Lassana Diarra facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Lassana Diarra

Diarra with Lokomotiv Moscow in 2014
Personal information
Full name	Lassana Diarra
Date of birth	(1985-03-10) 10 March 1985 (age 40)
Place of birth	Paris, France
Height	1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s)	Defensive midfielder
Youth career
1998–1999	Paris FC
1999–2001	Nantes
2001–2002	Le Mans
2002–2003	Red Star 93
2003–2004	Le Havre
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2004–2005	Le Havre	29	(0)
2005–2007	Chelsea	13	(0)
2007–2008	Arsenal	7	(0)
2008–2009	Portsmouth	24	(1)
2009–2012	Real Madrid	87	(1)
2012–2013	Anzhi Makhachkala	18	(0)
2013–2014	Lokomotiv Moscow	17	(1)
2015–2017	Marseille	37	(1)
2017	Al Jazira	5	(0)
2018–2019	Paris Saint-Germain	13	(0)
Total		250	(4)
International career
2005–2006	France U21	18	(0)
2007–2016	France	34	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Lassana Diarra (born 10 March 1985), often called Lass, is a French former professional footballer. He played as a defensive midfielder, a player who helps protect the defense.

During his career, Diarra played for many famous clubs. These include Chelsea, Arsenal, Portsmouth, and Real Madrid. He also played for Paris Saint-Germain before he stopped playing in 2019. He also spent time with Russian clubs like Anzhi Makhachkala and Lokomotiv Moscow.

Early Football Days

Lassana Diarra was born in Paris, France. His parents were from Mali. He started playing football in the neighborhood where he grew up.

When he was young, many clubs didn't want him. For example, Nantes thought he was too small and light. Diarra even thought his dream of playing football was over. But he kept trying and eventually found his way to a professional team.

Club Career Highlights

Starting at Le Havre

Diarra's professional journey began at Le Havre, a French football team. He was excellent in his role as a defensive midfielder. His strong performances helped him get noticed. Soon, he was chosen to play for the French under-21 national team.

His talent caught the eye of bigger clubs, especially Chelsea. Chelsea's scouts saw him as a potential replacement for their star midfielder, Claude Makélélé. In July 2005, Chelsea paid about £1 million to bring him to their team.

Time at Chelsea

Diarra during his time at Chelsea.

Diarra joined Chelsea for the 2005–06 season. He didn't play much at first, but he learned a lot from experienced players like Claude Makélélé. He made his first appearance in the UEFA Champions League in October 2005.

He also played well in an FA Cup match against Huddersfield Town. He started to get more chances, especially when Chelsea's manager, José Mourinho, rotated the team. Chelsea won the 2005–06 FA Premier League that season, and Diarra was named Chelsea's Young Player of the Season.

In the 2006–07 season, Diarra sometimes played as a right-back because of injuries to other players. He even started in the League Cup Final, which Chelsea won against Arsenal. Chelsea also won the 2007 FA Cup Final that year. Diarra's contract was ending, and he wanted to play more often. So, he moved to Arsenal in August 2007.

Moving to Arsenal

Diarra training during his time at Arsenal.

On 31 August 2007, Diarra signed with Arsenal. He chose Arsenal because of their manager, Arsène Wenger, and the team's playing style. Wenger called him a "multi-functional player" who could play in different positions.

Diarra made his Arsenal debut in a Champions League match. However, another defensive midfielder, Mathieu Flamini, was playing very well, so Diarra didn't get as much playing time as he hoped. After only five months, he decided to leave Arsenal to find more regular football.

Success at Portsmouth

Diarra joined Portsmouth in January 2008. He quickly became an important player for them. He scored his first goal for the club in an FA Cup match. A few weeks later, he scored his first Premier League goal.

He played every minute of Portsmouth's FA Cup matches, helping them win the trophy in the final. This win, along with being chosen for the France squad for UEFA Euro 2008, showed that his decision to leave Arsenal was a good one. He even scored Portsmouth's first-ever goal in a major European competition in September 2008.

Joining Real Madrid

Diarra against Lionel Messi during El Clásico at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, December 2011

In December 2008, Diarra moved to Real Madrid, one of the biggest clubs in the world. He joined them on 1 January 2009. He wore the name "Lass" on his shirt to avoid confusion with another player named Mahamadou Diarra.

