Florent Malouda

Florent Malouda

Personal information
Full name	Florent Johan Malouda[1]
Date of birth	13 June 1980 (1980-06-13) (age 30)
Place of birth	Cayenne, French Guiana
Height	1.76 m (5 ft 9 1⁄2 in)[2]
Playing position	Left winger
Club information
Current club	Chelsea
Number	15
Youth career
	ASC Remiré
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1996–2000	Châteauroux	59	(5)
2000–2003	Guingamp	92	(15)
2003–2007	Lyon	138	(24)
2007–	Chelsea	87	(23)
National team‡
2004–	France	57	(4)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 21 August 2010 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 19:30, 17 June 2010 (UTC)

Florent Johan Malouda (French pronunciation: [flɔʁɑ̃ maluda]; born 13 June 1980 in Cayenne, French Guiana) is a French footballer who plays as a left winger for Chelsea F.C. in the English Premier League and the French national team.

Florent Malouda signed for Chelsea in July 2007 after beating off stiff competition from around Europe including Real Madrid. The French winger joined Chelsea from Lyon for an undisclosed fee said to be around £13.5 million.

Club career

Châteauroux

A street footballer in his teen years, Malouda gradually developed into an interesting, new football talent, able to penetrate defences with his technical skills and imaginative play.

Malouda soon attracted the interest of scouts from French club Châteauroux and he soon moved to Paris to join the club. Despite the difficulties of living far away from home, Malouda was able to continue his studies and play professional football. Malouda played 57 games for Châteauroux, making his senior debut at the age of 16 in the French Ligue 2. He also got sent off in his second game for the club.

Guingamp

Malouda was then signed by top division side Guingamp following Châteauroux's inability to secure a Ligue 1 berth. It was in Guingamp where his talent was showcased in French top-flight football. Under the tutelage of coach Guy Lacombe, Malouda demonstrated his tremendous ability and formed a superb assister and finisher combination with then team-mate Didier Drogba.

Lyon

Malouda's performances at Guingamp began catching the attention of French giants Olympique Lyonnais who, after claiming their second consecutive title during the 2002–03 season, decided to sign Malouda. In an outstanding Lyon team containing Juninho, Michael Essien, Grégory Coupet, and Mahamadou Diarra, Malouda established himself on the left side of Lyon's attack, forming great link-ups with all of Lyon's strikers. His performances for Lyon finally earned him a much deserved call up to the French national team.

The highlights of Malouda's career at Lyon were a man of the match display against Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League and his 10 goals which led Lyon to their sixth consecutive Ligue 1 title, both during the 2006–07 season.

He also won the Ligue 1 Player of the Year that season, succeeding teammate Juninho, Lille OSC's Abdul Kader Keïta, Toulouse FC's Johan Elmander and RC Lens' Seydou Keïta to the accolade.^[3]

Malouda made public his wish to leave Lyon at the end of the 2006–07 season, with Chelsea, Liverpool and Real Madrid showing interest in the winger.^[4] On 29 June 2007, Malouda told Lyon based newspaper Le Progres that he has his heart set on a move to Chelsea, confirming that Chelsea had lodged a €17 million bid for him.^[5][6] Malouda later repeated this comment in an interview with the Daily Star.^[7] On 5 July 2007, Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon told Sky Sports News that Chelsea had been in discussions with Lyon regarding Malouda's transfer and were hoping to tie up the deal before Chelsea's pre-season tour in the USA.^[8]

Chelsea

Malouda (right) with Chelsea teammate Alex.

On 8 July 2007, Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas announced that Lyon had accepted an undisclosed bid, rumoured to be around $20 MIL/£13 MIL, from Chelsea for Malouda.^[9] Chelsea later officially revealed that Malouda would be traveling to London on 9 July for a medical and to discuss personal terms. Malouda had looked set to join Liverpool until the Premiership rivals Chelsea intervened, and the opportunity to play for Liverpool faded. At 7pm on the same day, Malouda officially signed a three-year contract with the club.^[10] He was handed the number 15 shirt. Chelsea manager José Mourinho described Malouda as a mature and proven player who was up to the challenge of adapting to the fast pace of English football, and hinted that Malouda would be fielded in tandem with Dutch winger Arjen Robben.

In his first game for Chelsea, a pre-season friendly against Mexican side Club América, Malouda scored the equaliser and set up John Terry for the winning goal as Chelsea went on to win 2–1.

Malouda made his competitive debut for Chelsea against Manchester United in the 2007 FA Community Shield on 5 August 2007 in a 1–1 draw, despite Chelsea going on to lose on penalties, he scored in what was an impressive display.

