Fabien Barthez facts for kids
Barthez with Marseille in 2006
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Fabien Alain Barthez | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 28 June 1971 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Lavelanet, France | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.80 m | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Goalkeeper | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1979–1986 | Stade Lavelanétien | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1986–1990 | Toulouse | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1990–1992 | Toulouse | 26 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1992–1995 | Marseille | 106 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995–2000 | Monaco | 143 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2004 | Manchester United | 92 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003–2004 | → Marseille (loan) | 20 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2006 | Marseille | 54 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2007 | Nantes | 16 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 457 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1991 | France U21 | 2 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1994–2006 | France | 87 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Honours
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Fabien Alain Barthez (born 28 June 1971) is a French racing driver and a former professional footballer. He played as a goalkeeper. Fabien Barthez played for well-known clubs like Toulouse, Marseille, Monaco, Manchester United, and Nantes.
He was also a key player for the French national team. With France, he won the 1998 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2000, and the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup. He played in three World Cups and three European Championships. He also helped France reach the final of the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
People often called him Le Divin Chauve, which means "The Divine Bald One", because of his famous shaved head. Barthez holds the record for the most games played by a French player in the FIFA World Cup, with 17 appearances. He also shares the record for the most "clean sheets" (games where a goalkeeper doesn't let in any goals) in World Cup finals, with ten. In club football, he won the UEFA Champions League with Marseille in 1993. He also won several French and English league titles. After stopping his football career in 2007, Barthez started a new career in motorsport in 2008.
Contents
Early Life
Fabien Barthez was born in Lavelanet, a town in France.
Club Career
Marseille
Barthez played his first top-division game for Toulouse on 21 September 1991. He joined Marseille in 1992. In his first season there, he helped Marseille win the French championship and the UEFA Champions League. He kept a "clean sheet" in the Champions League final, meaning he didn't let in any goals, as Marseille won 1–0 against Milan. This made him the youngest goalkeeper to win a Champions League title at the time.
Marseille later lost their French league title due to some issues, but they kept their Champions League trophy. The club also had to play in the second division for a year. Barthez stayed with Marseille during this time, even though other big French clubs wanted him. He helped them win the second division title in 1995.
Monaco
In 1995, Barthez moved to Monaco. He helped them win the Ligue 1 title in 1997 and 2000. He was also part of the Monaco team that knocked Manchester United out of the Champions League in 1998.
Manchester United
Barthez's success in the World Cup and Euros caught the eye of Manchester United's manager, Sir Alex Ferguson. Ferguson was looking for a new star goalkeeper. Barthez joined United in 2000 for £7.8 million. He later played alongside his French teammate Laurent Blanc at United. Before Champions League matches, Barthez and Blanc had a special ritual where Blanc would kiss Barthez's shaved head for good luck.
Barthez quickly became a favorite with Manchester United fans. They loved his unique style and amazing saves. He helped United win the 2000–01 FA Premier League title, their third in a row.
In a game against Leeds United in March 2001, Barthez made a mistake but then saved a penalty kick from Ian Harte. Another famous moment happened when Manchester United played West Ham United. Barthez tried to trick West Ham's player Paolo Di Canio by standing still, thinking Di Canio was offside. But Di Canio kept going and scored the winning goal.
In the 2001–02 season, Barthez had some difficult moments. He took some risks outside his penalty area, which sometimes led to goals for the other team. Sir Alex Ferguson stood by him, and Barthez improved his play in the second half of the season.
Barthez was also known for playing "mind games" before opponents took penalty kicks. In one game against Leicester City, he stood away from the goal. The referee made the player retake the penalty, and Barthez then saved it. He did something similar in 2002 against Fulham, and again, he saved the penalty.
The 2002–03 season ended with another Premier League title for United. Barthez had some great saves, but also some games where he let in goals he might have saved. He was criticized after United lost to Real Madrid in the Champions League. This was his last game for United, and he was replaced by Roy Carroll for the final games of the season.
