Samir Nasri
Encyclopedia
Samir Nasri is a French international footballer who plays for English
club Manchester City
in the Premier League and the France national team
. He primarily plays as an attacking midfielder and a winger, although he has also been deployed in central midfield. Nasri is known for his technical ability, creativity, pace, and ability to read the game. Of Algeria
n heritage
, he is described as a player whose "vision and imagination make him an unpredictable opponent". His playing style, ability, and cultural background have drawn comparisons to French legend Zinedine Zidane
.
Nasri began his football career playing for local youth clubs in his hometown of Marseille
. At the age of nine, he joined professional club Olympique de Marseille
and spent the next seven years developing in the club's youth academy at La Commanderie
, the club's training center. In the 2004–05 season, Nasri made his professional debut in September 2004 at the age of 17 against Sochaux
. In the following season, he became a regular starter in the team and also participated in European competition
for the first time after playing in the 2005–06 edition of the UEFA Cup
. In the 2006–07 campaign, Nasri won the National Union of Professional Footballers (UNFP) Young Player of the Year award and was also named to the Team of the Year. He finished his career with Marseille amassing over 160 appearances. He played in the teams that reached back-to-back Coupe de France
finals in 2006 and 2007. In June 2008, Nasri joined Premier League club Arsenal agreeing to a four-year contract. He reached prominence with the team in his third season winning the Professional Footballers' Association
(PFA) Fans' Player of the Month award on three occasions and being named to the association's Team of the Year
. In December 2010, he was named the French Player of the Year for his performances during the calendar year. In August 2011, after three seasons with Arsenal, Nasri joined Manchester City on a four-year contract.
Samir Nasri is a former French youth international
and has represented his nation at every level for which he was eligible. Prior to playing for the senior team
, he played in the under-17 team
that won the 2004 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship
. Nasri made his senior international debut in March 2007 in a friendly match against Austria
. Two months later, he netted his first senior international goal in a 1–0 UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying win over Georgia
. Nasri has represented France at one major international tournament: UEFA Euro 2008.
, a northern suburb in the city of Marseille
, to French nationals of Algeria
n descent. His mother, Ouassila, and father, Hamid, were both born in France; his father being born and raised in Marseille, while his mother being from nearby Salon-de-Provence
. Nasri's grandparents emigrated to France from Algeria. His mother is a housewife
and his father previously worked as a bus driver
before becoming his son's personal manager. Nasri is the eldest of four children and is a non-practising Muslim. He has a younger sister named Sonia and twin brothers named Walid and Malik. All four were raised in La Gavotte Peyret. After joining Arsenal in England, Nasri settled in Hampstead
, a town situated in North London. He is currently in a relationship with tennis player Tatiana Golovin
.
where he learned many of his skill
s. Upon noticing his prodigious talent, his parents signed him up to play with the local club in his hometown. Nasri spent one year playing with the club in La Gavotte Peyret before moving to Pennes Mirabeau in nearby Mirabeau
at the age of seven. While playing with Pennes, Nasri was discovered by Marseille scout Freddy Assolen who had been informed of the player's talent through local word of mouth
. After noticing Nasri's skill in person, Assolen recruited the player to travel with a group of other young players to Italy to participate in a youth tournament where they would play against the youth academies of Milan
and Juventus
. Nasri impressed at the tournament and Assolen was jokingly told by a Milan scout that "he (Nasri) stays here, you leave him". After returning to France, Marseille officials organized a meeting with the player's father and the group agreed to allow Nasri insertion into the club's academy at the age of nine.
. He appeared primarily as a substitute in a few matches during the campaign as the reserve team failed to rebound from its bad start to the season, which resulted in a 16th place finish and relegation to the Championnat de France amateur 2.
, Chelsea
, Liverpool
, and Newcastle
. In an effort to decrease the speculation, Nasri was offered a three-year professional contract by Marseille officials led by president Pape Diouf
and manager José Anigo
. On 13 August 2004, Nasri agreed to the contract. Marseille officials had been eager to sign Nasri to a contract in an attempt to not undergo a situation similar to the departure of Mathieu Flamini
, in which the player departed the club without Marseille receiving any compensation. As a result of his professsional contract, Nasri was promoted to the senior team by Anigo and assigned the number 22 shirt. He began the season playing on the club's reserve team and appeared in four matches before earning a call up to the senior team in September 2004. Nasri made his professional debut on 12 September in a 2–0 league defeat to Sochaux
appearing as a substitute for Bruno Cheyrou
. On 17 October, he made his first professional start playing the entire match in a 1–1 draw with Saint-Étienne
. Nasri featured heavily within the team under Anigo and later Philippe Troussier
. In the team's first match following the winter break, he scored his first professional goal in a 2–1 away victory over Lille
. Nasri finished his rookie campaign with 25 total appearances, one goal, and two assists.
and Djibril Cissé
; the latter arriving after having a successful loan stint with the club the previous season. Nasri, who was now given a more prominent role within the team by new manager Jean Fernandez
, formed impressive partnerships with the two along with lead striker
Mamadou Niang
. He appeared in 49 total matches, which included appearances in both the UEFA Cup
and the UEFA Intertoto Cup
. Nasri made his European debut on 16 July 2005 in the first round of the 2005 UEFA Intertoto Cup against Swiss
club BSC Young Boys
. Marseille won the first leg 3–2. In the second leg, Nasri scored his first European goal in a 2–1 win. Marseille ultimately won the competition after beating Spanish outfit Deportivo de La Coruña
5–3 on aggregate. In the league, Nasri appeared in 30 matches, 25 as a starter. He scored his only league goal of the season on 29 April 2007 in a 4–2 win over Sochaux. In the Coupe de France
, Nasri appeared in five matches as Marseille reached the final of the competition where the club faced Le Classique
rivals Paris Saint-Germain. Nasri appeared as a substitute in the match as Marseille were defeated 2–1. Following the season, Nasri signed a two-year contract extension with the club until 2009.
, his fourth different manager in three years. Despite this, Marseille's now heightened popularity saw increased speculation from writers and supporters that the club would finally win its first league title since the 1991–92 season. Nasri began the season on a quick note scoring the second goal in the team's 3–1 win over Paris Saint-Germain in September 2006. On 29 April 2007, Nasri scored a goal in Marseille's 4–2 hammering of Sochaux. Marseille were due to face the same club in the 2007 Coupe de France Final just days later and were, subsequently, heavy favorites as a result of the team's two-goal victory in the previous match. However, Sochaux recorded an upset victory defeating Marseille 5–4 on penalties after the match ended 2–2 following extra time. On the final match day of the season, Nasri converted the only goal in a 1–0 win over Sedan
. The victory secured 2nd place for Marseille and was the club's best finish since finishing runner-up to Bordeaux in the 1998–99 season. Nasri finished the season with a career-high 50 appearances, 37 of them in the league. For his efforts, he was awarded the UNFP Young Player of the Year award and named to the Team of the Year. Nasri was also voted the Club Player of the Year by supporters, receiving 62% of the votes ahead of the likes of Ribéry and Niang.
Eric Gerets. Due to the departure of Ribéry to Bayern Munich
, Gerets installed Nasri as the focal point of the attack and he responding by having his best season at the club. He appeared in 42 total matches scoring a career-high six goals and also assisting on a career-high 15 goals. Nasri formed partnerships in the midfield with winger Mathieu Valbuena
and midfielders Lorik Cana
and Benoît Cheyrou
as Marseille boasted the third-best attack in the league behind champions Lyon
and Bordeaux
, who finished 1st and 2nd in the league, respectively. Nasri, initially, struggled during the infancy of the campaign due to dealing with the effects of a severely sprained ankle suffered in the pre-season. He failed to score a goal or provide an assist in the team's first eight league matches. On 24 November 2007, he assisted on two goals in a 2–0 victory over Metz
. Nasri closed out the fall season by assisting on the equalizing goal in a 2–2 draw with Bordeaux and making the final pass on the game-winning goal against Le Mans.
Following the winter break, Nasri's goal-scoring began to take form. In late January, he scored goals in back-to-back matches against Nancy
and Caen. In European competition, Nasri participated in the UEFA Champions League
for the first time in his career, however he failed to make an impact in the four group stage matches he appeared in. He missed the club's upset victory over Liverpool at Anfield
due to dealing with a bout of meningitis
. Marseille ultimately finished the group in third place, which resulted in the team qualifying for the Round of 32 of the UEFA Cup. The club was defeated in the Round of 16 by Russia
n club Zenit Saint Petersburg
despite being up 3–1 heading into the second leg. Of those three goals Marseille scored in the first leg, Nasri assisted on two of them. On 16 March 2008, Nasri scored a goal in a 3–3 draw with Lens
. A month later, he scored the game-winning goal in a 2–1 victory over Metz. In his final match with Marseille against Strasbourg
, Nasri scored a goal and assisted on another in a 4–3 victory. Marseille finished the league campaign in 3rd place, which resulted in the club qualifying for the UEFA Champions League for the second consecutive season. On 8 May 2008, with all the transfer speculation surrounding the player, Nasri surprised many by signing a three-year contract extension with the club until 2012.
. Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger
had been tracking Nasri since watching him play at the 2004 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship
. It was later revealed that the contract extension Nasri signed with Marseille was simply protocol to allow Marseille to get a higher transfer fee for the player. The Bouches-du-Rhône
-based club was seeking £14 million for the young midfielder. Ahead of UEFA Euro 2008, both Nasri's agent and Wenger admitted that offers were made for the player and that a move to the English club was imminent. The deal was ultimately concluded following the competition on 11 July 2008 with Nasri agreeing to a four-year contract. The transfer fee was undisclosed, but has been purported to be in the region of £12 million. Upon arriving to the club, Nasri admitted that Wenger was one of the primary reasons for him joining the club stating "The fact that Arsène Wenger gives great opportunities to young players is very important for me. Arsène has a great reputation and he is one of the best managers in the world".
