's 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 Luxembourg
Luxembourg national football team
The Luxembourg national football team is the national football team of Luxembourg, and is controlled by the Luxembourg Football Federation. The team play most of their home matches at the Stade Josy Barthel, in Luxembourg.- History :...
. He started the match and played the full 90 minutes in a 2–0 win. Four days later, Evra appeared on the bench in his first match at the Stade de France
Stade de France
The Stade de France is the national stadium of France, situated just north of Paris in the commune of Saint-Denis. It has an all-seater capacity of 80,000, making it the fifth largest stadium in Europe, and is used by both the France national football team and French rugby union team for...
since the World Cup, against 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
| Club | Season | League | CupIncludes cup competitions such as the 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... , 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... and 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... |
League CupIncludes league cup competitions such as 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... and the Football League Cup Football League Cup The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis... |
Europe | OtherIncludes other competitive competitions, including the FA Community Shield FA Community Shield The Football Association Community Shield is English football's annual match contested between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium. If the Premier League champions also won the FA Cup then the league runners-up provide the opposition... , UEFA Super Cup, 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 | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||||||||||
| Marsala S.C. Marsala 1912 Sport Club Marsala 1912 is an Italian association football club from the city of Marsala, Sicily. It was founded in 1912 and its official and historical colours are white and blue... |
1998–99 | 24 | 3 | 3 | 3 | – | – | – | 27 | 6 | ||||||||||||
| Total | 24 | 3 | 3 | 3 | |– | Monza A.C. Monza Brianza 1912 Associazione Calcio Monza Brianza 1912 is an Italian football club based in Monza, Lombardy.Founded in 1912, Monza currently plays in Lega Pro Prima Divisione group A, having last been in Serie B in 2000. Monza spent the last few years in Serie C1 and Serie C2.-History:Monza was founded on 1... | 1999–2000 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | 3 | 0 | ||||||
| Total | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |– | 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... | 2000–01 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 5 | 0 | |||||
| 2001–02 | 35 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 37 | 1 | ||||||||||||
| Total | 40 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |– | 42 | 1 | |||||||||||||
| AS 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... |
2002–03 | 36 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 41 | 2 | ||||||||||
| 2003–04 | 33 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | – | 47 | 0 | |||||||||||
| 2004–05 | 36 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | – | 52 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 2005–06 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | – | 23 | 0 | |||||||||||
| Total | 120 | 2 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 0 | Manchester United Manchester United F.C. Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958... | 2005–06 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 14 | 0 | |
| 2006–07 | 24 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 | – | 36 | 2 | |||||||||||
| 2007–08 | 33 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 48 | 0 | ||||||||||
| 2008–09 | 28 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 48 | 0 | ||||||||||
| 2009–10 | 38 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 51 | 0 | ||||||||||
| 2010–11 2010–11 Manchester United F.C. season The 2010–11 season was Manchester United's 19th season in the Premier League, and their 36th consecutive season in the top-flight of English football... |
35 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 48 | 1 | ||||||||||
| 2011–12 2011–12 Manchester United F.C. season The 2011–12 season is Manchester United's 20th season in the Premier League, and their 37th consecutive season in the top-flight of English football. United are defending Premier League champions, and will be aiming for an unprecedented 20th league title this season. Furthermore, they are competing... |
12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 0 | ||||||||||
| Total | 181 | 2 | 15 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 50 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 262 | 3 | ||||||||||
| Career total | 368 | 8 | 34 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 79 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 497 | 13 | ||||||||||
Statistics accurate as of match played 26 November 2011
International
- (Correct as of 11 October 2011)
National team Season Apps Goals 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...2004–05 5 0 2005–06 0 0 2006–07 1 0 2007–08 7 0 2008–09 7 0 2009–10 2009–10 in French footballThe 2009–10 season was the 77th season of competitive professional football in France.The season began on 7 August 2009 for the Championnat National and Ligue 2 and on 8 August for Ligue 1 and the Championnat de France amateur...12 0 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 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...4 0 Total 39 0
Club
Monaco- 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...
(1): 2002–03
Manchester United
- Premier League (4): 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–112010–11 Premier LeagueThe 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...
- Football League CupFootball League CupThe Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
(3): 2005–06, 2008–092009 Football League Cup FinalThe 2009 Football League Cup Final was the final match of the 2008–09 Football League Cup, the 49th season of the Football League Cup, a football competition for the 92 teams in the Premier League and The Football League...
, 2009–102010 Football League Cup FinalThe 2010 Football League Cup Final was the final match of the 2009–10 Football League Cup, the 50th season of the Football League Cup, a football competition for the 92 teams in the Premier League and The Football League. The match, played at Wembley Stadium on 28 February 2010, was won by... - FA Community ShieldFA Community ShieldThe Football Association Community Shield is English football's annual match contested between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium. If the Premier League champions also won the FA Cup then the league runners-up provide the opposition...
(4): 20072007 FA Community ShieldThe 2007 FA Community Shield was a football match played on 5 August 2007 between 2006–07 Premier League champions Manchester United and 2006–07 FA Cup winners Chelsea. Manchester United won the game 3–0 on penalties, after the match finished 1–1 after 90 minutes; the Community Shield...
, 20082008 FA Community ShieldThe 2008 FA Community Shield was a football match played on 10 August 2008 between 2007–08 Premier League champions Manchester United and 2007–08 FA Cup winners Portsmouth as the "curtain-raiser" to the 2008–09 English football season...
, 20102010 FA Community ShieldThe 2010 FA Community Shield was the 88th FA Community Shield, an annual football match contested by the winners of the previous season's Premier League and FA Cup competitions. The match was played at Wembley Stadium, London, on 8 August 2010, and contested by league and cup double winners Chelsea...
, 20112011 FA Community ShieldThe 2011 FA Community Shield was the 89th FA Community Shield, an annual football match contested by the winners of the previous season's Premier League and FA Cup competitions. The match was the 160th Manchester derby between Manchester United and Manchester City and played at Wembley Stadium,... - UEFA Champions LeagueUEFA Champions LeagueThe 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...
(1): 2007–082008 UEFA Champions League FinalThe 2008 UEFA Champions League Final was a football match that took place on Wednesday, 21 May 2008 at 20:45 CEST . The match was played at the Luzhniki Stadium, in Moscow, Russia, to determine the winner of the 2007–08 UEFA Champions League... - FIFA Club World CupFIFA Club World CupThe 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...
(1): 20082008 FIFA Club World Cup FinalThe 2008 FIFA Club World Cup Final was the final match of the 2008 FIFA Club World Cup, a football tournament for the champion clubs from each of FIFA's six continental confederations. The match took place at the International Stadium of Yokohama, Japan, on 21 December 2008, and pitted South...
Individual
- UNFP 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....
Young Player of the Year (1): 2003–04 - UNFP 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 (1): 2003–04 - PFA Premier League Team of the YearPFA Team of the YearThe Professional Footballers' Association Team of the Year is an annual award given to a set of 44 footballers in the top four tiers of English football; the Premier League, the Championship, League One and League Two, whom are seen to be deserving of being named in a "Team of the Year".The award...
(3): 2006–07, 2008–09, 2009–10 - FIFPro World XI (1): 2009
- UEFA Team of the YearUEFA Team of the YearThe UEFA Team of the Year is a football award given by UEFA through a poll on its . This award started in 2001 to allow users and visitors of the organization's website to choose their own eleven players and a coach based on their overall performances in European club football and international...
(1): 2009
External links
- Profile at ManUtd.com
- Profile at StretfordEnd.co.uk
- Premier League profile