Lassana Diarra facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Lassana Diarra

Diarra with Lokomotiv Moscow in 2014
Personal information
Date of birth	(1985-03-10) 10 March 1985 (age 40)
Place of birth	Paris, France
Height	1.73 m
Playing position	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)
National team
2005–2006	France U21	18	(0)
2007–2016	France	34	(0)
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Lassana "Lass" Diarra (born on March 10, 1985) is a French former professional footballer. He played as a defensive midfielder, which is a player who helps protect the defense and win the ball back.

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

Lassana Diarra's Early Football Journey

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 football clubs didn't want him. For example, Nantes thought he was too small and light. Diarra even thought his dream of being a footballer was over. But he kept trying and eventually found his way into professional football.

Diarra's Club Career Highlights

Starting Out at Le Havre

Diarra's professional football journey began at Le Havre, a team in France. He was excellent in his role as a defensive midfielder. His good performances helped him get chosen for the French under-21 national team. Soon, bigger clubs started to notice him. Chelsea in England was very interested. They saw him as a possible "new Makélélé," referring to their famous midfielder, Claude Makélélé. Chelsea bought him in July 2005.

Time at Chelsea F.C.

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 debut in the UEFA Champions League in October 2005. He also played well in an FA Cup match, which impressed his coaches and the media.

He helped Chelsea win the Premier League title that season. Because of his great effort, he was named Chelsea's Young Player of the Season for 2005–06. The next season, he sometimes played as a right-back because of injuries to other players. He also started in the League Cup Final, which Chelsea won against Arsenal. He left Chelsea in August 2007 to find more playing time.

Short Spell at Arsenal F.C.

Diarra training during his time at Arsenal.

On August 31, 2007, Diarra joined Arsenal. He chose Arsenal because he admired their coach, Arsène Wenger, and their style of play. Wenger called him a "multi-functional player." Diarra made his Arsenal debut in a Champions League match. However, he didn't play as much as he hoped because another midfielder, Mathieu Flamini, was playing very well. After only five months, Diarra decided to leave Arsenal to get more time on the field.

Winning the FA Cup with Portsmouth

Diarra signed with Portsmouth in January 2008. He quickly became an important player for the team. He scored his first goal for Portsmouth in an FA Cup match. He then scored his first Premier League goal a few weeks later. Diarra played in every minute of Portsmouth's FA Cup matches that season, helping them win the trophy in the final. Winning the FA Cup showed that his decision to leave Arsenal was a good one for his career. He also played in the 2008 FA Community Shield against Manchester United.

Joining Real Madrid CF

Diarra playing against Lionel Messi during a match in December 2011.

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

Lassana's performances in his first few months at Real Madrid were so good that he was named one of the top new players in La Liga by UEFA. He scored his first goal for Real Madrid in August 2009, helping his team win 3–2. He continued to play for Real Madrid for several seasons, even with new players joining the team. He won the La Liga title with Real Madrid in the 2011–12 season.

Moving to Russia: Anzhi and Lokomotiv

Diarra with Anzhi in 2012.

In August 2012, Diarra moved to Russia to play for Anzhi Makhachkala. He said that his friend and famous footballer, Samuel Eto'o, convinced him to join the club.

After Anzhi decided to cut costs, Diarra signed a four-year contract with Lokomotiv Moscow in August 2013. He quickly became a key player for Lokomotiv. 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 and the club. He left Lokomotiv in August 2014.

Later, in 2016, a sports court (the Court of Arbitration for Sport) ordered Diarra to pay a large fine to Lokomotiv Moscow because of his contract dispute. He was also temporarily banned from playing professional football, but he had already served that time.

Return to France with Marseille

After his ban, Diarra returned to France and signed with Marseille in July 2015. He made a great start, scoring a goal and completing all his passes in his first game. At the end of the 2015–16 season, he was named in the French league's Team of the Season.

He was even named the club's captain in August 2016. However, his relationship with the club changed, and he was later no longer captain. He left Marseille in February 2017.

Final Stops: Al Jazira and Paris Saint-Germain

In April 2017, Diarra joined Al Jazira in the United Arab Emirates. He played five games there before leaving the club in December 2017.

On January 23, 2018, Diarra joined Paris Saint-Germain, another big French club. He played for them for about a year. On February 21, 2019, Diarra and PSG ended his contract. He then announced that he was retiring from professional football.

Diarra's International Career

Playing for France's Youth Teams

Diarra played 18 games for the France under-21 team. One of his most important 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.

Representing the Senior French Team

Diarra was first chosen for the senior French team in March 2007. He played in a qualifying match for UEFA Euro 2008. His strong performances in 2008 led to him being picked for the Euro 2008 squad. However, he didn't play in any of France's matches during that tournament.

He continued to play for France and had made 26 appearances by the end of the 2010 World Cup qualifying games. He was even chosen for the 2010 FIFA World Cup squad and was expected to be a starter. However, he had to leave the team before the tournament due to severe stomach pain. Doctors later found out he had a blood condition called sickle-cell anemia, which affected his ability to play at high altitudes.

After more than five years away, Diarra was called back to the French team in 2015 because he was playing very well for Marseille. He was also named in the squad for UEFA Euro 2016. But he had to pull out again due to a knee injury.

Diarra's Playing Style

Lassana Diarra was known for being a strong and aggressive player who was good at tackling. Even though he was a defensive midfielder, he also had excellent ball control. People praised his physical strength and his calm attitude on the field.

He usually played in the middle of the field, winning the ball back from opponents. But he was also creative and could start attacks with his smart passes. He could even score goals from far away. Because he was so good at many different things, commentators sometimes called him a "todocampista" (a "jack of all trades"). He could play in different midfield roles and even sometimes as a right-back.

Personal Life

Lassana Diarra is a Muslim. In November 2015, his cousin, Asta Diakité, was sadly killed during the terrorist 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

Source:

International

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Honours and Awards

Chelsea

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

Portsmouth

• FA Cup: 2007–08

Real Madrid

• La Liga: 2011–12 (Spanish League Title)
• Copa del Rey: 2010–11 (Spanish Cup)
• Supercopa de España: 2012 (Spanish Super Cup)

Paris Saint-Germain

• Ligue 1: 2017–18 (French League Title)
• Coupe de France: 2017–18 (French Cup)
• Coupe de la Ligue: 2017–18 (French League Cup)
• Trophée des Champions: 2018 (French Super Cup)

Individual Awards

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

Images for kids

• 

  Diarra in 2012 alongside Mesut Özil and Ángel Di María.

See also

In Spanish: Lass Diarra para niños