Mathieu Flamini
Personal information
Full name	Mathieu Flamini
Date of birth	March 7, 1984 (1984-03-07) (age 24)
Place of birth	Marseille, France
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Playing position	Midfielder
Club information
Current club	Milan
Number	84
Youth clubs
2001–2003	Marseille B
Senior clubs1
Years	Club	App (Gls)*
2003–2004 2004–2008 2008–	Marseille Arsenal Milan	014 (0) 102 (7) 002 (0)
National team2
2004–2005 2007–	France U–21 France	008 (1) 003 (0)
1 Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of August 31, 2008. 2 National team caps and goals correct as of September 10, 2008. * Appearances (Goals)

Mathieu Flamini (born March 7, 1984 in Marseille) is a French international footballer of Italian descent, currently playing for A.C. Milan^[1][2] His natural position is defensive midfielder, but he can also play as a fullback.

[edit] Club career

[edit] Olympique de Marseille

Flamini was a youth team player for his local professional club Olympique de Marseille. He made his debut for the senior team on December 20, 2003 in the 1–0 victory over Toulouse FC. He impressed for the team as a hardworking midfield player playing 14 times for the club. However it was his performances in Marseille’s UEFA Cup campaign that brought him to the attention of the general football world, including the semi-final victory over Newcastle United. He played in the final in Gothenburg which Valencia won 2–0. Due to his age, Marseille was unable to offer him a long term professional contract.

[edit] Arsenal

[edit] 2004–05 season

On July 23, 2004, Flamini signed a professional contract for Arsenal, rejecting Marseille's long-term senior contract offer to which he had already verbally agreed to. Soon after the incident, Marseille manager José Anigo stated, "This is a beautiful treason. He used me."

Flamini made his Arsenal début in the 4–1 win at Everton on August 15, 2004. He was used as a utility player starting 9 games but being used as a substitute in 12. The following season saw him filling in for a number of injured players, but unable to command a first team place in his favoured position.

[edit] 2005–06 season

While he is naturally a defensive midfielder, he has been used as a right winger. Due to injuries in Arsenal's back line, he has also operated in the left back position, after injuries to Ashley Cole, Gaël Clichy, Pascal Cygan, Lauren and Kerrea Gilbert . However, despite being right-footed, Flamini performed respectably during the remainder of Arsenal's Premiership and Champions League campaign. When Ashley Cole became fit again, though, he returned to the starting lineup. In May 2006 he came on as a 76th minute substitute in the Champions League Final which Arsenal lost to Barcelona in Paris.

[edit] 2006–07 season

In the 2006–07 season, Flamini scored the winner against Dinamo Zagreb in the qualifying stages of the Champions League. He also scored important goals against Chelsea, Blackburn Rovers, and Liverpool in the Premiership. However, despite these important goals, he remained unsatisfied with his "utility player" role at the club and in April 2007, he admitted that he would probably be leaving Arsenal by buying out the remaining year on his contract at the end of the current season. However, he reconsidered after a long talk with manager Arsène Wenger and remained with the team.

[edit] 2007–08 season

Flamini started in central midfield for Arsenal's first match of the 2007–08 Premier League season, due to the absence of Gilberto Silva and Abou Diaby. During the start of Arsenal's 2007–08 campaign, he struck up a strong partnership with Cesc Fabregas, keeping the likes of Gilberto Silva out of the starting XI with displays widely regarded by Arsenal fans as a vast improvement on those during his previous years at the club. Flamini enjoys a generally good rapport with Arsenal's fans, who have provided him with his own song, an adaptation of the theme tune to British television programme The Sweeney. On January 29, 2008, he scored an extraordinary 25-yard (23 m) strike in Arsenal's 3–0 win over Newcastle United in the Premier League. He played his last official game on 8 April 2008, a UEFA Champions League match in which Arsenal were knocked out by English rival Liverpool F.C.. After the match, it was reported he was injured. It proved to be his last match for Arsenal.^[3]

[edit] A.C. Milan

Flamini has signed a contract with A.C. Milan where he will be earning €5.6 million per season over a four year period. [1]. The contract was completed on May 5, 2008. [2] He is wearing the number 84 on his jersey to represent his year of birth. Flamini made his Serie A debut on August 30, 2008 in a 2-1 loss to Bologna. [3]

[edit] Playing style

Flamini's natural position is central midfielder, where he has formed a formidable partnership with Fabregas. His passing is also very consistent - he has attempted the 2nd most passes in the Premier League during the 2007–08 season. In addition, his tackling ability, stamina, and work rate have improved since moving to Arsenal. His impressive work rate is what really endeared him to the Arsenal fans. He was nicknamed "Fla-Tuso" in homage to A.C Milan's Gennaro Gattuso due to Flamini similar playing style. Ironically, Flamini will go on to play alongside Gattuso after signing for the Milan based club in the summer.

[edit] International career

Flamini accepted his first call up to France by coach Raymond Domenech for a friendly against Argentina at the Stade de France on February 7, 2007 after Jérémy Toulalan was ruled out due to injury. He later made his international debut in a friendly against Morocco on November 16, 2007 as a substitute.^[4]

[edit] Career statistics

Updated to games played May 20, 2008.^[5]

¹Domestics Cups for Arsenal years include both FA Cup and League Cup
²European competitions include the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup
³Other tournaments include the FA Community Shield

[edit] Honours

Marseille:

• Runners-up
  • UEFA Cup: 2004

Arsenal

• Winner
  • FA Cup: 2005
  • Emirates Cup: 2007
  • Amsterdam Tournament: 2007
• Runners-up
  • UEFA Champions League: 2006
  • League Cup: 2007

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Profile at 4thegame.com
• Profile at premierleague.com
• Profile at sporting-heroes.net
• Mathieu Flamini career stats at Soccerbase
• Flamini joins AC Milan