Lassana quickly impressed everyone at Real Madrid. His strong performances earned him a spot in UEFA's "Breakthrough Team" for the 2008–09 La Liga season. He scored his first goal for Real Madrid in August 2009, helping his team win 3–2.

He continued to play for Real Madrid under manager José Mourinho. Even with new players joining, Mourinho saw Diarra as a key player. He won the La Liga title with Real Madrid in the 2011–12 season. He also won the Supercopa with the club.

Adventures in Russia

After his time at Real Madrid, Diarra moved to Russia. On 31 August 2012, he joined Anzhi Makhachkala. He said that his friend Samuel Eto'o convinced him to join the club.

In August 2013, he signed a four-year contract with Lokomotiv Moscow. He quickly became a strong player for them. Fans even voted him Player of the Month twice in a row. However, things changed in 2014 when he had a disagreement with the coach. Lokomotiv ended his contract, and he faced a legal dispute with the club.

In May 2016, a sports court ordered Diarra to pay a large fine to Lokomotiv Moscow for breaking his contract. He also had a 15-month ban from playing professional football, but he had already served that time.

Return to France and Retirement

After his ban, Diarra returned to France. On 24 July 2015, he signed with Marseille. He made a great start, scoring his first goal in a 6–0 win and completing all his passes. He was even named in the Ligue 1 Team of the Season for 2015–16.

He became the club captain in August 2016. However, his relationship with the club changed, and he was later removed as captain. He left Marseille in February 2017.

He then had a short time with Emirati club Al Jazira in 2017. Finally, on 23 January 2018, Diarra joined Paris Saint-Germain. He played for them for about a year before ending his contract in February 2019. At that time, he announced he was retiring from professional football.

Playing for France

Youth National Team

Diarra played 18 games for the France under-21 team. One of his most memorable games was in November 2005 against England. He helped his team win a penalty, which led to France qualifying for the European Under-21 Championship finals.

Senior National Team

Diarra was first chosen for the senior French team in March 2007. He played the full 90 minutes in a match against Lithuania. His strong club performances led to him being picked for the France squad for UEFA Euro 2008.

By the end of the 2010 World Cup qualifying games, Diarra had played 26 times for France. He was expected to be a starter for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. However, he had to withdraw from the squad due to severe stomach pain. Later, it was found that he had a condition called sickle-cell anemia, which affected his ability to play.

After more than five years, Diarra was surprisingly called back to the French team in 2015. The manager, Didier Deschamps, praised his performances for Marseille. He was also named in the France squad for UEFA Euro 2016. But again, he had to pull out due to a knee injury.

How He Played

Lassana Diarra was known for being a strong and tough player. He was great at tackling and winning the ball back. Even though he was a defensive midfielder, he had excellent ball control. People praised his physical strength and calm attitude on the field.

He usually played in the middle of the field, winning the ball and then passing it smartly to start attacks. He could also score goals from long distances. Because he was so good at many things, commentators sometimes called him a "todocampista", which means "jack of all trades." He could even play as a right-back sometimes.

Another footballer, Jimmy Bullard, compared Diarra to N'Golo Kanté, saying that even though he looked small, he was an "unbelievable" player.

Personal Life

Lassana Diarra is a Muslim. In November 2015, his cousin was sadly killed during a series of attacks in Paris. At that time, Diarra was playing for France in a friendly match against Germany.

Diarra grew up supporting the football club Marseille.

Career Statistics

Club Appearances

International Appearances

Awards and Trophies

Chelsea

• FA Cup: 2006–07
• Football League Cup: 2006–07

Portsmouth

• FA Cup: 2007–08

Real Madrid

• La Liga: 2011–12
• Copa del Rey: 2010–11
• Supercopa de España: 2012

Paris Saint-Germain

• Ligue 1: 2017–18
• Coupe de France: 2017–18
• Coupe de la Ligue: 2017–18
• Trophée des Champions: 2018

Individual Awards

• Chelsea Young Player of the Year: 2005–06
• Ligue 1 Team of the Year: 2015–16

See also

In Spanish: Lass Diarra para niños