Blaise Matuidi Information & Blaise Matuidi Links at HealthHaven.com

Blaise Matuidi
Personal information
Date of birth	April 9, 1987 (age 22)
Place of birth	Toulouse, France
Height	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Playing position	Defensive Midfielder
Club information
Current club	AS Saint-Étienne
Number	12
Youth career
1995–1999	CO Vincennois
1999–2002	INF Clairefontaine
2002–2004	Créteil
2004–2005	Troyes
Senior career*
National team‡
	* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 7 June 2009.; † Appearances (Goals).; ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 8 July 2009

Blaise Matuidi (born April 9, 1987 in Toulouse) is a French footballer of Angolan descent currently playing for AS Saint-Étienne. He primarily plays as a combative defensive midfielder often playing in a withdrawn position as a deep-lying playmaker.^[2]

[edit] Career

[edit] Early career

Blaise was born in Toulouse, Haute-Garonne to Angolan parents, but grew up in the Parisian suburbs of Fontenay-sous-Bois. He began his football career with local club CO Vincennois in nearby Vincennes before being selected to attend the Clairefontaine academy. Following his three year stint there, he joined US Créteil-Lusitanos in 2002 and, two years later, signed with Troyes AC.

[edit] Troyes

Blaise spent just a few months in the reserves before making his professional debut in a Ligue 2 match against Gueugnon. He started the match playing 56 minutes before being substituted out in a 2–1 victory.^[3] He made another appearance that season before being relegated back to the reserves. The following season, Matuidi was giving a prominent role with the club, who were now playing in Ligue 1. He made 31 league appearances, starting 30, and scored his first professional goal in a 1–0 victory over Lille.^[4] Matuidi was one of the league leaders in card accumulation with 11. Despite his positive play, Troyes finished only one spot above the relegation zone.

Following the season, Matuidi signed his first professional contract agreeing to a four-year deal with Troyes, despite interest from English club Charlton Athletic.^[5] He continued his consistent play during the 2006–07 season appearing in 34 league matches scoring 3 goals. One of his greatest performances in a Troyes shirt came on 28 April 2007 against Sedan, whom Troyes were contesting a relegation battle with. With Troyes trailing 1–2 at home with 15 minutes remaining, Matuidi scored an equalizing goal in the 75^th minute and eight minutes later scored the winner to give Troyes a 3–2 victory.^[6] He scored again on the last match day in a 3–0 win over Lens, but Troyes still suffered relegation finishing the season in the 18^th position. The club's relegation back to Ligue 2 caused speculation regarding Matuidi's future with the club.

[edit] Saint-Étienne

Despite being linked with a hosts of Ligue 1 clubs, notably Bordeaux, Lille, and Monaco, Matuidi announced that he was signing with AS Saint-Étienne after agreeing to a four-year deal with the club.^[7] Matuidi was handed the number 12 shirt and quickly inserted into the first eleven forming partnerships with midfielders Loïc Perrin and Christophe Landrin. He also formed a bond with former and fellow Troyen Bafétimbi Gomis, who had a breakout season. The club's play that season culminated into a respectable 5^th place finish and qualification for the UEFA Cup. His performances also caught the attention of English club Arsenal with the club's scout Gilles Grimandi recommending the player to fellow Frenchman Arsène Wenger.^[8]

Matuidi got off to a great start for the 2008–09 season scoring his first career goal with Saint-Étienne in a 2–1 victory over Sochaux. He made eight appearances in the UEFA Cup helping the club reached the Round of 16 before suffering eliminated by Werder Bremen and continued his consistent play in the league until picking up his first career red card in a 0–3 defeat to Lille. Injuries hampered Matuidi's play, and the team in general, during the second half of the season resulting in Saint-Étienne barely avoiding relegation having survived on the last day of the season.

[edit] International career

Matuidi has played with the under-18s earning 8 caps, as well as the under-19s earning another 8 caps. He was a regular with the under-21s during the lead up to the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship making 24 appearances. Unfortunately, his under-21 career came to an end following a defeat to Germany in a two-legged playoff, which determined who would earn a berth in the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship.

[edit] Career statistics

As of 29 July 2009

Club	Season	League			Cup^[9]			Europe^[10]			Total
Club	Season	Apps	Goals	Assists	Apps	Goals	Assists	Apps	Goals	Assists	Apps	Goals	Assists
Troyes AC	2004-05	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0
	2005-06	31	1	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	31	1	4
	2006-07	34	3	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	35	3	2
Total		67	4	6	1	0	0	0	0	0	68	4	6
AS Saint-Étienne
	2007-08	35	0	4	2	0	0	0	0	0	37	0	4
	2008-09	27	2	2	3	0	0	8	0	1	35	2	3
	2009-10	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total		62	2	6	5	0	0	8	0	1	75	2	7
Career total		129	6	12	6	0	0	8	0	1	149	6	13

[edit] References

[edit] External links

[0] [1]

[1] Everton Set to Steal £8M Arsenal & Spurs Midfield General Target

[2] Gueugnon v. Troyes Match Report

[3] Troyes v. Lille Match Report

[4] Matuidi signe son premier contrat pro

[5] Troyes v. Sedan Match Report

[6] Matuidi seals St. Etienne move

[7] Wenger planning £8m raid for France Under-21 midfielder Matuidi

[8] Includes Coupe de France, Coupe de la Ligue, Trophée des Champions,

[9] Includes UEFA Supercup

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

Contents