Jérémy Ménez facts for kids
Ménez playing for Bordeaux in 2016
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Jérémy Ménez | ||
| Date of birth | 7 May 1987 | ||
| Place of birth | Longjumeau, France | ||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Forward, winger | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1994–1995 | CA Vitry | ||
| 1995–2000 | CFF Paris | ||
| 2000–2001 | CSF Brétigny | ||
| 2001–2004 | Sochaux | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2004–2006 | Sochaux | 55 | (7) |
| 2006–2008 | Monaco | 57 | (14) |
| 2008–2011 | Roma | 84 | (7) |
| 2011–2014 | Paris Saint-Germain | 79 | (14) |
| 2014–2016 | AC Milan | 43 | (18) |
| 2016–2017 | Bordeaux | 26 | (3) |
| 2017–2018 | Antalyaspor | 7 | (0) |
| 2018–2019 | América | 18 | (5) |
| 2019–2020 | Paris FC | 17 | (4) |
| 2020–2023 | Reggina | 67 | (13) |
| 2023–2024 | Bari | 10 | (0) |
| Total | 463 | (85) | |
| International career | |||
| 2007–2008 | France U21 | 9 | (2) |
| 2010–2013 | France | 24 | (2) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Jérémy Ménez (born on 7 May 1987) is a French former professional footballer. He played as a forward or winger. Ménez was known for being good with both feet, having great technical skills, and being a fast playmaker.
He started his football journey with youth clubs in the Île-de-France region. In 2001, he joined Sochaux's youth academy. By March 2004, Ménez became the youngest professional football player in Ligue 1 history. He made his professional debut in the 2004–05 season. With Sochaux, he played in the UEFA Cup (now UEFA Europa League).
After two seasons, he moved to Monaco. There, he became a key playmaking midfielder. Later, he signed with Italian club Roma in Serie A. He played in the UEFA Champions League for the first time with Roma. In July 2011, Ménez returned to France to play for Paris Saint-Germain. He then joined AC Milan in June 2014.
Ménez also played for French youth teams. He was part of the under-17 team that won the 2004 UEFA European Under-17 Championship. He made his debut for the senior team in August 2010. He represented France at the Euro 2012 tournament.
Contents
Jérémy Ménez's Football Journey
Starting Out in Football
Jérémy Ménez was born in Longjumeau, France. He grew up in Vitry-sur-Seine and supported his local team, Paris Saint-Germain. Jérémy loved football because his father and older brother also played.
He began his career at a local club called CA Vitry. After a year, he joined the Centre de Formation de Paris. This youth club helped young players develop their football skills. Ménez became a skilled playmaker there. He later joined CSF Brétigny, another local club. After a year, he moved to the professional club Sochaux.
Playing for Sochaux
At Sochaux, Ménez joined the club's youth academy. He also attended a special high school for athletes. On 24 March 2004, at just 16 years old, he signed his first professional contract. This made him the youngest professional footballer in Ligue 1 history. He was given the number 26 shirt for the senior team.
Before signing, big English clubs like Arsenal and Manchester United were interested in him. Ménez even visited Manchester United's stadium, Old Trafford. But he decided to stay in France.
On 7 August 2004, Ménez played his first professional game for Sochaux. It was against Ajaccio, and Sochaux won 1–0. Even though he was very young, Ménez played regularly. On 20 November, he scored his first goal against Monaco. Two months later, he became the youngest player in the league to score three goals in one game (a hat-trick). This happened in a 4–0 win over Bordeaux.
Ménez also played in the 2004–05 UEFA Cup. Sochaux was knocked out in the Round of 32. After the season, he was nominated for a Young Player of the Year award.
For the 2005–06 season, Ménez wore the number 11 shirt. He played in 31 league matches and scored three goals. Sochaux finished 15th that season. Ménez then wanted to leave the club.
Time at Monaco
On 22 June 2006, Ménez joined Monaco. He signed a four-year contract. He was given the number 10 shirt. He made his debut on 19 August in a 1–1 draw with Rennes. On 30 September, he scored his first goal for Monaco in a 2–1 win over Le Mans.
He faced some challenges getting regular playing time at first. However, he started playing more consistently and scored goals in several matches. He finished the 2006–07 season by scoring the only goal in a win against champions Lyon.
In the 2007–08 season, Ménez scored his first goal against his old club, Sochaux. He scored two goals in a 3–1 win against Lens. This was his first time scoring more than one goal in a game since his hat-trick three years earlier. He had an injury in February 2008, which kept him out for three months.