Nasri was given the number 8 shirt and made his club debut on 30 July 2008 in a friendly match against German club VfB Stuttgart
in a 3–1 win. He made his Premier League debut in the team's first game of the season on 16 August 2008 against West Bromwich Albion
. In the match, Nasri scored his first league goal scoring with a close range effort, after four minutes in a 1–0 victory. As a result of his debut goal, he became the 83rd player in Premier League history to score on his league debut and the 22nd Arsenal player. On 27 August, Nasri scored his second goal for the club in the team's 2008–09 UEFA Champions League third round qualifying second leg tie against Dutch
club Twente
. Arsenal won the match 4–0 and the tie 6–0 on aggregate. After dealing with injuries for the most of September, Nasri return to form in October scoring his third goal of the season in a 3–1 win over Everton
. On 8 November, Nasri scored both of Arsenal's goals in a 2–1 win over Manchester United
.
Following his performance against Manchester United, Nasri struggled to make an impact with the team statistics-wise failing to score a goal or provide an assist in the team's next four matches. On 21 December, he assisted on the opening goal scored by Robin van Persie
in the team's 1–1 draw with Liverpool
. Nasri returned to his scoring form in the new year. On 17 January 2009, he scored the second goal in the club's 3–1 win over Hull City
at the KC Stadium
. It took Nasri another two months to score another goal, which came in Arsenal's 3–1 away win against Newcastle United. He finished his first campaign at Arsenal appearing in 44 matches, scoring seven goals, and providing five assists.
, Nasri suffered a broken leg
. The injury required two to three months of rest and, as a result, Nasri missed the opening of the 2009–10 Premier League season. He made his debut late in the campaign on 25 October 2009 in a Football League Cup
tie against Liverpool. Nasri played the entire match in a 2–1 win. On 4 November, he scored his first goal of the season in the team's Champions League group stage match against Dutch outfit AZ. Three weeks later, Nasri converted another Champions League goal, this time against Belgium club Standard Liège
in a 2–0 win. He featured heavily with the team during the winter months and he ended the 2009 calendar year by scoring a goal and providing an assist 4–1 win over Portsmouth
away at Fratton Park
.
After going nearly two months without scoring a goal, Nasri marked his goal-scoring return in emphatic fashion in the team's 5–0 second leg victory over Portuguese
club Porto in the Round of 16 of the Champions League knockout stage. The goal, described by English newspaper The Guardian
columnist David Lacey as "reminiscent of a lost art in British football", showcased Nasri's dribbling, as well as his individuality. Upon receiving the ball on the right wing from midfielder
Abou Diaby
, Nasri dribbled through and past three Porto players in a small area of space before bringing the ball past wingback Álvaro Pereira
and driving it across the goalkeeper, sending the ball in off the far post. Nasri goal was subsequently compared by the English media to similar goals that occurred in the country. Three weeks later, after appearing as a substitute in the second half, Nasri scored the opening goal against Birmingham City
. Birmingham later equalized through a late goal from Kevin Phillips
. The draw ended a string of seven consecutive league victories for Arsenal and Wenger admitted that the draw "was a big blow for our chances (of winning the league)". In the team's final seven league matches, Nasri failed to contribute goals to the team, but did assisted on goals in a 3–2 loss to Wigan
and a 4–0 home win over Fulham
. Arsenal ultimately finished the campaign in 3rd place. Nasri concluded his second season at Arsenal appearing 34 games scoring five goals and issuing the same amount of assists.
, Nasri admitted that he was determined to re-capture his form that resulted in Arsenal signing him two years prior. He also admitted that he did not take missing out on the 2010 FIFA World Cup
well stating "When I discovered that I wasn't part of the squad for the World Cup, I got a big slap in the face." However, after speaking to Wenger, who informed him that he should used the non-callup as motivation, he was reassured. Nasri started the campaign well. He was named in Arsenal's starting line-up to play against Liverpool for the first match of the season on 15 August 2010. Nasri played the entire match in a 1–1 draw. After the match, Arsenal confirmed that Nasri had suffered a knee injury that would keep him out for a month. However, the player returned to the team after just three matches helping Arsenal defeat Portuguese outfit Sporting Braga 6–0 in the Champions League on his return. On 21 September, Nasri scored a double in the club's 4–1 extra time victory over North London derby
rivals Tottenham Hotspur
. Both goals were converted from the penalty spot. Fours days later, Nasri scored another double in a 3–2 home defeat to West Brom.
Nasri continued his fine form as season wore on. In the club's Champions League group stage tie against Serbia
n club FK Partizan
, he assisted on a Sébastien Squillaci
goal in the team's 3–1 victory. In October 2010, Nasri went on a streak, in which he scored goals in three straight matches. He started the streak by converting a penalty in a 2–1 win over Birmingham City. In the club's following match against Ukrainian
competitors Shakhtar Donetsk
, Nasri scored on a left-footed volley in a 5–1 victory. He also assisted on a goal in the match. Against Manchester City
five days later, he scored the first goal and set up the third in a 3–0 victory. As a result of his performances in October 2010, Nasri was named the PFA
Fans' Player of the Month. In November, Nasri was on the score-sheet again netting the opener in a 3–2 defeat to Tottenham. A week later, he scored a volley in a 4–2 win over Aston Villa
.
On 4 December, Nasri scored two goals against Fulham to give Arsenal a 2–1 win. The victory placed Arsenal at the top of the league table. The two goals were Nasri's seventh and eighth goals, respectively, in the league and his tenth and 11th overall. Just four days later, Nasri scored a goal in Arsenal's vital last group game against Partizan. Arsenal won the match 3–1. On 13 December, for his performances during the 2010 calendar year, Nasri was named the France Football
French Player of the Year beating out Chelsea
midfielder
Florent Malouda
and Lyon
goalkeeper Hugo Lloris
. He is the first Arsenal player to achieve the honour since Thierry Henry
in 2006. Nasri was also rewarded domestically for his performances in December winning the Fans' Player of the Month for the second time in the season and, also, capturing the club's monthly award. He won the award for the second consecutive month in January.
Nasri scored his 13th goal of the season in the 3–0 win against Birmingham City on New Year's Day 2011. In the FA Cup
, Nasri scored his first-ever goal in the competition in a 3–1 win over Leeds United in the third round. On 30 January 2011, Nasri was forced to leave the team's fourth round FA Cup tie against Huddersfield Town
due to a hamstring injury. He, subsequently, missed two weeks and returned to the team ahead of its Champions League knockout round tie with Spanish champions Barcelona. In the first leg, Nasri assisted on the game-winning goal scored by Andrei Arshavin. Arsenal won the match 2–1, but loss the tie 4–3 on aggregate after suffering a 3–1 defeat at the Nou Camp in the second leg. On 8 April, Nasri was nominated for both the PFA Players' Player of the Year
and PFA Young Player of the Year
awards. He lost out on both awards to Tottenham midfielder Gareth Bale
and teammate Jack Wilshere
, respectively, but was given consolation with an appearance on the association's Team of the Year
. On 20 April 2011, Nasri scored his 15th goal of the season with a powerful shot outside the penalty area against Tottenham Hotspur.
. The transfer fee was priced in the region of £25 million and the player signed a four-year contract. Nasri was assigned the number 19 shirt and made his club debut on 28 August in a league fixture away to Tottenham Hotspur. In the match, he assisted on three goals as Manchester City cruised to a 5–1 win. In the team's next match following the September international break, Nasri assisted on one of Sergio Agüero
's three goals in a 3–0 win over Wigan Athletic
. On 1 October, he scored his first goal for the club netting the third goal in a 4–0 victory. Nasri also assisted on two goals in the match.
for which he was eligible. He is a member of the group, commonly known as the Génération 1987, that produced current internationals Hatem Ben Arfa
, Karim Benzema
, and Jérémy Menez
, alongside himself. With the under-16 team
, Nasri made 16 appearances scoring eight goals. Of the four players, Nasri was the first player to become a regular starter in the team under coach François Blaquart and made his debut in the team's opening match of the campaign against Spain
. France won the match 3–0. Nasri scored his first goal for the team on 29 October in its first group stage match against Sweden
at the Tournio du Val-de-Marne. On 11 December, Nasri scored the opening goal in the team's 6–1 exhibition thrashing of Greece
. At the 2003 Aegean Cup in Turkey
, he scored two goals in four matches as France finished the competition in third place. Nasri scored in the team's second group stage match against Israel
, a 3–1 win. In the next group stage match, he scored a goal in 5–0 win over the Ukraine
. In the third place match against Belgium, Nasri assisted on a goal scored by Ben Arfa. At the Tournio de Montaigu
, Nasri scored his only goal in the team's 8–0 win over Gabon
in the team's opening group match. France finished the competition runner-up to Italy
who defeated France 5–1 in the final match.
At under-17 level
, Nasri, Menez, and Ben Arfa were joined by Karim Benzema and tasked with the goal of winning the 2004 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship
on home soil. Nasri made his debut with the team in the opening match of the season against Sweden
netting a goal in a 5–2 victory. In the team's second straight yearly appearance at the Tournio du Val-de-Marne, Nasri scored his lone goal in the competition against the United States in a 2–0 win as France were declared champions without conceding a goal. At the 2004 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship, Nasri contributed to the team by scoring the equalizing goal against Portugal
in the competition's semi-finals. France went on to win the match 3–1 to earn a place in the final. In the final match, France faced Spain
. In the match, Nasri scored the game-winning goal just a minute from time to give France its first-ever title in the competition. In total with the under-17s, he made 16 appearances and scored six goals. Due to increased playing time at his parent club Marseille, Nasri stint with the under-18 team
was uneventful appearing in only four matches.
