Eric Abidal facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Eric Abidal

Abidal training with Barcelona in 2008
Personal information
Full name	Eric Sylvain Abidal
Date of birth	(1979-09-11) 11 September 1979 (age 45)
Place of birth	Saint-Genis-Laval, France
Height	1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s)	Left-back, centre-back
Team information
Current team	Sporting director for Al-Wasl
Youth career
	Lyon Duchère
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1996–2000	Lyon Duchère
2000–2001	Monaco B	8	(0)
2000–2002	Monaco	22	(0)
2002–2004	Lille	62	(0)
2004–2007	Lyon	76	(2)
2007–2013	Barcelona	125	(2)
2013–2014	Monaco	26	(0)
2014	Olympiacos	9	(0)
Total		328	(4)
International career
2004–2013	France	67	(0)
Medal record Men's football Representing  France FIFA World Cup Runner-up 2006 Germany
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Eric Sylvain Abidal (born 11 September 1979) is a French former professional footballer. He played as a left-back or centre-back.

Abidal mostly played for Lyon and Barcelona. He won 18 trophies with these teams. This included two Champions League titles with Barcelona. Later in his career, he faced serious health issues. He had a liver tumour, which led to a liver transplant.

He played for the French national team for nine years. Abidal represented France in two World Cups. He helped his country finish second in the 2006 World Cup. He also played in Euro 2008.

Eric Abidal's Football Journey

Starting Out in Football

Eric Abidal was born in Saint-Genis-Laval, France. His parents were from Martinique. He began playing football with AS Lyon Duchère, an amateur team. He then started his professional career with AS Monaco FC. His first game in Ligue 1 was on 16 September 2000. He played 22 league matches over two seasons for Monaco.

In 2002, Abidal moved to Lille OSC. There, he rejoined his old coach Claude Puel. He became a key player for Lille. After that, he returned to his home region to play for Olympique Lyonnais.

Playing for Lyon

While playing in France, Abidal helped Lyon win three national championships in a row. Lyon won seven titles in total during that time. Abidal was known for his strong defense. He once said his goal was to make opponents so frustrated they would move away from him on the field. His teammates at Lyon included François Clerc, Grégory Coupet, and Anthony Réveillère.

On 10 November 2004, Abidal scored his first career goal. It was in a game against his former club, Lille. Lyon lost the game 3–2. After this goal, his parents, who had been together for 35 years, decided to get married.

Abidal missed the start of the 2005–06 season. He broke a bone in his foot during a friendly game. Still, he played in 15 matches that season. Lyon won its fifth national championship in a row that year.

Time at Barcelona

Abidal (far right) playing against Real Madrid.

Abidal (center) with Jeffrén Suárez (left) and Bojan Krkić during a training session with Barcelona.

On 29 June 2007, Abidal joined FC Barcelona. He signed a four-year contract. He was given the number 22 jersey. His contract included a large release clause. This meant other clubs would have to pay a lot of money to buy him.

Abidal played his first La Liga game on 26 August 2007. Barcelona finished third in the league that season. He missed the 2009 Champions League Final because he received a red card in the semi-final. He also missed the Copa del Rey final due to suspension. Barcelona won all three major trophies that season.

In the 2009–10 season, Abidal continued to be a regular starter for Barcelona. He scored his first goal for Barcelona on 5 January 2011. It was in a Spanish Cup game.

Abidal during the 2009 Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi.

On 18 January 2012, Abidal scored his second goal for Barcelona. This was also in the domestic cup. He helped Barcelona win 2–1 against Real Madrid. He extended his contract with Barcelona until June 2013. However, on 30 May 2013, the club announced they would not extend his contract further.

Abidal's Health Challenges

On 15 March 2011, Barcelona announced that Abidal had a tumour in his liver. He had surgery two days later. The club kept his health details private, as he wished. Many players and fans around the world sent him messages of support.

Before a Champions League match, players from Real Madrid and Lyon wore "Ánimo Abidal" (Get Well Abidal) T-shirts. Fans at Barcelona's stadium clapped for the entire 22nd minute of a game. This was to honor his jersey number. On 28 May 2011, Abidal played the full 90 minutes in the Champions League Final. Barcelona won 3–1. In a special moment, his captain, Carles Puyol, let Abidal be the first to lift the trophy. This was a symbol of his recovery.

On 15 March 2012, it was announced that Abidal needed a liver transplant. This was because of ongoing problems from his first operation. He had the surgery on 10 April. His cousin, Gérard, was the donor. Abidal later shared that his friend and teammate Dani Alves offered to donate part of his liver. Abidal declined, as he did not want to affect Alves's football career.

Abidal left the hospital on 21 May 2012. He started training again in October 2012. On 18 December 2012, he was cleared to train fully. He returned to playing in official matches on 6 April 2013. He came on as a substitute in a 5–0 win. Two weeks later, he played a full 90 minutes for the first time since his comeback.

Returning to Monaco

On 8 July 2013, Abidal, then 33, returned to Monaco. He signed a one-year contract. He helped Monaco secure a spot in the Champions League. He then agreed to extend his contract for another year.

Playing for Olympiacos

On 5 July 2014, Abidal signed a two-year contract with Olympiacos FC in Greece. However, on 19 December, he decided to retire from playing football for personal reasons.

Return to Barcelona as Director

Abidal returned to Barcelona in June 2018. He became the club's director of football. He was in this role until 18 August 2020. He left after Barcelona's 8–2 defeat against FC Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

Abidal's International Career

Abidal played 67 games for the French national team. His first game was on 18 August 2004. He was chosen for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He played every minute of France's games in that tournament, except for one match due to yellow cards. France finished as runner-up. In the final against Italy, he scored his penalty shootout attempt.

He was also a key player for France in the Euro 2008 qualifying games. In the main tournament, he played as a centre-back against Italy. He was sent off in that game, and France lost 2–0. France was knocked out in the group stage. He also played in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. France again left the competition after only three matches.

How Abidal Played Football

Eric Abidal was considered one of the best defenders when he was at his peak. He was a smart and flexible player. He could play as a centre-back or a left-back. He was good at understanding the game and knowing where to be on the field. He was also fast and strong. This, along with his good ball control, allowed him to help his team both in attack and defense.

Abidal's Life Outside Football

Abidal grew up in a Catholic family. He later converted to Islam. He married Hayet Kebir in 2003. They have five children: Méliana, Canélia, Leyna, Kenya, and Edan.

Career Statistics

Club

International

Honours and Awards

Abidal signing autographs at the Camp Nou

Lyon

• Ligue 1: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07
• Trophée des Champions: 2004

Barcelona

• La Liga: 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2012–13
• Copa del Rey: 2008–09, 2011–12
• Supercopa de España: 2009, 2010, 2011
• UEFA Champions League: 2008–09, 2010–11
• UEFA Super Cup: 2009, 2011
• FIFA Club World Cup: 2009, 2011

Olympiacos

• Super League Greece: 2014–15

France

• FIFA World Cup runner-up: 2006

Individual Awards

• Ligue 1 Team of the Year: 2005, 2006, 2007
• UEFA Team of the Year: 2007
• LFP Defender of the Year: 2011
• FC Barcelona Player of the Season (Trofeo Aldo Rovira): 2012
• Globe Soccer Awards: Player Career Award 2012
• Premio internazionale Giacinto Facchetti: 2013

See also

In Spanish: Éric Abidal para niños