Moving to Roma
On 27 August 2008, Ménez signed a four-year contract with Italian club Roma. He was seen as a replacement for other wingers who had left. He chose the number 24 shirt. He made his debut on 31 August against Napoli. Ménez also played in the UEFA Champions League for the first time with Roma. On 6 December, he scored his first goal for the club against Chievo.
He sometimes struggled to play full matches or start consistently. However, he scored a goal against AC Milan in May 2009, helping Roma win 3–2. The next week, he scored again against Torino.
For the 2009–10 season, Ménez wore the number 94 shirt. He scored against Milan in October 2009. He faced some criticism for his effort in one game but later apologized and committed to the team. He finished the season strongly, helping Roma finish second in the league.
In the 2010–11 season, Ménez started regularly. He scored his first goal of the season in a Champions League win over Basel. He also scored his first league goal against Udinese. He continued to score important goals, including one in the Champions League against Shakhtar Donetsk.
Back to Paris Saint-Germain
On 25 July 2011, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) signed Ménez to a three-year contract. He was given the number 7 shirt. He made his competitive debut for PSG on 6 August 2011. In a UEFA Europa League playoff match, Ménez scored a goal and assisted another in a 4–0 win. A few days later, he helped PSG get their first league win of the season. On 28 August, he scored his first league goal for PSG against Toulouse.
Under coaches Antoine Kombouaré and Carlo Ancelotti, Ménez had a great season. He scored seven goals and made 12 assists in 33 league games. This was his best season for goals and assists. On 4 December 2011, he scored PSG's 2,000th goal in top-flight football.
In the 2012–13 season, Ménez played a big role in PSG's UEFA Champions League efforts. He worked well with star striker Zlatan Ibrahimović.
Playing for AC Milan
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In June 2014, Italian club AC Milan signed Ménez on a three-year contract. On 31 August 2014, he scored a penalty on his debut for Milan against Lazio. He scored two more goals against Parma, including a fantastic backheel goal. He continued his strong form, scoring and assisting goals.
On 23 November, Ménez scored a beautiful goal in the Derby della Madonnina against Inter. He then scored two goals and was named man of the match against Udinese. He also scored a great solo goal against Napoli, helping Milan win 2–0. Ménez scored two goals and made an assist against Parma on 1 February. He reached a career high of 15 goals for a single club that season. Ménez ended his first season at Milan as the club's top scorer with 16 goals.
In the summer of 2015, Ménez had some health issues. He missed many games in the 2015–16 season. He returned in February 2016 and scored twice in a Coppa Italia match. This helped Milan reach the final for the first time since 2003.
Moving to Bordeaux and Beyond
On 1 August 2016, Ménez transferred to Bordeaux. Shortly after joining, he had an unfortunate accident in a pre-season match. A player accidentally stepped on his head, causing a minor injury to his ear. The other player apologized for the incident.
On 9 June 2017, Ménez joined the Turkish club Antalyaspor.
On 5 January 2018, he moved to Mexican side Club América. He made his Liga MX debut on 27 January. The following week, Ménez scored his first goal for América. He scored two penalties in a quarter-final match against Pumas UNAM. In August 2018, he suffered a knee injury that kept him out for several months. On 29 August 2019, Ménez and Club América ended their contract.
On 27 September 2019, he signed a one-year contract with French club Paris FC. He left Paris FC in June 2020.
On 23 June 2020, Ménez signed a three-year contract with Italian Serie B club Reggina.
On 19 July 2023, Ménez joined Serie B side Bari. On his debut, he suffered another knee injury that ended his season. In March 2024, Ménez left Bari.
On 28 September 2024, Jérémy Ménez announced his retirement from professional football.
Playing for France
Youth National Teams
Ménez played for all of France's youth teams. He was part of a special group of players born in 1987, including Hatem Ben Arfa, Karim Benzema, and Samir Nasri.
He made his youth international debut with the under-16 team in December 2002. He scored many goals for this team, including three in the Aegean Cup. He also scored three goals in the Montaigu Tournament. Ménez finished his under-16 career with 12 goals in 14 games.
With the under-17 team, Ménez, Ben Arfa, Nasri, and Benzema aimed to win the 2004 UEFA European Under-17 Championship. Ménez scored two goals in the tournament, helping France win the competition. Overall, he scored 6 goals in 17 games for the under-17s.
