Gaël Clichy facts for kids
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Clichy with Manchester City, celebrating winning the Premier League in 2012
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 26 July 1985 | ||
| Place of birth | Toulouse, France | ||
| Height | 1.76 m | ||
| Playing position | Left-back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1990–1996 | Hersoise | ||
| 1996–1997 | Matador F.C | ||
| 1997–1998 | Muret | ||
| 1998–2000 | Tournefeuille | ||
| 2000–2002 | Cannes | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2002–2003 | Cannes | 15 | (0) |
| 2003–2011 | Arsenal | 187 | (1) |
| 2011–2017 | Manchester City | 138 | (2) |
| 2017–2020 | İstanbul Başakşehir | 87 | (3) |
| 2020–2023 | Servette | 79 | (1) |
| Total | 506 | (7) | |
| National team | |||
| 2004–2005 | France U21 | 13 | (0) |
| 2008–2013 | France | 20 | (0) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 2023– | France U21 (assistant) | ||
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Gaël Dimitri Clichy (born 26 July 1985) is a French former professional footballer. He played as a left-back. He is currently an assistant coach for the France national under-21 team. Clichy was known for his incredible stamina and speed on the field. He was also very good at tackling and moving the ball forward.
Clichy was born in Toulouse, France. He started his football journey at small amateur clubs. In 2001, he joined the professional club Cannes. He made his professional debut in the 2002–03 season. In 2003, Arsène Wenger, a famous French manager, convinced Clichy to join Arsenal in England.
In his first season with Arsenal (2003–04), Clichy was part of the famous "Invincibles" team. This team went the entire league season without losing a single match! At just 18 years old, Clichy became the youngest player to win a Premier League medal. After playing for Arsenal for many years, he moved to Manchester City in 2011. There, he won two more Premier League titles and two League Cups. In 2017, he moved to Turkey to play for İstanbul Başakşehir, where he won another league title in 2020.
Clichy also played for the French national team. He represented France at different youth levels before playing for the senior team. He played in the 2010 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2012.
Contents
Early Life and a Big Scare
Gaël Clichy grew up in Toulouse, France. His mother was a nurse, and his father was an educator. His father also coached and refereed football games, helping Gaël with his early training.
When Gaël was 15 and playing for Cannes, he had a very serious accident. While climbing a fence, his ring got caught, and he badly injured his finger. During the long surgery to fix it, he faced a serious health scare, but thankfully, he recovered fully. This experience made him realize how precious life is. He said it taught him to enjoy every moment and not to have regrets.
Club Career Highlights
Starting Out in France
Clichy began playing football at age five for his local club, AS Hersoise. His father played a big role in his training. Even though Gaël was naturally right-footed, his father encouraged him to use his left foot. He even joked that he would disallow goals scored with Gaël's right foot! This helped Gaël become very skilled with his left foot.
After playing for a few local clubs, Clichy joined Cannes in 2000. He started in their youth academy. He later moved up to the senior team in the 2002–03 season. He played 15 matches for Cannes before moving to England.
Joining Arsenal: The Invincibles!
In 2003, Arsène Wenger, the manager of Arsenal, saw Clichy's talent. Wenger visited Clichy's family and promised him a chance to play. This convinced Gaël to join Arsenal.
Clichy started as a backup to Ashley Cole, a famous English player. He made his debut for Arsenal in October 2003. In his first season, Arsenal had an amazing year. They went undefeated in the Premier League, earning the nickname "The Invincibles." Clichy, at 18 years and 10 months, became the youngest player to win a Premier League medal.
He also won the FA Community Shield with Arsenal in 2004. Clichy faced some injuries during his time at Arsenal, especially with his foot. However, he worked hard to recover.
Becoming a Regular Starter
In 2006, Ashley Cole left Arsenal, which opened the door for Clichy to become the main left-back. He made a strong return from injury in October 2006.
The 2007–08 season was one of Clichy's best. He played in all 38 league matches and had a career-high six assists. His great performances earned him a spot in the PFA Team of the Year, which is a team made up of the best players in the league. Arsenal fans also voted him second for the club's Player of the Season. He signed a new contract with Arsenal in 2008.
Clichy continued to be an important player for Arsenal. He scored his first professional goal in November 2008 against Stoke City. He played a total of 264 matches for Arsenal, scoring two goals.
Moving to Manchester City
In July 2011, Clichy joined Manchester City. He quickly became their first-choice left-back. On the final day of the 2011–12 season, Manchester City won the Premier League title in a thrilling match. This was Clichy's second Premier League medal.