Malouda started against Birmingham City on 12 August on the left wing, a position previously adopted by Arjen Robben and Joe Cole. Malouda scored Chelsea's second goal in a 3–2 victory, before being replaced by Steve Sidwell in the 83rd minute.

On 19 August, Malouda won a dubious penalty decision from referee Rob Styles in a Premier League game against Liverpool. Replays of the incident indicated Malouda had backed into the Liverpool defender, Jamie Carragher, after trying to leave the ball for the unmarked Didier Drogba. The penalty kick was given and Frank Lampard scored.^[11] Referee Rob Styles was dropped from the next weekend Premier League games as a result of this incident and some other contentious decisions during the game.^[12] He scored against Schalke 04 in his first Champions League game for Chelsea, squeezing the ball through keeper Manuel Neuer's legs after turning his marker Rafinha. On 23 January, Malouda set up Joe Cole with a long pass to score against Everton in the Carling Cup, Chelsea won 3–1 on aggregate. On 5 May 2008, Malouda scored his second Premier League goal in the penultimate game of the season against Newcastle United, converting Frank Lampard's through ball.^[13] Malouda ended his first season in English football with two goals and one assist in the league, a relatively poor return due to being second choice on the left wing to Salomon Kalou for the majority of the season and the shock arrival of Avram Grant as Chelsea manager.

Malouda playing for Chelsea in 2009.

Malouda scored his first two goals in the Luis Felipe Scolari era against French team Girondins de Bordeaux in the Champions League group stages on 16 September 2008, and in the Carling Cup third round tie against Portsmouth. Both games went on to be 4–0 victories for Chelsea. His first league goal of the season was against Middlesbrough in a 5–0 win. The Frenchman scored the crucial second goal in a 2–0 win against Newcastle United, scoring from Frank Lampard's pass in what was almost a carbon copy of he goal he scored at Saint James' Park the previous season^[13]. Malouda then played one of his best games for Chelsea in a 3–1 win over Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League, supplying crosses for Branislav Ivanović and Didier Drogba to score. He then scored the leveling goal against Arsenal in what would be a 2–1 victory for Chelsea in their FA Cup semi-final at Wembley Stadium. On 2 May, he netted in Chelsea's 3–1 win over Fulham at Stamford Bridge. On 6th may in a Champions league semi final against FC Barcelona Malouda was disallowed a potential penalty by the controversial referee, who dissalowed numerous other Chelsea appeals for a penalty. He scored the fourth goal in a famous 4–1 victory over Arsenal which was they biggest defeat in the league at home for 38 years. In the game which marked his 50th Premier League match for the Blues. The next match in the Premier League was against Blackburn Rovers. He scored the first goal in the game from a fine header. In the 2009 FA Cup Final against Everton, he played a pivotal role in Chelsea's 2–1 win setting up Didier Drogba's equaliser but was then later denied a superb goal when his 36 yard strike hit the underside of the crossbar which in replays showed it crossed the line. Malouda's impressive form in the last half of the season prompted interest from FC Barcelona and AC Milan

Malouda celebrating a Chelsea goal

Although on June 23, 2009, Malouda proved his loyalty by signing a new four-year deal with Chelsea which will keep him at Stamford Bridge until 2013.^[14]. Since the arrival of Carlo Ancelotti in the 2009/2010 season Malouda has found himself playing in a more central role on the left of Ancelotti's preferred diamond formation in midfield. On 12 September 2009 against Stoke City he grabbed the winner on the 94th minute to get Chelsea all three points.^[15] On October 4, 2009, Malouda scored the final goal in a 2–0 win over Liverpool. Malouda continued his fine form scoring the second goal in a 4–0 win over Bolton in the Carling Cup. On 3 November Malouda made his 100th appearance for Chelsea in a Champions League match against Atletico Madrid. On November 21, 2009, Malouda scored the first goal in a 4–0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers, which was in the 4th minute and from 25 yards out. On December 25, 2009 Malouda was sent off for the first time this season for tackling Stephen Carr in a league game against Birmingham City at St Andrews. And on January 16, Malouda scored a superb solo goal against Sunderland in a 7–2 win.

