Emmanuel Petit facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Emmanuel Petit

Petit in 2005
Personal information
Full name	Emmanuel Laurent Petit
Date of birth	(1970-09-22) 22 September 1970 (age 54)
Place of birth	Dieppe, France
Height	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s)	Defensive midfielder
Youth career
1977–1985	Arques-la-Bataille
1985–1989	Monaco
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1988–1997	Monaco	222	(4)
1997–2000	Arsenal	85	(9)
2000–2001	Barcelona	23	(1)
2001–2004	Chelsea	55	(2)
Total		385	(16)
International career
1990–2003	France	63	(6)
Medal record Men's football Representing  France FIFA World Cup Winner 1998 France UEFA European Championship Winner 2000 Belgium–Netherlands
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Emmanuel Laurent Petit (born 22 September 1970) is a French former professional footballer. He played as a defensive midfielder for famous clubs like Arsenal, Barcelona, Monaco, and Chelsea.

Petit also played for the French national team. He was part of the team that won the 1998 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2000. In the 1998 World Cup Final, he scored the third goal in France's 3–0 win against Brazil. He was known for being a strong defender, good at tackling and stopping opponents. He was also great at passing the ball and helping his team move from defense to attack.

Early Life and Start in Football

Petit was born in Dieppe, France. He grew up in a town called Arques-la-Bataille. He started playing football at a small club there.

Joining AS Monaco

When he was 18, Arsène Wenger signed Petit to play for Monaco. He quickly became a regular player. He played as a central midfielder or on the left side of the midfield.

In 1991, Petit helped Monaco win the Coupe de France, a major French cup. He also played in the 1992 European Cup Winners' Cup final. In his last season with Monaco, in 1996–97, he was the team's captain. They won the Ligue 1 title that year.

Playing for Arsenal

Petit (centre) playing in 2000

In June 1997, Petit joined Arsenal in England. He was reunited with his old manager, Arsène Wenger. Wenger changed Petit's position to a defensive midfielder. He played alongside another French player, Patrick Vieira.

This French duo became a very strong midfield team. In his first season, Petit helped Arsenal win "the double." This means they won both the Premier League title and the FA Cup in the same year. During his three seasons at Arsenal, Petit played 118 games and scored 11 goals.

Time at Barcelona and Chelsea

In 2000, Petit moved to Barcelona in Spain. He joined his Arsenal teammate Marc Overmars. At Barcelona, he was moved back to play in defense. He also had many small injuries. He found it hard to settle in and play regularly. In his book, Petit said that his coach at Barcelona didn't even know what position he played! He scored only one goal for Barcelona.

After one season, Petit returned to England. He joined Chelsea in 2001. He played regularly for Chelsea at first. He played in the 2002 FA Cup Final, where Chelsea lost to his old club, Arsenal. In his second season at Chelsea, he played very well with Frank Lampard. They helped Chelsea get a spot in the UEFA Champions League.

Petit faced several knee injuries later in his career. He spent a lot of his final season on the sidelines. He left Chelsea in 2004.

Retirement from Football

After leaving Chelsea, Petit decided to retire from football on 20 January 2005. He could not fully recover from his knee injuries.

International Career with France

Petit played 63 games for the French national team and scored six goals. He helped France win the 1998 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2000.

1998 FIFA World Cup Victory

In the 1998 World Cup, Petit scored two goals. One was a powerful shot against Denmark. The other was in the final against Brazil. His goal in the final was very special. He ran across the field and calmly scored in the last minute of the game. This goal was the 1,000th goal in the history of the French Football Federation. It was also the last World Cup final goal of the 20th century. France won the match 3–0. Petit had also helped set up Zinedine Zidane's first goal with a corner kick.

Petit was also part of the French team in the 2002 FIFA World Cup. However, France did not do well in that tournament. They did not get past the group stage and did not score any goals. Petit stopped playing for the national team in September 2003.

Playing Style

Petit usually played as a defensive midfielder. He was known for his energy, hard work, and strength. He was good at tackling, winning the ball in the air, and knowing where to be on the field. He also had an elegant style, with great passing skills and a powerful shot from far away with his left foot. This meant he could not only stop attacks but also help create chances for his teammates and score goals himself.

Personal Life

Petit married French actress Agathe de La Fontaine in 2000. They had a child named Zoe before divorcing in 2002. He later had another child, Violet, with Maria Servello in 2007. Petit often appears on French TV as a football expert.

Petit's brother, Olivier, was also a footballer. In 1988, Olivier sadly passed away at the age of 17 due to a blood clot in his brain. This event deeply affected Petit and almost made him quit football. He wore the number 17 shirt throughout his club career in memory of his brother.

Petit has also been an ambassador for the Homeless World Cup movement since 2011.

Honours and Awards

Petit won many titles and awards during his career:

Monaco

• French Division 1: 1996–97
• Coupe de France: 1990–91

Arsenal

• Premier League: 1997–98
• FA Cup: 1997–98
• FA Charity Shield: 1998, 1999

France

• FIFA World Cup: 1998
• UEFA European Championship: 2000

Individual Awards

• Division 1 Rookie of the Year: 1990
• Premier League Player of the Month: April 1998
• Onze de Bronze: 1998
• PFA Premier League Team of the Year: 1998–99

Orders

• Knight of the Legion of Honour: 1998 (a special award from France)

See also

In Spanish: Emmanuel Petit para niños