Return to Marseille
Because of his form and the arrival of a new goalkeeper, Tim Howard, Barthez faced strong competition at Manchester United. In 2003, United agreed to let Barthez go back to his old club, Marseille, on loan. The loan became a permanent move in January 2004. He signed a contract to stay with Marseille until 2006.
Retirement
On 8 August 2006, Barthez said he wanted to play professional football for two more years. He hoped to return to his first club, Toulouse, to be near his sick mother. However, he couldn't agree on a deal with Toulouse. On 5 October 2006, he announced his retirement from football.
Comeback
On 17 December 2006, Barthez decided to return to football. He signed a contract with Nantes, a team that needed an experienced goalkeeper. However, after an argument with a Nantes fan, Barthez left the team in April 2007. He confirmed he had quit the club, and his contract was ended. Barthez said he still wanted to play, but he never found another professional club.
Luzenac
In 2012, Barthez became the honorary president of a team called US Luzenac. He helped the club sign some players.
International Career
Early International Career
Fabien Barthez played his first game for France on 26 May 1994, in a 1–0 win against Australia. He soon became France's main goalkeeper and kept that position for ten years.
1998 World Cup
In the 1998 FIFA World Cup, which France hosted, Barthez was amazing. He only let in two goals in seven games. He won the Yashin Award for the best goalkeeper of the tournament. Barthez was also famous for his teammate and good friend, Laurent Blanc, kissing his shaved head before every match for good luck.
Barthez was a big part of France winning their first World Cup. He had five "clean sheets" in the tournament. In the quarter-final against Italy, he saved a penalty kick. He also kept a clean sheet in the final, where France beat Brazil 3–0. During that final, Barthez had a strong challenge with Brazilian superstar Ronaldo. Barthez rushed out to get the ball and accidentally injured Ronaldo, but he said he didn't mean to. After France's victory, Barthez became one of the most popular players in France.
Euro 2000
Two years later, Barthez was the starting goalkeeper again as France won Euro 2000. This meant France held both the World Cup and Euro titles at the same time, which was a rare achievement.
2002 World Cup and Euro 2004
Barthez played for France in the 2002 World Cup. France did not do well, leaving in the first round without scoring any goals. He also played in France's winning Confederations Cup campaign in 2003. In Euro 2004, he saved a penalty shot from David Beckham. However, France lost in the quarter-finals to Greece, who went on to win the tournament.
2006 World Cup
Barthez was chosen as France's starting goalkeeper for the 2006 World Cup. This decision surprised some people, as another goalkeeper, Grégory Coupet, had played very well.
France started slowly in the group stage, but then found their form. They beat Spain 3–1 in the next round. In the quarter-final, France beat Brazil 1–0. Barthez became the first goalkeeper to stop Brazil from scoring in two World Cup finals matches in a row.
Barthez kept another clean sheet in the semi-final against Portugal, which France won 1–0. In the final against Italy, Barthez briefly became captain after Zinedine Zidane was sent off. In the penalty shootout, neither Barthez nor the Italian goalkeeper saved any shots. France lost the final after David Trezeguet missed his penalty. This was Barthez's 87th and final international game. He retired from international football after the tournament.
Motorsport Career
After retiring from football in 2007, Fabien Barthez started a new career in motorsport in 2008. He began racing in events like the Porsche Carrera Cup France. In 2010, he got his first podium finish in the French GT Championship. In 2012, he won his first race in the FFSA series. In 2013, he became the French GT Champion, driving a Ferrari.
In 2014, Barthez competed in the famous 2014 24 Hours of Le Mans race. He and his co-drivers finished 29th overall.
Coaching Career
On 2 July 2010, Fabien Barthez became a goalkeeping coach for the France national team. This happened after his former teammate Laurent Blanc became the new manager.
Style of Play
Many experts consider Barthez one of the best goalkeepers of his time. He is seen as one of France's greatest goalkeepers ever. Even though he wasn't very tall for a goalkeeper, he was very athletic. He was known for his quick decisions, bravery, and ability to understand the game. He was good at coming out to get the ball, which helped him control his area.
Barthez was a very agile and quick goalkeeper. He had excellent reflexes, which allowed him to make amazing, acrobatic saves. He was also known for his calm attitude under pressure and his strong presence in goal.