The foursome of Nasri, Ben Arfa, Benzema, and Menez returned to international play together for under-19
duty. The four were joined by Issiar Dia
, Blaise Matuidi
, and Serge Gakpé
with the objective of winning the 2006 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship
. The team opened the campaign with two friendly matches against Norway
. Over the course of the two matches, Nasri scored two goals: one in a 4–0 win and another in a 5–0 victory. In the first round of qualification for the tournament, Nasri assisted on two goals in the team's 3–1 win over Wales
. In the team's next group stage match against San Marino
, he scored the third goal in a 3–0 victory. In the final group match against Austria
, Nasri scored the opening goal and provided the assist on a Benzema goal in a 2–0 win. In the final round of qualification, Nasri went scoreless. However, despite finishing the round undefeated, France were eliminated after being beaten on points by Scotland
. Nasri earned his first call up to the under-21 team
under coach René Girard
in the team's first match following the 2006 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
against Belgium
. He started the match and was replaced at half-time by Florent Sinama Pongolle. He featured in qualification matches
for the 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
and appeared as a substitute in both legs of the team's surprising defeat to Israel in the qualifying playoffs. Despite still being eligible to represent the team until 2009, his appearance in the second leg defeat to Israel was Nasri's last with the team.
for UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying match against Lithuania
and a friendly against Austria
. Nasri admitted that he was "very happy and very proud" to be called into the national team and revealed that the fact that he was called up for an important European championship qualifier made the selection more rewarding. He appeared on the bench in the match against Lithuania, but failed to make an appearance. Nasri made his international debut on 28 March against Austria at the age of 19. He started the match and assisted on the only goal after delivering a free kick
low into the box that youth international teammate Benzema converted. Nasri returned to the team in June for matches and, on 6 June, scored his first international goal in a 1–0 Euro qualifying win over Georgia
. On 16 November, Nasri scored his second international goal in a friendly match against Morocco
. As a result of his performances domestically and with the national team, he was named to the 23-man squad to participate in UEFA Euro 2008. Nasri made his debut in the tournament on 9 June 2008 in the team's opening group stage match against Romania
appearing as a substitute. He did not appear in the team's 4–1 loss to the Netherlands
, but did appear in the team's final group stage match against Italy
. Nasri appeared as a substitute for the injured Franck Ribéry in the tenth minute. Following defender's Éric Abidal
's red card
in the 24th minute, Nasri was taken out of the match in order for defender Jean-Alain Boumsong
to take Abidal's spot in the lineup.
In November 2008, Nasri, among several other young players in the team, was accused of being insolent during the team's campaign at the European Championship. The accusation came from domestic teammate William Gallas
who inserted the charge in his autobiography. Though the accused was unnamed in the book, following its release, the player became widely identified as Nasri. Gallas used an example of Nasri's insolence for when the young player sat in Thierry Henry
's seat on the team bus and refused to move, which, according to Gallas, was undermining the striker's seniority. The incident ultimately led to a verbal exchange between Nasri and Gallas during a training session. In response, Nasri played down the incident stating that Gallas was overreacting to a problem that did not exist. In 2010, after failing to make the World Cup squad, he opened up about the situation stating that during Gallas' final year at Arsenal, he is one of "four or five" Arsenal players who did not speak to the defender. The feud culminated on 20 November 2010 when Nasri lived up to a pledge that he would not shake the hand of Gallas, who was now playing for Tottenham, during the pre-match festivities.
In the 2008–09 season, Nasri appeared in only three matches with the national team. After playing against Lithuania on 28 March 2009, the midfielder failed to represent France for the almost a year and a half. During the 2009–10 season, after constant failed selections, Nasri grew weary of his chances of appearing with the team at the 2010 FIFA World Cup
. In the end, he didn't appear with the team failing to make the 23-man squad or even the preliminary squad. Nasri admitted that he took the non-call up hard recalling "Not being one of those 23 names, it was difficult." The player also viewed the non-invite from a positive perspective stating "But maybe it was for the best in the end, and not just because France had a horrible World Cup. It helped me as a person. I told myself I need to work harder, to make sure I don’t miss the next one."
Nasri returned to the national team under the reign of new coach Laurent Blanc
for the team's friendly against Norway on 11 August 2010. He missed the September call ups due to injury before returning to the team in October for UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying
matches against Romania and Luxembourg
. On 25 March 2011, Nasri captained the national team for the first time in its 2–0 Euro qualification win over Luxembourg. He provided the assist on the opening goal scored by Philippe Mexès
. In the team's final Euro qualifier against Bosnia and Herzegovina
, Nasri scored the equalizing goal converting a penalty shot in a 1–1 draw. The stalemate qualified France for UEFA Euro 2012.
inserted Nasri into the playmaker
role, where his vision, technical skill, and ability to read and understand the game suited him. Since that season, Nasri has been primarily deployed in the position or as a central attacking midfielder at both club and international level. The player has personally admitted that playing centrally is his preference. However, as a result of his versatility, Nasri can also function on the wing and has spent the majority of his career at Arsenal occupying the role in the team's 4–3–3 formation. His close control with the ball, speed, dribbling, crossing, and ability to use both feet suits the position well, which has resulted in manager Arsène Wenger utilizing Nasri in the role since his arrival to the club in 2008. Nasri often featured centrally for Arsenal in the absence of former club captain Cesc Fàbregas
.
In 2009, in order to accommodate the arrival of Russia
n attacker Andrei Arshavin, it was recommended by both Wenger and former national team coach Raymond Domenech that Nasri revert back to his role as a deep-lying midfielder so the player could showcase his underrated defensive abilities. Nasri is also an underrated direct free kick and penalty kick taker. The player had previously developed a superstition
with regards to taking spot kicks, but conquered the issue after successfully converting two penalties in the team's Carling Cup victory over Tottenham in 2010. Wenger describes Nasri as a "young, quick and technically outstanding player". He is described in a similar fashion by club scout Gilles Grimandi
who states that Nasri is "a fantastic athlete, he's quick, flexible and good with his feet". Nasri's playing style, ability, and cultural background have drawn comparisons to French legend Zinedine Zidane
. After joining Arsenal and excelling on the wing, the English media began comparing him to former club player Robert Pirès
. Nasri has often attempted to disassociate himself from the two players, particularly the former player stating "There's only one Zidane, just as there was only one Platini
".
Marseille
France
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
club 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 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...
. He primarily plays as an attacking midfielder and a winger, although he has also been deployed in central midfield. Nasri is known for his technical ability, creativity, pace, and ability to read the game. Of Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
n heritage
Cultural heritage
Cultural heritage is the legacy of physical artifacts and intangible attributes of a group or society that are inherited from past generations, maintained in the present and bestowed for the benefit of future generations...
, he is described as a player whose "vision and imagination make him an unpredictable opponent". His playing style, ability, and cultural background have drawn comparisons to French legend Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Yazid Zidane is a retired French footballer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. Zidane was a leading figure of a generation of French players that won the 1998 World Cup and 2000 European Championship...
.
Nasri began his football career playing for local youth clubs in his hometown of 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...
. At the age of nine, he joined professional club Olympique de 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...
and spent the next seven years developing in the club's youth academy at La Commanderie
Centre d'entraînement Robert Louis-Dreyfus
The Centre d'entraînement Robert Louis-Dreyfus, commonly referred to, simply, as La Commanderie, is the training ground and Academy base of french football club, Olympique de Marseille. Located in Marseille, the center was officially opened in July 1991...
, the club's training center. In the 2004–05 season, Nasri made his professional debut in September 2004 at the age of 17 against 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 following season, he became a regular starter in the team and also participated 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 after playing in the 2005–06 edition of the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
. In the 2006–07 campaign, Nasri won the National Union of Professional Footballers (UNFP) Young Player of the Year award and was also named to the Team of the Year. He finished his career with Marseille amassing over 160 appearances. He played in the teams that reached back-to-back 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...
finals in 2006 and 2007. In June 2008, Nasri joined Premier League club Arsenal agreeing to a four-year contract. He reached prominence with the team in his third season winning 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) Fans' Player of the Month award on three occasions and being named to the association's 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...
. In December 2010, he was named the French Player of the Year for his performances during the calendar year. In August 2011, after three seasons with Arsenal, Nasri joined Manchester City on a four-year contract.
Samir Nasri is a former French youth international
France national youth football team
The France national youth football team are the national under-20, under-19, under-18, under-17 and under-16 football teams of France and are controlled by the Fédération Française de Football. The youth teams of France participate in tournaments sanctioned by both FIFA and UEFA and also...
and has represented his nation at every level for which he was eligible. Prior to playing for the senior team
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
, he played in the under-17 team
France national under-17 football team
The France national under-17 football team is the national under-17 football team of France and is controlled by the French Football Federation. The team competes in the annual UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship and the FIFA U-17 World Cup, which is held every four years...
that won the 2004 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship
2004 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship
-Group B:---------------------Semifinals:-----Third Place Playoff:-Final:-References:**...
. Nasri made his senior international debut in March 2007 in a friendly match 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 ....
. Two months later, he netted his first senior international goal in a 1–0 UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying win over Georgia
Georgia national football team
The Georgia national football team is the national association football team of Georgia and is controlled by the Georgian Football Federation. The Georgian team's first match took place in 1990, while Georgia was still part of the Soviet Union. The team have attempted to qualify for each major...
. Nasri has represented France at one major international tournament: UEFA Euro 2008.
Personal life
Nasri was born in the town of La Gavotte Peyret in Septèmes-les-VallonsSeptèmes-les-Vallons
Septèmes-les-Vallons is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
, a northern suburb in the city of 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...
, to French nationals of Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
n descent. His mother, Ouassila, and father, Hamid, were both born in France; his father being born and raised in Marseille, while his mother being from nearby Salon-de-Provence
Salon-de-Provence
Salon-de-Provence is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France. It is the location of an important air base.-History:Salon was a Gallo-Roman oppidum well positioned on the salt trade routes between Adriatic, Atlantic and Mediterranean seas, hence its name...
