Mahamadou Diarra facts for kids
Diarra in 2007
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 18 May 1981 | ||
| Place of birth | Bamako, Mali | ||
| Height | 1.82 m | ||
| Playing position | Defensive midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1997–1998 | Centre Salif Keita | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1998–1999 | OFI | 21 | (2) |
| 1999–2002 | Vitesse | 69 | (9) |
| 2002–2006 | Lyon | 123 | (7) |
| 2006–2011 | Real Madrid | 90 | (3) |
| 2011 | Monaco | 9 | (0) |
| 2012–2014 | Fulham | 23 | (1) |
| Total | 335 | (22) | |
| National team | |||
| 2000–2012 | Mali | 72 | (7) |
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Mahamadou Diarra (born May 18, 1981) is a famous former footballer from Mali. He played as a defensive midfielder, a player who helps protect the team's goal and also starts attacks. Mahamadou was also the captain of the Mali national team. He played for several big clubs in Europe, winning many championships.
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Playing for Clubs
Mahamadou Diarra started his amazing football journey at a young age. He played for clubs in Greece, the Netherlands, France, Spain, and England.
Starting in Greece: OFI Crete
Diarra began his professional career at just 17 years old. He joined the Greek club OFI. His older brother, Harouna, who was already at the club, helped him get signed. After playing for one season in Greece, big clubs like Barcelona and AC Milan noticed his talent. But he decided to move to the Netherlands.
Moving to the Netherlands: Vitesse
In 1999, Diarra joined the Dutch club Vitesse. People started comparing his playing style to the legendary footballer Ruud Gullit. This caught the eye of another famous club, Juventus. Diarra played 69 league matches for Vitesse and scored nine goals. In 2002, he moved to Lyon in France.
Winning Big in France: Lyon
At Lyon, Diarra became a key player. He played as a starter in the midfield for four seasons. He helped his team win the Ligue 1 (the top French football league) in every one of those seasons. This was a fantastic achievement!
Joining the Giants: Real Madrid
In 2006, one of the biggest clubs in the world, Real Madrid, wanted Diarra. Their coach, Fabio Capello, really wanted him on the team. Real Madrid paid a lot of money, €26 million, to sign him. Diarra was given the number 6 shirt.
During the 2006–07 season, Diarra was very important for Real Madrid. He played in 33 matches and scored three goals. In a crucial game against Mallorca, Diarra scored a header that helped Real Madrid win the Spanish league title for the first time in years.
He continued to play a big role in the 2007–08 season, helping Real Madrid win the league again. This meant Diarra had won a league title for six years in a row! He won four with Lyon and two with Real Madrid.
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In 2008, Diarra got a serious knee injury while playing for Mali. This meant he couldn't play for the rest of the season. After he recovered, he played fewer matches for Real Madrid.
Back to France: Monaco
In 2011, Diarra returned to French football, signing with Monaco. He played nine matches for them. However, Monaco was relegated to a lower league that season, and Diarra left the club.
Playing in England: Fulham
In 2012, Diarra joined the English Premier League team Fulham. He quickly showed his skills, even assisting a goal in his first game. He scored his first goal for Fulham in April 2012.
Diarra impressed his manager, and he signed a new contract for another year. He played 23 matches for Fulham in total. He later re-signed with Fulham briefly in 2014 to try and help them avoid relegation, but it was unsuccessful.
How He Played
The FourFourTwo magazine, a well-known football publication, described Diarra's playing style in 2006. They said he brought "aggression, tactical awareness, toughness and the discipline that other players simply lack." This means he was a strong, smart, and disciplined player on the field.
Personal Life
Mahamadou Diarra is a practicing Muslim. He observes fasting during the Islamic month of Ramadan. He has said that all his coaches respected his decision to fast.
Achievements
Mahamadou Diarra won many important trophies during his career:
Lyon
- Ligue 1 (French League): 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06
- Trophée des Champions (French Super Cup): 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006
Real Madrid
- La Liga (Spanish League): 2006–07, 2007–08
- Supercopa de España (Spanish Super Cup): 2008
Mali
- FIFA World Youth Championship third place: 1999
Individual Awards
- UNFP Ligue 1 Team of the Year: 2006–07