He was also very skilled with the ball at his feet. He could pass the ball accurately with his left foot, helping his team start attacks. He often played outside his penalty area, sometimes even dribbling past opposing players. He was a "sweeper-keeper," meaning he would rush out of his goal to clear the ball, helping to change how goalkeepers play. Football expert Garth Crooks once joked, "You can count the number of mistakes he makes by the number of hairs on his head." While he was praised for his skills, Barthez was also known for taking risks and sometimes being inconsistent.
Personal Life
Fabien Barthez is known for his unique and sometimes superstitious personality. He often wore red briefs under his goalkeeping shorts. He also usually cut off the sleeves of his goalkeeping jersey. Even though most starting goalkeepers wear the number 1 shirt, he chose to wear the number 16 shirt.
Endorsements
During his football career, Barthez had advertising deals with companies like McDonald's and Adidas.
Career Statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Toulouse | 1990–91 | Division 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | |||
| 1991–92 | Division 1 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | 26 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | 26 | 0 | |||||
| Marseille | 1992–93 | Division 1 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 10 | 0 | – | 40 | 0 | ||
| 1993–94 | Division 1 | 37 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | 4 | 0 | – | 42 | 0 | |||
| 1994–95 | Division 2 | 39 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 40 | 0 | |||
| Total | 106 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 0 | – | 122 | 0 | |||
| Monaco | 1995–96 | Division 1 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | 23 | 0 | |
| 1996–97 | Division 1 | 36 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 0 | – | 52 | 0 | ||
| 1997–98 | Division 1 | 30 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 44 | 0 | |
| 1998–99 | Division 1 | 32 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | – | 38 | 0 | |||
| 1999–2000 | Division 1 | 24 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | – | 36 | 0 | ||
| Total | 143 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 193 | 0 | ||
| Manchester United | 2000–01 | Premier League | 30 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 44 | 0 |
| 2001–02 | Premier League | 32 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 49 | 0 | |
| 2002–03 | Premier League | 30 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 10 | 0 | – | 46 | 0 | ||
| 2003–04 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 92 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 37 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 139 | 0 | ||
| Marseille (loan) | 2003–04 | Ligue 1 | 20 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | – | 31 | 0 | |
| Marseille | 2004–05 | Ligue 1 | 30 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | – | – | 35 | 0 | ||
| 2005–06 | Ligue 1 | 24 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | – | 36 | 0 | ||
| Total | 54 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 0 | – | 71 | 0 | |||
| Nantes | 2006–07 | Ligue 1 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 457 | 0 | 27 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 93 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 598 | 0 | ||
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| France | 1994 | 1 | 0 |
| 1995 | 1 | 0 | |
| 1996 | 2 | 0 | |
| 1997 | 5 | 0 | |
| 1998 | 12 | 0 | |
| 1999 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2000 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2001 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2002 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2003 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2004 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2005 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2006 | 11 | 0 | |
| Total | 87 | 0 | |
Honours
Marseille
- UEFA Champions League: 1992–93
- Division 2: 1994–95
Monaco
- Division 1: 1996–97, 1999–2000
- Trophée des Champions: 1997
Manchester United
- Premier League: 2000–01, 2002–03
France
- FIFA World Cup: 1998; runner-up: 2006
- UEFA European Championship: 2000
- FIFA Confederations Cup: 2003
Individual
- Onze Mondial: 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001
- FIFA World Cup Yashin Award: 1998
- FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 1998
- Ligue 1 Goalkeeper of the Year: 1998
- IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper: 2000
- UEFA Euro Team of the Tournament: 2000
- PFA Team of the Year: 2000–01 Premier League
- Équipe type spéciale 20 ans des trophées UNFP: 2011
- The Dream Team 110 years of OM: 2010
- Most clean sheets in the Premier League: 2000–01
Orders
Records
- Second-most caps for France as a goalkeeper: 87 (behind Hugo Lloris)
- Most FIFA World Cup clean sheets: 10 (with Peter Shilton)
See also
In Spanish: Fabien Barthez para niños
