Abou Diaby facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Abou Diaby

Diaby playing for Arsenal in 2010
Personal information
Full name	Vassiriki Abou Diaby
Date of birth	(1986-05-11) 11 May 1986 (age 39)
Place of birth	Paris, France
Height	1.92 m (6 ft 4 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Youth career
1994–1998	Aubervilliers
1998–2001	Red Star
2001–2002	Paris Saint-Germain
1999–2002	INF Clairefontaine
2002–2004	Auxerre
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2004–2006	Auxerre	10	(1)
2006–2015	Arsenal	124	(14)
2015–2017	Marseille	5	(0)
Total		139	(15)
International career
2004–2005	France U19	12	(0)
2006–2007	France U21	2	(0)
2007–2012	France	16	(1)
Medal record Men's Football Representing  France UEFA European Under-19 Championship Winner 2005 Team
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Vassiriki Abou Diaby (born 11 May 1986), known as Abou Diaby, is a French former professional footballer. He played mainly as a midfielder who could help both in attack and defense. People described him as graceful, hard to catch, and athletic. He was good at dribbling past opponents and passing the ball to his teammates. Diaby, who has family roots in Ivory Coast, also had excellent ball control. Sadly, his career was often interrupted by many injuries, a problem he had even when he played in France.

Because of how he looked and where he played on the field, people often compared him to Arsenal teammate Patrick Vieira.

Diaby was born in Paris, France, and grew up in Aubervilliers. He started playing football for his local club, CM Aubervilliers. In 1998, he joined Red Star Paris. A year later, Diaby was chosen to train at the famous INF Clairefontaine academy. He spent four years there while also training with Red Star. Before leaving Clairefontaine, Diaby moved to the professional club Paris Saint-Germain. Due to a mistake by the club, Diaby became a free agent, meaning he could join any team. He then joined the academy of Auxerre. He spent two years in their youth academy before playing his first professional game in the 2004–05 season. Diaby also played in European competitions with Auxerre. In January 2006, after playing for Auxerre in the first half of the 2005–06 season, Diaby signed a long-term contract with English club Arsenal. He made his debut for Arsenal that same month and scored his first goal three months later against Aston Villa. After leaving Arsenal in 2015 because of his ongoing injury problems, Diaby joined French club Marseille. He officially retired from football in February 2019.

Diaby also played for the French youth national teams, including the under-19 and under-21 teams. Before joining the senior team, he was part of the under-19 team that won the 2005 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship. Diaby played his first senior international game in March 2007 in a qualifying match for the UEFA Euro 2008 against Lithuania. He represented France in one major international tournament, the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Diaby started all three group stage matches for France in that tournament.

About Abou Diaby's Life

Diaby was born in Paris and grew up in a housing area in Aubervilliers, a suburb of Paris. His father was a long-distance truck driver. Abou became interested in football after being inspired by players from the French team that won the 1998 FIFA World Cup. He especially admired midfielder Patrick Vieira, whom Diaby called "a legend in French football." Diaby was also good at other sports like basketball and boxing. With his Ivorian background, Diaby is a Muslim. As he grew up, he became very interested in subjects like religion, philosophy, science, and astronomy. When he was 17, while at the Auxerre youth academy, he even became interested in accountancy after taking a course.

Abou Diaby's Club Career

Starting His Football Journey

Diaby began his football career at his hometown club, CM Aubervilliers, in December 1996. His coaches there were David Giguère and Alain Mboma. After two years, Diaby's quick progress led him to join Red Star Paris, a semi-professional team nearby. At Red Star, he was described as "fairly quiet and quite frail" by youth coach Marco Lienel. Diaby started playing for their under-13 team.

After a year with Red Star, in 1999, he was chosen to attend the famous INF Clairefontaine academy. While at Clairefontaine, Diaby was part of a documentary series called A la Clairefontaine, which followed the lives of France's best young footballers.

Playing for Auxerre

Early Years at Auxerre (2002–2004)

Towards the end of his time at Clairefontaine, Diaby left Red Star to play for the professional club Paris Saint-Germain. He spent a year at their training center. Diaby was expected to sign a youth contract with Paris Saint-Germain. However, due to an administrative mistake by the club, they failed to send a necessary letter to Diaby's parents by a deadline. This meant Diaby became a free agent. Auxerre quickly signed him for their academy before the 2002–03 season. In his first year there, he won the under-16 league title for the Bourgogne region.