. Nasri's grandparents emigrated to France from Algeria. His mother is a housewife
Housewife
Housewife is a term used to describe a married woman with household responsibilities who is not employed outside the home. Merriam Webster describes a housewife as a married woman who is in charge of her household...
and his father previously worked as a bus driver
Bus driver
A bus driver, bus operator or omnibus driver is a person who drives buses professionally. Bus drivers typically drive their vehicles between bus stations or stops. They often drop off and pick up passengers on a predetermined route schedule. In British English a different term, coach drivers, is...
before becoming his son's personal manager. Nasri is the eldest of four children and is a non-practising Muslim. He has a younger sister named Sonia and twin brothers named Walid and Malik. All four were raised in La Gavotte Peyret. After joining Arsenal in England, Nasri settled in Hampstead
Hampstead
Hampstead is an area of London, England, north-west of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Camden in Inner London, it is known for its intellectual, liberal, artistic, musical and literary associations and for Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland...
, a town situated in North London. He is currently in a relationship with tennis player Tatiana Golovin
Tatiana Golovin
Tatiana Golovin is an inactive French professional tennis player. She is best known for her explosive forehand, which was said to be one of the best at the time. She notably won the 2004 French Open mixed doubles event with Richard Gasquet, and reached the singles quarterfinal at the 2006 U.S....
.
Early career
While growing up in La Gavotte Peyret, Nasri grew an attraction to the sport of football at a young age. He regularly played the sport on the streetsStreet football
The term street football encompasses a number of informal varieties of association football. These informal games do not necessarily utilise the requirements of a formal game of football, such as a large field, field markings, goal apparatus and corner flags, eleven players per team , or match...
where he learned many of his skill
Skill
A skill is the learned capacity to carry out pre-determined results often with the minimum outlay of time, energy, or both. Skills can often be divided into domain-general and domain-specific skills...
s. Upon noticing his prodigious talent, his parents signed him up to play with the local club in his hometown. Nasri spent one year playing with the club in La Gavotte Peyret before moving to Pennes Mirabeau in nearby Mirabeau
Les Pennes-Mirabeau
Les Pennes-Mirabeau is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France.-Population:-External links:*...
at the age of seven. While playing with Pennes, Nasri was discovered by Marseille scout Freddy Assolen who had been informed of the player's talent through local word of mouth
Word of mouth
Word of mouth, or viva voce, is the passing of information from person to person by oral communication. Storytelling is the oldest form of word-of-mouth communication where one person tells others of something, whether a real event or something made up. Oral tradition is cultural material and...
. After noticing Nasri's skill in person, Assolen recruited the player to travel with a group of other young players to Italy to participate in a youth tournament where they would play against the youth academies of 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 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...
. Nasri impressed at the tournament and Assolen was jokingly told by a Milan scout that "he (Nasri) stays here, you leave him". After returning to France, Marseille officials organized a meeting with the player's father and the group agreed to allow Nasri insertion into the club's academy at the age of nine.
Marseille
Upon entering the Marseille youth academy, Nasri quickly impressed. Upon moving to Bastide, where the club's youth players reside, his style of play began to take shape. In 2007, Nasri admitted that the move to Bastide really helped his game stating, "That’s where I really started to progress. Training was different and the facilities are beautiful, all of which helps you work well." As a result of his quick progression, Nasri was an integral part of every youth team he was a part of winning several trophies, such as the Championnat de Provence, Coupe de Provence, and the Ligue de la Méditerranée. After spending most of the 2003–04 season playing with the club's under-18 team, for the latter part of the season, the now 16-year old Nasri was promoted to the club's reserve team in the Championnat de France amateur, the fourth division of French footballFootball in France
Football is the most popular sport in France. The Fédération Française de Football is the national governing bodyand is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the game of association football in the country, both professional and amateur...
. He appeared primarily as a substitute in a few matches during the campaign as the reserve team failed to rebound from its bad start to the season, which resulted in a 16th place finish and relegation to the Championnat de France amateur 2.
Debut season
Ahead of the 2004–05 season, several clubs were reported to be interested in signing Nasri, most notably English clubs ArsenalArsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
, 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...
, Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
, and Newcastle
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...
. In an effort to decrease the speculation, Nasri was offered a three-year professional contract by Marseille officials led by president Pape Diouf
Pape Diouf
Mababa "Pape" Diouf is a Senegalese former journalist, best known for being the president of French football club Olympique Marseille between 2005 and 2009.Diouf was born in Abéché, Chad, to Senegalese parents...
and manager José Anigo
José Anigo
José Anigo is a French former football defender, currently sporting director for Olympique de Marseille.-References:*...
. On 13 August 2004, Nasri agreed to the contract. Marseille officials had been eager to sign Nasri to a contract in an attempt to not undergo a situation similar to the departure of Mathieu Flamini
Mathieu Flamini
Mathieu Flamini is a French professional footballer of Italian descent who plays as a midfielder for Serie A club Milan..-Marseille:...
, in which the player departed the club without Marseille receiving any compensation. As a result of his professsional contract, Nasri was promoted to the senior team by Anigo and assigned the number 22 shirt. He began the season playing on the club's reserve team and appeared in four matches before earning a call up to the senior team in September 2004. Nasri made his professional debut on 12 September in a 2–0 league defeat to 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...
appearing as a substitute for Bruno Cheyrou
Bruno Cheyrou
Boludo Cheyrou is a professional French footballer, who currently plays for FC Nantes.-Career:...
. On 17 October, he made his first professional start playing the entire match in a 1–1 draw with Saint-Étienne
AS Saint-Étienne
Association Sportive de Saint-Étienne Loire is a French association football club based in Saint-Étienne. The club was founded in 1919 and currently play in Ligue 1, the top division of French football. Saint-Étienne plays its home matches at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard located within the city...
. Nasri featured heavily within the team under Anigo and later Philippe Troussier
Philippe Troussier
Philippe Troussier is a former French football player and now a manager.-Coaching career:Troussier is known as the "White Witch Doctor" for his success with African club teams such as Asec Abidjan of the Côte d'Ivoire and the national teams of Nigeria, South Africa and Burkina Faso...
. In the team's first match following the winter break, he scored his first professional goal in a 2–1 away victory 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...
. Nasri finished his rookie campaign with 25 total appearances, one goal, and two assists.
2005–06 season
The 2005–06 season saw Marseille boosted by the arrival of attackers Franck RibéryFranck Ribéry
Franck Ribéry is a French international footballer who currently plays for German club Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga. He primarily plays as a winger, preferably on the left side, and is known for "pace, energy, skill and precise passing." Ribéry is described as a player who is "fast, tricky and...
and Djibril Cissé
Djibril Cissé
Djibril Aruun Cissé is a French international footballer who currently plays for Serie A club Lazio as a striker. He is noted particularly for his speed and acceleration. Since 2005, he has held the title of Lord of the Manor of Frodsham....
; the latter arriving after having a successful loan stint with the club the previous season. Nasri, who was now given a more prominent role within the team by new manager Jean Fernandez
Jean Fernandez
Jean Fernandez is a football manager, currently manages AS Nancy. He has previously managed FC Metz and Olympique Marseille, where French national team star Franck Ribéry saw him as a mentor...
, formed impressive partnerships with the two along with lead striker
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
Mamadou Niang
Mamadou Niang
Mamadou Niang is a Senegalese footballer who plays as a forward for Qatar club Al Sadd in the Qatar National First Division. He has represented Senegal at international level, participating in the 2004, 2006, and 2008 African Cup of Nations. He wears the number 7 jersey...
. He appeared in 49 total matches, which included appearances in both the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
and the UEFA Intertoto Cup
UEFA Intertoto Cup
The UEFA Intertoto Cup, also abbreviated as UI Cup and originally called the International Football Cup, was a summer football competition for European clubs that had not qualified for one of the two major UEFA competitions, the Champions League and the UEFA Cup. The competition was discontinued...
. Nasri made his European debut on 16 July 2005 in the first round of the 2005 UEFA Intertoto Cup against Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
club BSC Young Boys
BSC Young Boys
Berner Sport Club Young Boys 1898 is a Swiss sporting club based in the capital city of Bern. The name is often abbreviated to YB . Abroad, YB is often referred to as Young Boys Bern. The club's colors are yellow and black....
. Marseille won the first leg 3–2. In the second leg, Nasri scored his first European goal in a 2–1 win. Marseille ultimately won the competition after beating Spanish outfit Deportivo de La Coruña
Deportivo de La Coruña
Real Club Deportivo de La Coruña is a professional football club based in the city of A Coruña, Galicia; founded in 1906 and currently playing in Segunda División...
5–3 on aggregate. In the league, Nasri appeared in 30 matches, 25 as a starter. He scored his only league goal of the season on 29 April 2007 in a 4–2 win over Sochaux. In the 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...
, Nasri appeared in five matches as Marseille reached the final of the competition where the club faced Le Classique
Le Classique
Le Classique , also known as Derby de France, is a football match contested between French top-flight clubs Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique de Marseille. The term "Le Classique" is modeled on the El Clásico, contested between Real Madrid and Barcelona. These meetings became important during the...
rivals Paris Saint-Germain. Nasri appeared as a substitute in the match as Marseille were defeated 2–1. Following the season, Nasri signed a two-year contract extension with the club until 2009.
2006–07 season
Nasri began the 2006–07 season playing under Albert EmonAlbert Emon
Albert Emon is French football manager.-Career:As a player he won the Ligue 1 with Olympique Marseille in 1972 and the Coupe de France in 1980 with AS Monaco. Emon also played for Stade de Reims and Olympique Lyonnais....
, his fourth different manager in three years. Despite this, Marseille's now heightened popularity saw increased speculation from writers and supporters that the club would finally win its first league title since the 1991–92 season. Nasri began the season on a quick note scoring the second goal in the team's 3–1 win over Paris Saint-Germain in September 2006. On 29 April 2007, Nasri scored a goal in Marseille's 4–2 hammering of Sochaux. Marseille were due to face the same club in the 2007 Coupe de France Final just days later and were, subsequently, heavy favorites as a result of the team's two-goal victory in the previous match. However, Sochaux recorded an upset victory defeating Marseille 5–4 on penalties after the match ended 2–2 following extra time. On the final match day of the season, Nasri converted the only goal in a 1–0 win over Sedan
CS Sedan Ardennes
Club Sportif Sedan Ardennes, commonly referred to as CS Sedan or simply Sedan , is a French association football club based in Sedan. The club was formed in 1919 and currently play in Ligue 2, the second level of French football. Sedan plays its home matches at the Stade Louis Dugauguez located...