He signed a new four-year deal with City in May 2013. Clichy won another Premier League title with Manchester City in 2014. He also won two League Cups with the club. In November 2014, he scored his first goal for Manchester City. After six successful years, Clichy left Manchester City in 2017.
Playing in Turkey and Switzerland
After leaving England, Clichy moved to Turkey to play for İstanbul Başakşehir. He signed a three-year contract in July 2017. In 2020, he helped Başakşehir win their first-ever league title, which was a historic moment for the club.
In December 2020, Clichy joined Servette in the Swiss Super League on a free transfer. He played for Servette until 2023.
International Career
Youth Teams
Clichy played for all of France's youth teams. He started at the under-15 level and played in several tournaments. At the under-17 level, he helped France reach the final of the 2002 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship. They lost to Switzerland in the final.
He also played for the under-21 team. He helped them win the 2004 Toulon Tournament.
Playing for France's Senior Team
Clichy was first called up to the senior national team in January 2008. He made his official debut in September 2008 in a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification match against Serbia.
He was part of France's squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He played in one match during the tournament against South Africa. He was also in the squad for UEFA Euro 2012, where he played in some group matches and the quarter-final. His last international appearance was in 2013.
Coaching Career
In August 2023, Gaël Clichy began a new chapter in his football career. He was appointed as an assistant coach for the French junior team and the French Olympic team. He works alongside his former teammate, Thierry Henry.
Sponsorship
In 2012, Gaël Clichy signed a sponsorship deal with the German sports company Puma SE. He wore their evoSPEED football boots.
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 | ||
| Cannes | 2002–03 | Championnat National | 15 | 0 | — | — | 15 | 0 | ||||||
| Arsenal | 2003–04 | Premier League | 12 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 22 | 0 | |
| 2004–05 | Premier League | 15 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 24 | 0 | |
| 2005–06 | Premier League | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 11 | 0 | ||
| 2006–07 | Premier League | 27 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | 40 | 0 | ||
| 2007–08 | Premier League | 38 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | — | 49 | 0 | ||
| 2008–09 | Premier League | 31 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | — | 41 | 1 | ||
| 2009–10 | Premier League | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | — | 33 | 0 | ||
| 2010–11 | Premier League | 33 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | 44 | 1 | ||
| Total | 187 | 1 | 17 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 48 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 264 | 2 | ||
| Manchester City | 2011–12 | Premier League | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 37 | 0 |
| 2012–13 | Premier League | 28 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 37 | 0 | |
| 2013–14 | Premier League | 20 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 31 | 0 | ||
| 2014–15 | Premier League | 23 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 31 | 1 | |
| 2015–16 | Premier League | 14 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 0 | — | 28 | 0 | ||
| 2016–17 | Premier League | 25 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 0 | — | 39 | 2 | ||
| Total | 138 | 2 | 16 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 36 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 203 | 3 | ||
| İstanbul Başakşehir | 2017–18 | Süper Lig | 31 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 9 | 0 | — | 41 | 0 | ||
| 2018–19 | Süper Lig | 25 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | — | 27 | 1 | |||
| 2019–20 | Süper Lig | 31 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | 12 | 0 | — | 45 | 2 | |||
| Total | 87 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 113 | 3 | ||
| Servette | 2020–21 | Swiss Super League | 23 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 24 | 0 | |||
| 2021–22 | Swiss Super League | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | — | 31 | 0 | |||
| 2022–23 | Swiss Super League | 27 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 28 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 79 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 83 | 1 | ||
| Career total | 506 | 7 | 38 | 1 | 21 | 1 | 109 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 676 | 9 | ||
International
| National team | Season | Competitive | Friendlies | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| France | 2008–09 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2009–10 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2010–11 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2011–12 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2012–13 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2013–14 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| Total | 12 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 20 | 0 | |
Honours
Arsenal
- Premier League: 2003–04
- FA Community Shield: 2004
- Football League Cup runner-up: 2010–11
- UEFA Champions League runner-up: 2005–06
Manchester City
- Premier League: 2011–12, 2013–14
- Football League Cup: 2013–14, 2015–16
- FA Community Shield: 2012
- FA Cup runner-up: 2012–13
Istanbul Basaksehir
- Süper Lig: 2019–20
France U21
- Toulon Tournament: 2004
Individual
- PFA Team of the Year: 2007–08 Premier League
See also
In Spanish: Gaël Clichy para niños