During the 2003–04 season, Diaby played for both the club's under-19 team and their reserve team. He played 11 games and scored one goal for the reserve team, which finished first in its group. After this season, he signed his first professional contract with Auxerre for three years. The manager, Guy Roux, then moved Diaby to the first team and gave him the number 24 shirt.

Professional Debut and Challenges (2004–2006)

Diaby continued to train regularly with the first team while also starting for the reserve team. He made his professional debut on 14 August 2004, coming on as a substitute in a 3–1 league win against Rennes. After his debut, Diaby spent the rest of the autumn dealing with injuries or playing for the reserve team.

He returned to the team in March 2005 and made his European debut in a UEFA Cup match against Lille. Auxerre won that round, but later lost in the quarter-finals to Russian club CSKA Moscow. Diaby made his first professional start on 20 March against his former youth club, Paris Saint-Germain. He played 74 minutes in a 1–0 loss. He made three more substitute appearances that season.

After the season, Guy Roux retired as manager of Auxerre. Jacques Santini took over. In the 2005–06 season, Diaby played early on but struggled with injuries as the season went on. This meant he didn't gain the new manager's trust. Diaby only played in five league matches in the first half of the season. He did score his first professional goal on 10 September 2005 in a 3–1 loss to Rennes. In European competition, Diaby started in the team's early exit from the UEFA Cup against Bulgarian club Levski Sofia. Because he wasn't playing much, Diaby was considered available for transfer.

Joining Arsenal

Early Years and Injuries (2006–2009)

Diaby with Arsenal in the 2006–07 season.

On 13 January 2006, English club Arsenal announced they had signed Diaby on a long-term contract for about £2 million. He had reportedly turned down an offer from Arsenal's London rivals, Chelsea. Diaby was given the number 2 shirt. He made his club debut on 21 January 2006 as a substitute in a 1–0 loss to Everton. Three days later, he started his first game in a 2–1 League Cup win over Wigan. On 21 February, Diaby made his UEFA Champions League debut. Two weeks later, he helped set up a goal in Arsenal's 4–0 win over Fulham. After an injury in March, he returned in April and scored his first goal for Arsenal in a 5–0 win over Aston Villa on 1 April 2006.

On 1 May, Diaby suffered a serious ankle injury after a tackle from Sunderland defender Dan Smith. Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger called the tackle "horrendous." As a result, Diaby missed the 2006 UEFA Champions League Final and the 2006 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship. He had three surgeries and was told the injury might end his career. After eight months of recovery, he returned in the 2006–07 season in a League Cup match against Liverpool, which Arsenal won 6–3.

On 25 February 2007, during the 2007 Football League Cup Final against Chelsea, Diaby accidentally kicked Chelsea defender John Terry in the face while trying to clear the ball. Terry was taken off the field but recovered. Although Arsenal lost 2–1, Diaby was credited with an assist on Arsenal's only goal. Diaby scored his first and only goal of that season on 14 March in a 1–0 win over Aston Villa.

In Diaby's first full season with Arsenal, he scored his first goal on 22 September 2007 in a 5–0 win over Derby County. In December 2007, Diaby scored in two games in a row for the first time. He scored in a Champions League group stage match against Romanian club Steaua București, which Arsenal won 2–1. Six days later, Diaby scored Arsenal's first goal in a 3–2 away win over Blackburn Rovers in the League Cup.

On 29 March 2008, Diaby received his first red card in his professional career in a league match against Bolton Wanderers for a tackle on defender Grétar Steinsson. Wenger defended Diaby, saying the tackle was not intentional. After his suspension, Diaby played only one more match that season, in the Champions League quarter-final against Liverpool. He scored the opening goal, but Arsenal lost the game and the tie. After this, Diaby struggled with a thigh injury and was out for the rest of the season.

Diaby started the 2008–09 season late due to his thigh injury. He made his season debut on 18 October 2008 in a 3–1 win over Everton. Three days later, Diaby scored in a 5–2 Champions League group stage win over Fenerbahçe. He played regularly for the first time in his Arsenal career that season. On 26 December 2008, Diaby scored against Aston Villa in a 2–2 draw. The next month, he assisted on a goal in a 1–1 draw with Everton. Diaby scored his second goal of the season in Arsenal's 3–1 league win against Newcastle on 21 March. He finished the season by scoring in a 4–1 win over Stoke City.