. The victory secured 2nd place for Marseille and was the club's best finish since finishing runner-up to Bordeaux in the 1998–99 season. Nasri finished the season with a career-high 50 appearances, 37 of them in the league. For his efforts, he was awarded the UNFP Young Player of the Year award and named to the Team of the Year. Nasri was also voted the Club Player of the Year by supporters, receiving 62% of the votes ahead of the likes of Ribéry and Niang.
2007–08 season
Similar to his previous three years at Marseille, Nasri began the new season under new management as the club was now being led by the BelgianBelgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
Eric Gerets. Due to the departure of Ribéry to 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....
, Gerets installed Nasri as the focal point of the attack and he responding by having his best season at the club. He appeared in 42 total matches scoring a career-high six goals and also assisting on a career-high 15 goals. Nasri formed partnerships in the midfield with winger Mathieu Valbuena
Mathieu Valbuena
Mathieu Valbuena is a French international footballer who plays for Marseille in Ligue 1. He plays as an attacking midfielder and a winger and is known for his quickness, technical ability, and tenacious style of play...
and midfielders Lorik Cana
Lorik Cana
Lorik Cana is an Albanian footballer, who plays for Lazio as a defensive midfielder and the Albania national football team. He is the captain for Albania at international level...
and Benoît Cheyrou
Benoït Cheyrou
Benoît Cheyrou is a French football player who currently plays for Olympique de Marseille in Ligue 1. He plays as a central midfielder and often acts as a deep-lying playmaker for the attack. Cheyrou is known for his vision, distribution, and assists...
as Marseille boasted the third-best attack in the league behind champions Lyon
Olympique Lyonnais
Olympique Lyonnais is a French association football club based in Lyon. They play in France's highest football division, Ligue 1. The club was formed as Lyon Olympique Universitaire in 1899, according to many supporters and sport historians, but was nationally established as a club in 1950. The...
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....
, who finished 1st and 2nd in the league, respectively. Nasri, initially, struggled during the infancy of the campaign due to dealing with the effects of a severely sprained ankle suffered in the pre-season. He failed to score a goal or provide an assist in the team's first eight league matches. On 24 November 2007, he assisted on two goals in a 2–0 victory over Metz
FC Metz
Football Club de Metz, commonly referred to as simply Metz , is a French association football club based in Metz. The club was formed in 1932 and has spent most of its history in the Ligue 1, though they currently play in Ligue 2, the second level in French football league system. Metz plays its...
. Nasri closed out the fall season by assisting on the equalizing goal in a 2–2 draw with Bordeaux and making the final pass on the game-winning goal against Le Mans.
Following the winter break, Nasri's goal-scoring began to take form. In late January, he scored goals in back-to-back matches against 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 Caen. In European competition, Nasri participated 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...
for the first time in his career, however he failed to make an impact in the four group stage matches he appeared in. He missed the club's upset victory over Liverpool at Anfield
Anfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
due to dealing with a bout of meningitis
Meningitis
Meningitis is inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, known collectively as the meninges. The inflammation may be caused by infection with viruses, bacteria, or other microorganisms, and less commonly by certain drugs...
. Marseille ultimately finished the group in third place, which resulted in the team qualifying for the Round of 32 of the UEFA Cup. The club was defeated in the Round of 16 by Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n club Zenit Saint Petersburg
FC Zenit Saint Petersburg
Football Club Zenit is a Russian football club from the city of Saint-Petersburg. Founded in 1925 , the club plays in the Russian Premier League...
despite being up 3–1 heading into the second leg. Of those three goals Marseille scored in the first leg, Nasri assisted on two of them. On 16 March 2008, Nasri scored a goal in a 3–3 draw with 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...
. A month later, he scored the game-winning goal in a 2–1 victory over Metz. In his final match with Marseille 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...
, Nasri scored a goal and assisted on another in a 4–3 victory. Marseille finished the league campaign in 3rd place, which resulted in the club qualifying for the UEFA Champions League for the second consecutive season. On 8 May 2008, with all the transfer speculation surrounding the player, Nasri surprised many by signing a three-year contract extension with the club until 2012.
2008–09 season
A week later, despite signing a contract extension with Marseille, Nasri was linked with a move to Premier League club ArsenalArsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
. Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger
Arsène Wenger
Arsène Wenger, OBE is a French association football manager and former player, who has managed English Premier League side Arsenal since 1996...
had been tracking Nasri since watching him play at the 2004 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship
2004 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship
-Group B:---------------------Semifinals:-----Third Place Playoff:-Final:-References:**...
. It was later revealed that the contract extension Nasri signed with Marseille was simply protocol to allow Marseille to get a higher transfer fee for the player. The Bouches-du-Rhône
Bouches-du-Rhône
Bouches-du-Rhône is a department in the south of France named after the mouth of the Rhône River. It is the most populous department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Its INSEE and postal code is 13.-History of the department:...
-based club was seeking £14 million for the young midfielder. Ahead of UEFA Euro 2008, both Nasri's agent and Wenger admitted that offers were made for the player and that a move to the English club was imminent. The deal was ultimately concluded following the competition on 11 July 2008 with Nasri agreeing to a four-year contract. The transfer fee was undisclosed, but has been purported to be in the region of £12 million. Upon arriving to the club, Nasri admitted that Wenger was one of the primary reasons for him joining the club stating "The fact that Arsène Wenger gives great opportunities to young players is very important for me. Arsène has a great reputation and he is one of the best managers in the world".
Nasri was given the number 8 shirt and made his club debut on 30 July 2008 in a friendly match against German club VfB Stuttgart
VfB Stuttgart
Verein für Bewegungsspiele Stuttgart 1893 e. V., commonly known as VfB Stuttgart, is a German sports club based in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg. The club is best known for its football team, which has participated in all but two Bundesliga seasons...
in a 3–1 win. He made his Premier League debut in the team's first game of the season on 16 August 2008 against West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
. In the match, Nasri scored his first league goal scoring with a close range effort, after four minutes in a 1–0 victory. As a result of his debut goal, he became the 83rd player in Premier League history to score on his league debut and the 22nd Arsenal player. On 27 August, Nasri scored his second goal for the club in the team's 2008–09 UEFA Champions League third round qualifying second leg tie against Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
club Twente
FC Twente
FC Twente is a Dutch professional football club from the city of Enschede, playing in the Eredivisie. The club was formed in 1965 by the merger of 1926 Eredivisie Champions, Sportclub Enschede and Enschedese Boys...
. Arsenal won the match 4–0 and the tie 6–0 on aggregate. After dealing with injuries for the most of September, Nasri return to form in October scoring his third goal of the season in a 3–1 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...
. On 8 November, Nasri scored both of Arsenal's goals in a 2–1 win over 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...
.
Following his performance against Manchester United, Nasri struggled to make an impact with the team statistics-wise failing to score a goal or provide an assist in the team's next four matches. On 21 December, he assisted on the opening goal scored by Robin van Persie
Robin van Persie
Robin van Persie is a Dutch footballer who plays as a striker for Arsenal and the Dutch national team. He is a youth product of Feyenoord. Having joined Arsenal in 2004, Van Persie became the club captain on 16 August 2011...
in the team's 1–1 draw with Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
. Nasri returned to his scoring form in the new year. On 17 January 2009, he scored the second goal in the club's 3–1 win over Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
at the KC Stadium
KC Stadium
The KC Stadium, often shortened to the KC, is a multi-purpose facility in the city of Kingston upon Hull , England. Conceived as early as the late 1990s, it was completed in 2002 at a cost of approximately £44 million. It is named after the stadium's sponsors, telecommunications provider KC,...
. It took Nasri another two months to score another goal, which came in Arsenal's 3–1 away win against Newcastle United. He finished his first campaign at Arsenal appearing in 44 matches, scoring seven goals, and providing five assists.
2009–10 season
On 21 July 2009, while participating in a training match during pre-season with Arsenal in Bad WaltersdorfBad Waltersdorf
Bad Waltersdorf is a municipality in the district of Hartberg in Styria, Austria....
, Nasri suffered a broken leg
Broken Leg
Broken Leg is an indie rock song written and recorded by Australian indie rock band Bluejuice. The song was voted no. 5 in the 2009 Triple J Hottest 100. The accompanying music video was voted in at no. 1 on Rage's RAGE FIFTY countdown that was voted for by viewers and shown on the last weekend of...
. The injury required two to three months of rest and, as a result, Nasri missed the opening of the 2009–10 Premier League season. He made his debut late in the campaign on 25 October 2009 in a 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...
tie against Liverpool. Nasri played the entire match in a 2–1 win. On 4 November, he scored his first goal of the season in the team's Champions League group stage match against Dutch outfit AZ. Three weeks later, Nasri converted another Champions League goal, this time against Belgium club Standard Liège
Standard Liège
Royal Standard de Liège, commonly referred to as Standard Liège Royal Standard de Liège, commonly referred to as Standard Liège Royal Standard de Liège, commonly referred to as Standard Liège (Dutch: Standard Luik [], German: Standard Lüttich , is a Belgian football club from the city of Liège....
in a 2–0 win. He featured heavily with the team during the winter months and he ended the 2009 calendar year by scoring a goal and providing an assist 4–1 win over Portsmouth
Portsmouth 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...
away at Fratton Park
Fratton Park
Fratton Park is a football stadium in the English city-port of Portsmouth. It has been the home of professional club Portsmouth F.C. since its construction in 1898.-Description:...
.
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 Porto in the Round of 16 of the Champions League knockout stage. The goal, described by English newspaper The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
columnist David Lacey as "reminiscent of a lost art in British football", showcased Nasri's dribbling, as well as his individuality. Upon receiving the ball on the right wing from 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...