He also played for the under-18 team and won the 2005 Meridian Cup, scoring five goals.
The group of players, including Ménez, then played for the under-19 team. Ménez scored two goals in a qualification match.
Ménez later joined the under-21 team in May 2008. He played in important playoff matches for the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championship. France was eliminated, which ended Ménez's under-21 career.
Senior National Team
On 5 August 2010, Ménez was called up to the senior team for the first time. He made his international debut on 11 August 2010 against Norway. On 9 February 2011, Ménez assisted a goal in France's 1–0 win over Brazil.
He played regularly in the qualifying matches for UEFA Euro 2012. On 29 May 2012, he was named to the squad for the Euro. On 5 June, he scored his first international goal in a 4–0 win over Estonia. At Euro 2012, Ménez made his debut in the tournament on 15 June against Ukraine. He scored France's first goal in a 2–0 victory.
Personal Life
Jérémy Ménez has two children: a daughter named Maëlla (born 2012) and a son named Menzo (born 2014). Their mother is Émilie Nef Naf.
Career Statistics
Club Appearances and Goals
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Sochaux | 2004–05 | Ligue 1 | 24 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | 32 | 4 | |
| 2005–06 | Ligue 1 | 31 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 31 | 3 | |||
| Total | 55 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | 63 | 7 | |||
| Monaco | 2006–07 | Ligue 1 | 29 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 31 | 7 | ||
| 2007–08 | Ligue 1 | 25 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 28 | 7 | |||
| 2008–09 | Ligue 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 3 | 0 | |||
| Total | 57 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 62 | 14 | ||||
| Roma | 2008–09 | Serie A | 29 | 4 | 0 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | — | 32 | 4 | ||
| 2009–10 | Serie A | 23 | 1 | 4 | 0 | — | 10 | 3 | — | 37 | 4 | |||
| 2010–11 | Serie A | 32 | 2 | 4 | 0 | — | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 43 | 4 | ||
| Total | 84 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 112 | 12 | ||
| Paris Saint-Germain | 2011–12 | Ligue 1 | 33 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | — | 42 | 9 | |
| 2012–13 | Ligue 1 | 30 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 2 | — | 42 | 8 | ||
| 2013–14 | Ligue 1 | 16 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 2 | |
| Total | 79 | 14 | 8 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 16 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 110 | 19 | ||
| AC Milan | 2014–15 | Serie A | 33 | 16 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 34 | 16 | |||
| 2015–16 | Serie A | 10 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | 12 | 4 | ||||
| Total | 43 | 18 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | 46 | 20 | |||||
| Bordeaux | 2016–17 | Ligue 1 | 26 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 31 | 3 | ||
| Antalyaspor | 2017–18 | Süper Lig | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 9 | 0 | |||
| América | 2017–18 | Liga MX | 14 | 5 | — | — | 2 | 0 | — | 16 | 5 | |||
| 2018–19 | Liga MX | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | ||
| 2018–19 | Liga MX | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 18 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 23 | 5 | ||
| Paris FC | 2019–20 | Ligue 2 | 17!!4!!1!!1 | — | — | — | 18!!5 | |||||||
| Reggina | 2020–21 | Serie B | 18!!3 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 18!!3 | |||||
| 2021–22 | Serie B | 16!!5 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 17!!5 | ||||||
| 2022–23 | Serie B | 31!!5 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 32!!5 | ||||||
| Total | 65 | 13 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 67 | 13 | |||||
| Bari | 2023–24 | Serie B | 10!!0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 10!!0 | |||||
| Career total | 439 | 83 | 30 | 3 | 14 | 1 | 44 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 553 | 98 | ||
International Appearances and Goals
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| France | 2010 | 2 | 0 |
| 2011 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2012 | 12 | 2 | |
| 2013 | 3 | 0 | |
| Total | 24 | 2 | |
- Scores and results list France's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Ménez goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 June 2012 | MMArena, Le Mans, France |  Estonia |
4–0 | 4–0 | Friendly |
| 2 | 15 June 2012 | Donbas Arena, Donetsk, Ukraine |  Ukraine |
1–0 | 2–0 | UEFA Euro 2012 |
Honours and Achievements
Paris Saint-Germain
- Ligue 1: 2012–13, 2013–14
- Coupe de la Ligue: 2013–14
América
France U17
- UEFA European Under-17 Championship: 2004
See also
In Spanish: Jérémy Ménez para niños