Key Player and More Injuries (2009–2012)

Diaby with Arsenal in the 2008–09 season against Chelsea.

Diaby started the 2009–10 season healthy and quickly made a big impact. Playing with Alex Song and Cesc Fàbregas, he became part of a strong midfield. On 22 August 2009, he scored two goals in a 4–1 win over Portsmouth. The next month, Diaby assisted a goal in a 3–2 comeback win over Belgian club Standard Liège in the Champions League. In November, Diaby scored the winning goal in a 3–1 win over Birmingham City. Three weeks later, he scored another goal in a Champions League group stage win over Dutch club AZ. On 7 November, Diaby got injured in a 4–1 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers. This injury meant he missed France's World Cup playoff match.

Diaby scored his fifth goal of the season in a 3–0 win over Hull City on 19 December. He also assisted a goal in that game. A week later, Diaby scored his fourth goal against Aston Villa in another 3–0 victory. In the new year, Diaby started 2010 by assisting goals in a 2–2 draw against Everton and a 4–2 win over Bolton. On 10 February, he scored the only goal in a victory over Liverpool. He finished the season with his highest numbers for games played, goals, and assists.

Diaby started the 2010–11 season by scoring a goal and assisting another in the team's second match against Blackpool, a 6–0 win. During a match against Bolton on 11 September, he was injured after a challenge by Paul Robinson. Diaby missed two weeks and returned in the team's 3–2 loss to West Bromwich Albion. On 5 February 2011, he was sent off for violent conduct against opposing midfielder Joey Barton in a league match against Newcastle. Before Diaby's red card, Arsenal was leading 4–0. Playing with ten men, the team conceded four goals and the game ended in a draw. On 10 April, Diaby scored his second goal of the season in a 3–1 win against Blackpool.

The 2011–12 season was again affected by Diaby's injury problems. He made only four substitute appearances in the Premier League and one in the UEFA Champions League.

Final Years at Arsenal (2012–2015)

With Alex Song leaving before the 2012–13 season, Diaby started all three of Arsenal's first games. His performance against Liverpool earned him the Man of the Match award in Arsenal's 2–0 win. However, he was injured again in Arsenal's 2–1 loss against Chelsea on 29 September and had to be substituted. On 13 January 2013, Diaby returned against Manchester City. Arsenal lost the match 2–0. After more time out with injuries in February and March, it was announced on 28 March 2013 that Diaby had torn a major ligament in his left knee. After surgery, he was expected to be out for about eight or nine months.

Arsenal announced that Diaby changed his squad number from 2 to 24 for the 2013–14 season. Soon after, it was announced he would be out until March 2014 due to more knee treatment.

On 11 May 2014, Diaby returned from injury as a substitute in a 2–0 win at Norwich City, in Arsenal's last match of the 2013–14 Premier League season. On 15 November 2014, he suffered a hamstring injury that kept him off the field for three months. On 10 June 2015, Diaby was released by Arsenal.

Time at Marseille

In July 2015, Diaby signed with French Ligue 1 team Marseille after leaving Arsenal. After continued injury problems in the first half of the season, he returned on 18 March 2016, coming on as a substitute in Marseille's 5–2 home loss to Rennes. On 3 April 2016, he started a league match against Bastia, which was his first league start in over three years. Diaby played only four games for Marseille that season.

In October 2016, Diaby had surgery on his right ankle because of ongoing pain. He was out for four months after the surgery.

On 25 February 2019, Diaby announced he was retiring from football at age 32. He had last played for Marseille in 2017. He played in only 214 senior career matches. Diaby said, "I am ending my professional career. It is the right time. For a number of years, it has been hard for me to come back because of many physical problems. It is a difficult decision, but I have thought a lot about it and I am at peace with it."

Abou Diaby's International Career

Playing for Youth Teams

Diaby played for France's youth teams under manager Jean Gallice. He was first called up to the under-18 team in November 2003, but an injury kept him from playing. He made his youth international debut for the under-19 team in a 2–1 friendly win against Turkey.