Abou Diaby
Abou Diaby
Vassiriki Abou Diaby , commonly known as Abou Diaby, is a French footballer who plays for English club Arsenal in the Premier League and the France national team...
, Nasri dribbled through and past three Porto players in a small area of space before bringing the ball past wingback Álvaro Pereira
Alvaro Pereira
Álvaro Daniel Pereira Barragán is an Uruguayan footballer who plays for Futebol Clube do Porto in Portugal.On the left side, he can play as either a defender or midfielder.-Early years:...
and driving it across the goalkeeper, sending the ball in off the far post. Nasri goal was subsequently compared by the English media to similar goals that occurred in the country. Three weeks later, after appearing as a substitute in the second half, Nasri scored the opening goal against Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
. Birmingham later equalized through a late goal from Kevin Phillips
Kevin Phillips (footballer)
Kevin Mark Phillips is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Blackpool.Phillips was the Premier League top scorer in the 1999–2000 season with 30 goals for Sunderland, a tally which won him the European Golden Shoe. He remains the only Englishman to win the trophy...
. The draw ended a string of seven consecutive league victories for Arsenal and Wenger admitted that the draw "was a big blow for our chances (of winning the league)". In the team's final seven league matches, Nasri failed to contribute goals to the team, but did assisted on goals in a 3–2 loss to 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...
and a 4–0 home 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...
. Arsenal ultimately finished the campaign in 3rd place. Nasri concluded his second season at Arsenal appearing 34 games scoring five goals and issuing the same amount of assists.
Breakthrough season
Ahead of the 2010–11 season2010–11 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...
, Nasri admitted that he was determined to re-capture his form that resulted in Arsenal signing him two years prior. He also admitted that he did not take missing out on 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...
well stating "When I discovered that I wasn't part of the squad for the World Cup, I got a big slap in the face." However, after speaking to Wenger, who informed him that he should used the non-callup as motivation, he was reassured. Nasri started the campaign well. He was named in Arsenal's starting line-up to play against Liverpool for the first match of the season on 15 August 2010. Nasri played the entire match in a 1–1 draw. After the match, Arsenal confirmed that Nasri had suffered a knee injury that would keep him out for a month. However, the player returned to the team after just three matches helping Arsenal defeat Portuguese outfit Sporting Braga 6–0 in the Champions League on his return. On 21 September, Nasri scored a double in the club's 4–1 extra time victory over North London derby
North London derby
The North London derby is the name of the football local derby between the two major teams in North London – Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur.-History:...
rivals Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
. Both goals were converted from the penalty spot. Fours days later, Nasri scored another double in a 3–2 home defeat to West Brom.
Nasri continued his fine form as season wore on. In the club's Champions League group stage tie against Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n club FK Partizan
FK Partizan
Fudbalski klub Partizan is a professional football club based in Belgrade, Serbia. In its long history, FK Partizan won as many as 37 trophies. The club is the holder of 23 national championships, 12 national cups and 1 national supercup, and has also won the Mitropa Cup in 1978...
, he assisted on a 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"...
goal in the team's 3–1 victory. In October 2010, Nasri went on a streak, in which he scored goals in three straight matches. He started the streak by converting a penalty in a 2–1 win over Birmingham City. In the club's following match 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...
competitors Shakhtar Donetsk
FC Shakhtar Donetsk
FC Shakhtar Donetsk is a Ukrainian professional football club from the city of Donetsk. Shakhtar has appeared in several European competitions and currently is often a participant of the UEFA Champions League. The club became the first Ukrainian club to win the UEFA Cup in 2009, the last year...
, Nasri scored on a left-footed volley in a 5–1 victory. He also assisted on a goal in the match. Against 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...
five days later, he scored the first goal and set up the third in a 3–0 victory. As a result of his performances in October 2010, Nasri was named the PFA
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....
Fans' Player of the Month. In November, Nasri was on the score-sheet again netting the opener in a 3–2 defeat to Tottenham. A week later, he scored a volley in a 4–2 win over Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
.
On 4 December, Nasri scored two goals against Fulham to give Arsenal a 2–1 win. The victory placed Arsenal at the top of the league table. The two goals were Nasri's seventh and eighth goals, respectively, in the league and his tenth and 11th overall. Just four days later, Nasri scored a goal in Arsenal's vital last group game against Partizan. Arsenal won the match 3–1. On 13 December, for his performances during the 2010 calendar year, Nasri was named the France Football
France Football
France Football is a French bi-weekly magazine containing football news from all over the world. It's one of the most reputable sports publications in Europe, mostly because of their photographic reports and accurate statistics of the big European Cup matches, and extensive coverage of the European...
French Player of the Year beating out 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...
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...
Florent Malouda
Florent Malouda
Florent Johan Malouda is a French footballer who plays as a left winger for Chelsea and the French national team.-Châteauroux:A street footballer in his teen years, Malouda gradually developed into an interesting, new football talent, able to penetrate defenses with his technical skills and...
and 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...
goalkeeper Hugo Lloris
Hugo Lloris
Hugo Lloris is a French international footballer who currently plays as a goalkeeper for French club Olympique Lyonnais in Ligue 1. He is also a French international and is currently the first-choice goalkeeper and vice-captain for both club and country...
. He is the first Arsenal player to achieve the honour since 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...
in 2006. Nasri was also rewarded domestically for his performances in December winning the Fans' Player of the Month for the second time in the season and, also, capturing the club's monthly award. He won the award for the second consecutive month in January.
Nasri scored his 13th goal of the season in the 3–0 win against Birmingham City on New Year's Day 2011. In the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
, Nasri scored his first-ever goal in the competition in a 3–1 win over Leeds United in the third round. On 30 January 2011, Nasri was forced to leave the team's fourth round FA Cup tie against Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield Town F.C.
Huddersfield Town Football Club is an English football club formed in 1908 and based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They currently play in League One...
due to a hamstring injury. He, subsequently, missed two weeks and returned to the team ahead of its Champions League knockout round tie with Spanish champions Barcelona. In the first leg, Nasri assisted on the game-winning goal scored by Andrei Arshavin. Arsenal won the match 2–1, but loss the tie 4–3 on aggregate after suffering a 3–1 defeat at the Nou Camp in the second leg. On 8 April, Nasri was nominated for both the PFA Players' Player of the Year
PFA Players' Player of the Year
The Professional Footballers' Association Players' Player of the Year is an annual award given to the player who is adjudged to have been the best of the year in English football...
and PFA Young Player of the Year
PFA Young Player of the Year
The Professional Footballers' Association Young Player of the Year is an annual award given to the player aged 23 or under at the start of the season who is adjudged to have been the best of the season in English football...
awards. He lost out on both awards to Tottenham midfielder Gareth Bale
Gareth Bale
Gareth Frank Bale is a Welsh footballer who plays for English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur and the Wales national team. Bale began his professional career with Southampton in 2005 and was transferred to Tottenham two years later...
and teammate Jack Wilshere
Jack Wilshere
Jack Andrew Garry Wilshere is an English footballer who plays as a midfielder for Arsenal and the England national team....
, respectively, but was given consolation with an appearance on the association's 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 20 April 2011, Nasri scored his 15th goal of the season with a powerful shot outside the penalty area against Tottenham Hotspur.
Manchester City
On 24 August 2011, it was confirmed that Nasri had joined Premier League club Manchester CityManchester 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...
. The transfer fee was priced in the region of £25 million and the player signed a four-year contract. Nasri was assigned the number 19 shirt and made his club debut on 28 August in a league fixture away to Tottenham Hotspur. In the match, he assisted on three goals as Manchester City cruised to a 5–1 win. In the team's next match following the September international break, Nasri assisted on one of Sergio Agüero
Sergio Agüero
Sergio Leonel "Kun" Agüero del Castillo is an Argentine footballer who plays as a striker for Manchester City in England's Premier League and the Argentine national team....
's three goals in a 3–0 win over Wigan Athletic
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...
. On 1 October, he scored his first goal for the club netting the third goal in a 4–0 victory. Nasri also assisted on two goals in the match.
Youth
Nasri has earned caps with all of France's youth teamsFrance 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...
for which he was eligible. He is a member of the group, commonly known as the Génération 1987, that produced current internationals Hatem Ben Arfa
Hatem Ben Arfa
Hatem Ben Arfa is a French association football player who plays for English club Newcastle United in the Premier League. He plays as a winger, preferably on the left side, and an attacking midfielder...
, Karim Benzema
Karim Benzema
Karim Benzema is a French international footballer who currently plays for Real Madrid in the Spanish La Liga. He primarily plays as a striker whose influence can extend out to the wings and is known for his technical ability, powerful style of play, and vast goal-scoring ability...
, and Jérémy Menez
Jérémy Menez
Jérémy Ménez is a French international footballer who currently plays for French club Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1. He plays many positions in the attacking midfield, usually as a winger and a playmaker...
, alongside himself. With the under-16 team
France national under-16 football team
The France national under-16 football team is the national under-16 football team of France and is controlled by the French Football Federation. The team previously competed in the annual UEFA European Under-16 Football Championship before it was converted into an under-17 competition in 2002...
, Nasri made 16 appearances scoring eight goals. Of the four players, Nasri was the first player to become a regular starter in the team under coach François Blaquart and made his debut in the team's opening match of the campaign against Spain
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
. France won the match 3–0. Nasri scored his first goal for the team on 29 October in its first group stage match against Sweden
Sweden national football team
The Swedish national football team represents Sweden in association football and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association, the governing body for Football in Sweden. Sweden's home ground is Råsunda Stadium in Stockholms län and their head coach is Erik Hamrén. Sweden made their first...
at the Tournio du Val-de-Marne. On 11 December, Nasri scored the opening goal in the team's 6–1 exhibition thrashing of 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...