In a Premier League match against West Ham United, Florent Malouda was voted Man of the Match, delivering 16 crosses, two of which were turned into goals (thus counted as assists) and scoring one. Malouda scored a brace against Portsmouth on 24 March, a match won by Chelsea 5–0. On March 27, Malouda scored two more goals against Aston Villa in the match which Chelsea won with a 7–1 score.^[16]

In Chelsea's most important fixture of the 2009/2010 Premier League campaign against title rivals Manchester United, Malouda played a pivotal role in setting up the first goal of the match. By evading Antonio Valencia and Darren Fletcher on his way into the penalty area, Malouda was able to deliver a low cross to Joe Cole who redirected the ball with his back heel past Edwin van Der Sar. Chelsea would go on to win the game 2–1.^[17]

He's designated for the first time as Premier League's Player of the Month in March 2010. He scored the second goal for Chelsea in a 3–0 win over Aston Villa in the FA Cup Semi-Final for the second successive year on the 10th April 2010.

Malouda was one of the stand-out players in the league during the 2009-10 campaign. He was controversially not included in the team of the season – despite compiling an impressive 12 goals and 8 assists. Overall he scored 15 goals and provided 15 assists during the 2009-10 season. He finished joint 12th top scorer in the Premier League that season, with Manchester United's Dimitar Berbatov.

Malouda began the 2010/2011 season for Chelsea by scoring the first goal of their Premier League campaign against West Bromwich Albion, and later getting another in a record 6-0 opening day win. He scored his third goal of the season in another 6-0 demolition of Wigan Athletic.

International career

Malouda made his debut for France on 17 November 2004 in a match against Poland. He then became a regular for his country, scoring his first goal for his country on May 31, 2005 against Hungary.

After playing almost throughout France's qualifying campaign for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Malouda earned a call up to the final squad. Malouda continued to play regularly in the tournament, where the French eventually lost on penalties to Italy in the final. He won a penalty for France in that game which was converted by Zinédine Zidane. To date, Malouda has scored four goals in 57 appearances for the France national team.

On June 22, 2010, during the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Malouda scored a goal against the hosts South Africa which ended in a 2-1 defeat in favour of Bafana Bafana.^[18] It was the only goal scored by France during their campaign in the group stage before they were eliminated in last place, having drawn 0-0 with Uruguay, and losing 2-0 to Mexico.

Career statistics

Honours

Club

Lyon

• Ligue 1: 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07
• Trophée des champions: 2003, 2004, 2005

Chelsea

• FA Premier League: 2009–10
• FA Cup: 2009, 2010
• FA Community Shield: 2009

Individual

• Premier League Player of the Month: March 2010
• Chelsea Players' Player of the Year: 2009–10

Personal

Malouda's younger brother Lesly is also professional footballer, he is former Ligue 1 player and current member of the Ligue 2 team from Dijon FCO^[21]. He is married to Florencia. They have three daughters, Kelys, Satya and Flora and a son, Aaron.^[22]

References

http://www.scarletknights.com/soccer-men/

External links

• Florent Malouda career stats at Soccerbase
• Footballdatabase provides Florent Malouda's profile and stats

France Squad France squad – 2006 FIFA World Cup Runners-up 1 Landreau • 2 Boumsong • 3 Abidal • 4 Vieira • 5 Gallas • 6 Makélélé • 7 Malouda • 8 Dhorasoo • 9 Govou • 10 Zidane (c) • 11 Wiltord • 12 Henry • 13 Silvestre • 14 Saha • 15 Thuram • 16 Barthez • 17 Givet • 18 Diarra • 19 Sagnol • 20 Trezeguet • 21 Chimbonda • 22 Ribéry • 23 Coupet • Coach: Domenech France squad – UEFA Euro 2008 1 Mandanda • 2 Boumsong • 3 Abidal • 4 Vieira (c) • 5 Gallas • 6 Makélélé • 7 Malouda • 8 Anelka • 9 Benzema • 10 Govou • 11 Nasri • 12 Henry • 13 Evra • 14 Clerc • 15 Thuram • 16 Frey • 17 Squillaci • 18 Gomis • 19 Sagnol • 20 Toulalan • 21 Diarra • 22 Ribéry • 23 Coupet • Coach: Domenech France squad – 2010 FIFA World Cup 1 Lloris • 2 Sagna • 3 Abidal • 4 Réveillère • 5 Gallas • 6 Planus • 7 Ribéry • 8 Gourcuff • 9 Cissé • 10 Govou • 11 Gignac • 12 Henry • 13 Evra (c) • 14 Toulalan • 15 Malouda • 16 Mandanda • 17 Squillaci • 18 Diarra • 19 Diaby • 20 Valbuena • 21 Anelka • 22 Clichy • 23 Carrasso • Coach: Domenech