In the qualifiers for the 2005 European Under-19 Football Championship, Diaby played in all six matches as France remained undefeated. In the tournament itself, he missed the first group stage game against England due to a suspension. However, he returned to the starting lineup for the 3–1 victory over Norway. Diaby then started every remaining match, including the championship game against England. France won the match 3–1, giving the nation its sixth under-19 title and Diaby his first international award. Overall, he played 12 matches for the under-19 team.

For the under-21 team, Diaby debuted on 28 February 2006 in a friendly match against Slovakia, which France won 2–1. Due to his ankle injury, Diaby missed the 2006 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship. Because of repeated injuries, he missed all the qualifiers for the 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship. He made only one more appearance for the team in a friendly draw with Armenia.

Playing for the Senior Team

On 15 March 2007, Diaby was called up to the senior national team for the first time by coach Raymond Domenech. This was for a UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying match against Lithuania and a friendly against Austria. Diaby said the call-up was a "huge surprise" because he had just returned from his ankle injury two months earlier. He made his senior international debut against Lithuania, coming on as a substitute. He started his first international game in the next match against Austria, which France won 1–0.

After the Austria match, Diaby did not play for France for three years. He was called up several times during this period but either withdrew due to injury or was not chosen to play. Despite this, Diaby was named to Domenech's initial squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He returned to the international stage in a 2–1 friendly win over Costa Rica. Diaby was then selected for the final 23-man team.

Diaby made his World Cup debut in the team's first group stage match against Uruguay, which ended 0–0. He played the entire match and was praised as one of the team's best players. Diaby started in France's other group stage matches against Mexico and South Africa. France lost both games, and the tournament ended poorly for the team due to disagreements among the players. Because of these issues, Diaby and the other 22 team members were suspended for a friendly match against Norway.

Under new manager Laurent Blanc, Diaby was expected to be a starter. He played the entire match in a 2–0 victory over Luxembourg. He missed the win against England due to injury. Diaby returned for a friendly against Brazil on 9 February 2011, coming on as a substitute in France's 1–0 win. In March 2011, Diaby was called up again but withdrew due to injury for the second time that season. He returned in June 2011 for a UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying match against Belarus and friendly matches against Poland and Ukraine. Diaby played in all three matches. Due to injuries during the 2011–12 season, he missed UEFA Euro 2012.

After more than a year without playing for the national team, Diaby returned in September 2012 under new manager Didier Deschamps. In his first game back since June 2011, he scored his first international goal in a 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification match against Finland.

Abou Diaby's Playing Style

Diaby taking a throw-in in a match against Fulham in 2007

Diaby was often described as a typical box-to-box midfielder. This means he was good at both attacking and defending. While he could play as a defensive midfielder, Diaby preferred to have another defensive midfielder with him. His club manager, Arsène Wenger, also said that Diaby was more of an attacking player. He could move easily across the field, from one penalty box to the other, and had good strength. In his early years at Auxerre, he often played as an attacking midfielder or a support striker. This was because of his technical skills, close ball control, and ability to dribble past opponents or make good passes.

When Diaby joined Arsenal, manager Wenger compared him to former club player Patrick Vieira. Wenger saw similarities in their physical appearance and preferred playing positions. However, Diaby himself admitted there were big differences. He said, "I think maybe I am more attack-minded, a more technical player." He also noted, "Vieira is much more aggressive. He makes more of a physical impact in a game, in midfield. He is amazing. I don't think I have this quality yet." In 2009, Wenger agreed, saying, "Vieira was more of a passer of the ball. Diaby is more of a dribbler, more offensive and makes more penetrating runs."

Diaby was often described as being prone to injuries. After recovering from a broken ankle in late 2006, he faced many small injuries that prevented him from playing a full season for Arsenal. During his second season at Auxerre, he struggled with injuries, which led to him not gaining the manager's trust and eventually being sold to Arsenal. His highest number of appearances for Arsenal came in the 2009–10 season, when he played in 40 out of Arsenal's 55 competitive matches.

Career Statistics

Club

International

Scores and results list France's goal tally first, score column indicates score after Diaby goal

International goal scored by Abou Diaby

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	7 September 2012	Helsinki Olympic Stadium, Helsinki, Finland	Finland	0–1	0–1	2014 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours

Arsenal

• Football League Cup runner-up: 2006–07

France U19

• UEFA European Under-19 Championship: 2005

See also

In Spanish: Abou Diaby para niños