. At the 2003 Aegean Cup in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, he scored two goals in four matches as France finished the competition in third place. Nasri scored in the team's second group stage match against Israel
Israel national football team
The Israel national football team is the national football team of Israel, controlled by the Israel Football Association .Israel National Football is the direct successor of the Eretz Yisrael National Team during British Mandate...
, a 3–1 win. In the next group stage match, he scored a goal in 5–0 win over the Ukraine
Ukraine national football team
The Ukraine national football team is the national football team of Ukraine and is controlled by the Football Federation of Ukraine. After Ukrainian Independence and breakaway from the Soviet Union, they played their first match against Hungary on 29 April 1992...
. In the third place match against Belgium, Nasri assisted on a goal scored by Ben Arfa. At the Tournio de Montaigu
Montaigu Tournament
The Montaigu Tournament is an international association football competition that is contested by under-16 national teams. The tournament was founded in 1973 by Dutchman André Van Den Brink who was the president of FC Montaigu, a French amateur football team...
, Nasri scored his only goal in the team's 8–0 win over Gabon
Gabon national football team
The Gabon national football team, nicknamed Azingo Nationale, is the national team of Gabon and is controlled by the Fédération Gabonaise de Football...
in the team's opening group match. France finished the competition runner-up to 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...
who defeated France 5–1 in the final match.
At under-17 level
France national under-17 football team
The France national under-17 football team is the national under-17 football team of France and is controlled by the French Football Federation. The team competes in the annual UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship and the FIFA U-17 World Cup, which is held every four years...
, Nasri, Menez, and Ben Arfa were joined by Karim Benzema and tasked with the goal of winning the 2004 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship
2004 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship
-Group B:---------------------Semifinals:-----Third Place Playoff:-Final:-References:**...
on home soil. Nasri made his debut with the team in the opening match of the season against Sweden
Sweden national football team
The Swedish national football team represents Sweden in association football and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association, the governing body for Football in Sweden. Sweden's home ground is Råsunda Stadium in Stockholms län and their head coach is Erik Hamrén. Sweden made their first...
netting a goal in a 5–2 victory. In the team's second straight yearly appearance at the Tournio du Val-de-Marne, Nasri scored his lone goal in the competition against the United States in a 2–0 win as France were declared champions without conceding a goal. At the 2004 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship, Nasri contributed to the team by scoring the equalizing goal against Portugal
Portugal national under-17 football team
The Portugal national under-17 football team represents Portugal in international football at this age level and is controlled by Federação Portuguesa de Futebol, the governing body for football in Portugal.-FIFA U-17 World Cup Championship Record:...
in the competition's semi-finals. France went on to win the match 3–1 to earn a place in the final. In the final match, France faced Spain
Spain national under-17 football team
The Spain national under-17 football team represents Spain in international football at this age level and is controlled by Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain....
. In the match, Nasri scored the game-winning goal just a minute from time to give France its first-ever title in the competition. In total with the under-17s, he made 16 appearances and scored six goals. Due to increased playing time at his parent club Marseille, Nasri stint with the under-18 team
France national under-18 football team
The France national under-18 football team is the national under-18 football team of France and is controlled by the French Football Federation. The team serves as a feeder team to the under-19 team as its matches aren't competitive...
was uneventful appearing in only four matches.
The foursome of Nasri, Ben Arfa, Benzema, and Menez returned to international play together for under-19
France national under-19 football team
The France national under-19 football team is the national under-19 football team of France and is controlled by the French Football Federation. The team competes in the annual UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship. They were the 2010 champions of the competition having won on home soil...
duty. The four were joined by Issiar Dia
Issiar Dia
Issiar Dia is a French-born Senegalese footballer. He currently plays for the Turkish Süper Lig club Fenerbahçe.-Amiens SC:...
, Blaise Matuidi
Blaise Matuidi
Blaise Matuidi is a French football player who currently plays for French club Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1. He primarily plays as a combative defensive midfielder often occupying a withdrawn position as a deep-lying playmaker and is described as a "fierce and strong tackler".Matuidi began his...
, and Serge Gakpé
Serge Gakpé
Serge Gakpé is a French-born Togolese football midfielder who plays for French club FC Nantes.-Playing career:...
with the objective of winning the 2006 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship
2006 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship
The UEFA U-19 Championship 2006 Final Tournament was held in Poland between 18 July and 29 July 2006. The top three teams in each group qualified for the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup. Players born after 1 January 1987 were allowed to participate in this competition.-Qualifications:There were two...
. The team opened the campaign with two friendly matches against Norway
Norway national under-19 football team
The Norwegian national under-19 football team, controlled by the Football Association of Norway, is the national football team of Norway for players of 19 years of age or under at the start of a UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship campaign....
. Over the course of the two matches, Nasri scored two goals: one in a 4–0 win and another in a 5–0 victory. In the first round of qualification for the tournament, Nasri assisted on two goals in the team's 3–1 win over Wales
Wales national under-19 football team
The Wales national under-19 football team is the national under-19 football team of Wales and is controlled by the Football Association of Wales. The team competes in the UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship held every year.-Recent history:...
. In the team's next group stage match against San Marino
San Marino national football team
The San Marino national football team is the national football team of San Marino, controlled by the San Marino Football Federation...
, he scored the third goal in a 3–0 victory. In the final group match against Austria
Austria national under-19 football team
The Austria national under-19 football team is the national under-19 football team of Austria and is controlled by the Austrian Football Association.The team competes in the UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship, held every year....
, Nasri scored the opening goal and provided the assist on a Benzema goal in a 2–0 win. In the final round of qualification, Nasri went scoreless. However, despite finishing the round undefeated, France were eliminated after being beaten on points by Scotland
Scotland national under-19 football team
The Scotland national under-19 football team, controlled by the Scottish Football Association, is Scotland's national football team for players of 19 years of age or under at the start of a European Under-19 Football Championship campaign....
. Nasri earned his first call up to the under-21 team
France national under-21 football team
The France national under-21 football team , known in France as Les Espoirs , is the national under-21 football team of France and is controlled by the French Football Federation. The team competes in the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years...
under coach René Girard
René Girard (footballer)
René Girard is a former football midfielder from France.- Career :Girard won seven caps for France and was a member of the squad that finished fourth at the 1982 FIFA World Cup....
in the team's first match following the 2006 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
2006 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
-Group B:---------------------Knockout stage:-Semi-finals:-----Final:-Goalscorers:4 goals Klaas Jan Huntelaar3 goals Thomas Kahlenberg Nicky Hofs2 goals Bryan Bergougnoux Ruslan Fomin Artem Milevskiy...
against Belgium
Belgium national under-21 football team
The Belgium national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Belgium and is controlled by the Belgian Football Association. The team competes in the European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years...
. He started the match and was replaced at half-time by Florent Sinama Pongolle. He featured in qualification matches
2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship qualification
Qualifying for the UEFA U-21 Championship 2007 began in May 2006.Netherlands qualify as hosts and are exempt from qualifying. Of UEFA's 52 member countries, only the Faroe Islands chose not compete...
for the 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
The UEFA U-21 Championship 2007 were held from 10 June 2007 to 23 June 2007. It is the 16th staging of UEFA's European Under-21 Football Championship....
and appeared as a substitute in both legs of the team's surprising defeat to Israel in the qualifying playoffs. Despite still being eligible to represent the team until 2009, his appearance in the second leg defeat to Israel was Nasri's last with the team.
Senior
On 15 March 2007, Nasri was called up to the senior team for the first time by coach Raymond DomenechRaymond 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...
for UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying match against Lithuania
Lithuania national football team
The national football team of Lithuania is under the auspices of the Lithuanian Football Federation. It played its first match in 1923. In 1940, Lithuania was occupied by the Soviet Union; the country regained its independence in 1990 and played their first match as a new nation against Georgia on...
and a friendly 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 ....
. Nasri admitted that he was "very happy and very proud" to be called into the national team and revealed that the fact that he was called up for an important European championship qualifier made the selection more rewarding. He appeared on the bench in the match against Lithuania, but failed to make an appearance. Nasri made his international debut on 28 March against Austria at the age of 19. He started the match and assisted on the only goal after delivering a free kick
Direct free kick
A direct free kick is a method of restarting play in a game of association football following a foul. Unlike an indirect free kick, a goal may be scored directly against the opposing side without the ball having first touched another player.-Award:...
low into the box that youth international teammate Benzema converted. Nasri returned to the team in June for matches and, on 6 June, scored his first international goal in a 1–0 Euro qualifying win over Georgia
Georgia national football team
The Georgia national football team is the national association football team of Georgia and is controlled by the Georgian Football Federation. The Georgian team's first match took place in 1990, while Georgia was still part of the Soviet Union. The team have attempted to qualify for each major...
. On 16 November, Nasri scored his second international goal in a friendly match against Morocco
Morocco national football team
The Morocco national football team , nicknamed أسود الأطلس , is the national team of Morocco and is managed by Eric Gerets. Winners of the African Nations Cup in 1976, they were the first African team to win a group at the World Cup, which they did in 1986, finishing ahead of Portugal, Poland, and...
. As a result of his performances domestically and with the national team, he was named to the 23-man squad to participate in UEFA Euro 2008. Nasri made his debut in the tournament on 9 June 2008 in the team's opening group stage match against 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...
appearing as a substitute. He did not appear in the team's 4–1 loss to 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...
, but did appear in the team's 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...
. Nasri appeared as a substitute for the injured Franck Ribéry in the tenth minute. Following defender's 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:...
's red card
Penalty card
A penalty card is used in many sports as a means of warning, reprimanding or penalising a player, coach or team official. Penalty cards are most commonly used by referees or umpires to indicate that a player has committed an offense. The referee will hold the card above his or her head while...
in the 24th minute, Nasri was taken out of the match in order for defender Jean-Alain Boumsong
Jean-Alain Boumsong
Jean-Alain Boumsong-Somkong is a professional football defender who currently plays for the Greek team Panathinaikos and the French national team.-Early career:...
to take Abidal's spot in the lineup.
In November 2008, Nasri, among several other young players in the team, was accused of being insolent during the team's campaign at the European Championship. The accusation came from domestic 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...
who inserted the charge in his autobiography. Though the accused was unnamed in the book, following its release, the player became widely identified as Nasri. Gallas used an example of Nasri's insolence for when the young player sat in 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...
's seat on the team bus and refused to move, which, according to Gallas, was undermining the striker's seniority. The incident ultimately led to a verbal exchange between Nasri and Gallas during a training session. In response, Nasri played down the incident stating that Gallas was overreacting to a problem that did not exist. In 2010, after failing to make the World Cup squad, he opened up about the situation stating that during Gallas' final year at Arsenal, he is one of "four or five" Arsenal players who did not speak to the defender. The feud culminated on 20 November 2010 when Nasri lived up to a pledge that he would not shake the hand of Gallas, who was now playing for Tottenham, during the pre-match festivities.
In the 2008–09 season, Nasri appeared in only three matches with the national team. After playing against Lithuania on 28 March 2009, the midfielder failed to represent France for the almost a year and a half. During the 2009–10 season, after constant failed selections, Nasri grew weary of his chances of appearing with the team 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...
. In the end, he didn't appear with the team failing to make the 23-man squad or even the preliminary squad. Nasri admitted that he took the non-call up hard recalling "Not being one of those 23 names, it was difficult." The player also viewed the non-invite from a positive perspective stating "But maybe it was for the best in the end, and not just because France had a horrible World Cup. It helped me as a person. I told myself I need to work harder, to make sure I don’t miss the next one."
Nasri returned to the national team under the reign of new coach Laurent Blanc
Laurent Blanc
Laurent Robert Blanc is a French association football manager and former player. He is the head coach of the French national team, having replaced Raymond Domenech in the wake of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. He was previously the manager of Bordeaux...
for the team's friendly against Norway on 11 August 2010. He missed the September call ups due to injury before returning to the team in October for 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...
matches against Romania and 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 :...
. On 25 March 2011, Nasri captained the national team for the first time in its 2–0 Euro qualification win over Luxembourg. He provided the assist on the opening goal scored by Philippe Mexès
Philippe Mexès
Philippe Mexès is a French professional footballer who plays as a centre back for Italian Serie A club Milan and for the French national team.-Auxerre:...
. In the team's final Euro qualifier 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...
, Nasri scored the equalizing goal converting a penalty shot in a 1–1 draw. The stalemate qualified France for UEFA Euro 2012.
Style of play
In his early years at Marseille, Nasri was deployed in several positions, most notably as a deep-lying midfielder and a wide midfielder primarily on the right side as he was deemed too small to play in the middle of the park. After two years of developing his physical traits, in the 2006–07 season, manager Albert EmonAlbert Emon
Albert Emon is French football manager.-Career:As a player he won the Ligue 1 with Olympique Marseille in 1972 and the Coupe de France in 1980 with AS Monaco. Emon also played for Stade de Reims and Olympique Lyonnais....
inserted Nasri into the playmaker
Playmaker
In association football, a playmaker is a player who controls the flow of the team's offensive play, and is often involved in passing moves which lead to goals....
role, where his vision, technical skill, and ability to read and understand the game suited him. Since that season, Nasri has been primarily deployed in the position or as a central attacking midfielder at both club and international level. The player has personally admitted that playing centrally is his preference. However, as a result of his versatility, Nasri can also function on the wing and has spent the majority of his career at Arsenal occupying the role in the team's 4–3–3 formation. His close control with the ball, speed, dribbling, crossing, and ability to use both feet suits the position well, which has resulted in manager Arsène Wenger utilizing Nasri in the role since his arrival to the club in 2008. Nasri often featured centrally for Arsenal in the absence of former club captain Cesc Fàbregas
Cesc Fàbregas
Francesc "Cesc" Fàbregas i Soler is a Spanish footballer who plays as a central midfielder for La Liga club FC Barcelona.Fàbregas started his career as a trainee with Barcelona but was signed by Premier League side Arsenal in September 2003 at the age of 16...
.
In 2009, in order to accommodate the arrival of Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n attacker Andrei Arshavin, it was recommended by both Wenger and former national team coach Raymond Domenech that Nasri revert back to his role as a deep-lying midfielder so the player could showcase his underrated defensive abilities. Nasri is also an underrated direct free kick and penalty kick taker. The player had previously developed a superstition
Superstition
Superstition is a belief in supernatural causality: that one event leads to the cause of another without any process in the physical world linking the two events....
with regards to taking spot kicks, but conquered the issue after successfully converting two penalties in the team's Carling Cup victory over Tottenham in 2010. Wenger describes Nasri as a "young, quick and technically outstanding player". He is described in a similar fashion by club scout Gilles Grimandi
Gilles Grimandi
Gilles Grimandi is a retired French footballer, who currently is a scout for Arsenal.- Club career :...
who states that Nasri is "a fantastic athlete, he's quick, flexible and good with his feet". Nasri's playing style, ability, and cultural background have drawn comparisons to French legend Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Yazid Zidane is a retired French footballer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. Zidane was a leading figure of a generation of French players that won the 1998 World Cup and 2000 European Championship...
. After joining Arsenal and excelling on the wing, the English media began comparing him to former club player 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...
. Nasri has often attempted to disassociate himself from the two players, particularly the former player stating "There's only one Zidane, just as there was only one Platini
Michel Platini
Michel François Platini is a former French football player, manager and current president of UEFA. Platini was a member of the French national team that won the 1984 European Championship, a tournament in which he was the top goalscorer and voted the best player. He participated in the 1978, 1982...
".
Club
As of 29 November 2011| Club | Season | League | Cup | Europe UEFA The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer.... |
Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | ||
| Marseille | 2004–05 | 24 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 1 | 2 |
| 2005–06 | 30 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 49 | 2 | 3 | |
| 2006–07 | 37 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 3 | 7 | |
| 2007–08 | 30 | 6 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 42 | 6 | 15 | |
| Total | 121 | 11 | 20 | 17 | 0 | 3 | 28 | 1 | 4 | 166 | 12 | 27 | |
| 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... |
2008–09 | 29 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 44 | 7 | 5 |
| 2009–10 | 26 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 34 | 5 | 6 | |
| 2010–11 2010–11 Premier League The 2010–11 Premier League was the 19th season of the Premier League since its establishment in 1992. The 2010–11 fixtures were released on 17 June 2010 at 09:00 BST. The season began on 14 August 2010, and ended on 22 May 2011... |
30 | 10 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 46 | 15 | 5 | |
| 2011–12 2011–12 Premier League The 2011–12 Premier League is the twentieth season of the Premier League since its establishment in 1992. The 2011–12 fixtures were announced on 17 June 2011 at 9:00 BST. The season began on 13 August 2011 and is due to end on 13 May 2012... |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 86 | 18 | 8 | 15 | 3 | 5 | 24 | 6 | 3 | 125 | 27 | 16 | |
| 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... |
2011–12 2011–12 Premier League The 2011–12 Premier League is the twentieth season of the Premier League since its establishment in 1992. The 2011–12 fixtures were announced on 17 June 2011 at 9:00 BST. The season began on 13 August 2011 and is due to end on 13 May 2012... |
9 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 2 | 6 |
| Total | 9 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 2 | 6 | |
| Career Total | 216 | 30 | 35 | 33 | 4 | 8 | 57 | 7 | 7 | 307 | 41 | 49 | |
International
- Statistics accurate as of 11 October 2011
| National team | Season | Apps | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| France | 2006–07 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| 2007–08 | 9 | 1 | 1 | |
| 2008–09 | 3 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2009–10 2009–10 in French football The 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... |
0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2010–11 2010–11 in French football The 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... |
7 | 0 | 1 | |
| 2011–12 2011–12 in French football The 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... |
5 | 1 | 1 | |
| Total | 27 | 3 | 4 | |
International goals
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
6 June 2007 | Stade de l'Abbé Deschamps, Auxerre Auxerre Auxerre is a commune in the Bourgogne region in north-central France, between Paris and Dijon. It is the capital of the Yonne department.Auxerre's population today is about 45,000... , France France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... |
|
|
UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying | ||||||
| |
16 November 2007 | 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... , Saint-Denis Saint-Denis Saint-Denis is a commune in the northern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. Saint-Denis is a sous-préfecture of the Seine-Saint-Denis département, being the seat of the Arrondissement of Saint-Denis.... , France |
|
|
Friendly Exhibition game An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition... |
||||||
| |
11 October 2011 | Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France | |
|
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... |
||||||
| Correct as of 11 October 2011 | |||||||||||
Club
MarseilleOlympique 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...
- UEFA Intertoto CupUEFA Intertoto CupThe UEFA Intertoto Cup, also abbreviated as UI Cup and originally called the International Football Cup, was a summer football competition for European clubs that had not qualified for one of the two major UEFA competitions, the Champions League and the UEFA Cup. The competition was discontinued...
(1): 2005
International
FranceFrance 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...
- UEFA European Under-17 Football ChampionshipUEFA European Under-17 Football ChampionshipThe UEFA U-17 Championship is an annual football competition organised by the sport's European governing body, UEFA. From 1982 to 2001 it was an Under-16 event.This meeting serves as a preliminary competition for the FIFA U-17 World Cup every other year....
(1): 20042004 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship-Group B:---------------------Semifinals:-----Third Place Playoff:-Final:-References:**...
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): 2006–07 - 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): 2006–07 - Premier League Player of the MonthPremier League Player of the MonthThe Player of the Month is an association football award that recognises the best Premier League player each month of the season. The recipient is chosen by a panel assembled by the League's sponsor, and announced alongside the Manager of the Month on the first or second Friday of the following month...
(1): December 2010 - French Player of the Year (1): 2010
- ArsenalArsenal F.C.Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
Player of the Month (1): December 2010 - PFAProfessional Footballers' AssociationThe 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....
Fans' Player of the Month (3): October 2010, December 2010, January 2011 - PFA 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...
: 2010–11