Mathieu Flamini facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Mathieu Flamini

Flamini in training for Arsenal in 2015
Personal information
Full name	Mathieu Pierre Flamini
Date of birth	(1984-03-07) 7 March 1984 (age 41)
Place of birth	Marseille, France
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Youth career
1992–2003	Marseille
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2003–2004	Marseille	14	(0)
2004–2008	Arsenal	102	(7)
2008–2013	Milan	97	(7)
2013–2016	Arsenal	66	(3)
2016–2017	Crystal Palace	10	(0)
2018–2019	Getafe	18	(0)
Total		307	(17)
International career
2004–2005	France U21	8	(1)
2007–2008	France	3	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Mathieu Pierre Flamini (born 7 March 1984) is a French entrepreneur and former professional footballer. He played as a midfielder for several top clubs. These included Marseille in France, Arsenal and Crystal Palace in England, Milan in Italy, and Getafe in Spain. He also played three times for the French national team.

Flamini is also known for co-founding GF Biochemicals. This company was the first in the world to produce levulinic acid on a large scale.

Playing Career: Mathieu Flamini's Football Journey

Starting Out: Marseille Days

Mathieu Flamini was born in Marseille, France. He started his football journey in the youth team of his local club, Marseille. He made his first appearance for the senior team on 20 December 2003. This was in a 1–0 win against Toulouse.

Flamini quickly impressed everyone with his hard work in midfield. He played 14 games for the club. His strong performances in Marseille's UEFA Cup matches caught the attention of many. This included a 2–0 semi-final win against Newcastle United. He also played in the final in Gothenburg, where Valencia won 2–0. Because of his young age, Marseille could not offer him a long-term professional contract at that time.

Joining Arsenal: First Spell

On 23 July 2004, Flamini signed a contract with the English club Arsenal. He chose Arsenal even though he had verbally agreed to a long-term contract with Marseille. Arsenal later had to pay Marseille about €480,000 as compensation for Flamini.

Flamini played his first game for Arsenal on 15 August 2004, in a 4–1 win against Everton. In his first season, he often played in different positions. He started only nine games but came on as a substitute in 12. The next season, he filled in for injured players. He scored his first Arsenal goal on 11 May 2005 in a 7–0 home win against Everton. This was the last goal scored by Arsenal in their traditional red and white kit at their old stadium, Highbury.

Key Goals and Role Changes

In the 2006–07 season, Flamini scored the winning goal against Dinamo Zagreb in the UEFA Champions League qualifiers. He also scored important goals in the Premier League against Chelsea, Blackburn Rovers, and Liverpool. Despite these goals, he was not happy being a "utility player" who played in many different positions. In April 2007, he thought he might leave Arsenal. However, he turned down a move to Birmingham City and stayed with the team.

Flamini started in central midfield for Arsenal's first game of the 2007–08 Premier League season. This was because Gilberto Silva and Abou Diaby were absent. During the 2007–08 season, he formed a strong partnership with Cesc Fàbregas. This meant Gilberto often did not start games. Arsenal fans greatly appreciated his improved performances. They even created a special song for him. On 29 January 2008, he scored an amazing 25-yard goal in Arsenal's 3–0 win over Newcastle United. His last game for Arsenal was on 8 April 2008, in a Champions League match where Arsenal lost to Liverpool. In April 2009, he said that Arsenal would always be in his heart.

Moving to Italy: Milan Adventure

Flamini with David Beckham and Filippo Inzaghi celebrating a goal for Milan in 2009.

Flamini signed a contract with the Italian club Milan on 5 May 2008. He chose the number 84 for his shirt to show his birth year.

He made his first appearance in Italy's top league, Serie A, on 30 August 2008. This was in a 2–1 loss to Bologna. At first, Flamini did not play much for Milan and was still seen as a player who could fill in anywhere. However, injuries to other players and his consistent good form helped him earn a regular starting spot. Milan later moved him to play as a defensive midfielder, which was his preferred position.

Flamini played less towards the end of the 2009–10 season. But in the next season, he became a key player for the team that won its 18th league title, known as the scudetto. He started many games and scored two goals. In the 2010–11 season, he suffered a serious knee injury during pre-season training. This required surgery, and he missed the entire 2011–12 season.

On 20 June 2012, Milan announced that Flamini had left the club after his contract ended. However, two weeks later, Flamini and Milan reached a new agreement for a one-year contract, with Flamini taking a lower salary. On 7 April 2013, he scored his first goal of the season in a 2–2 draw against Fiorentina.

Back to Arsenal: Second Spell

Flamini in 2015.

Flamini started training with Arsenal again in August 2013. He said he was just trying to stay fit to find a new club in England. But soon, news spread that he might sign for Arsenal again. Many journalists thought this was unlikely, as other former Arsenal players had also returned just to train.

However, Flamini did sign for Arsenal on 29 August 2013. He was Arsenal's second new player that summer. He made his return debut on 1 September at Emirates Stadium against Tottenham Hotspur. He came on as a substitute and helped the team win 1–0. Fans and critics praised his performances. Many believed his signing and his strong playing style were key reasons for Arsenal's great start to the season. He scored his first goal in his second spell at Arsenal on 30 November, in a 3–0 away win at Cardiff City. He also scored in a crucial 1–1 draw against Manchester City. This helped Arsenal improve and finish in the top four of the league.

FA Cup Success

At the start of Arsenal's 2013–14 FA Cup journey, Flamini said he really wanted to win the Cup. He had missed out when Arsenal won the 2005 FA Cup Final. Arsenal went on to win the tournament, but Flamini was an unused substitute in the final. He was also on the bench when Arsenal won the FA Cup again in 2015.

On 23 September 2015, Flamini started his first game of the 2015–16 season. This was in a League Cup match against Tottenham Hotspur. He scored both of Arsenal's goals and was named Man of the Match.

Later Career: Crystal Palace and Getafe

Flamini joined Crystal Palace as a free agent at the start of the 2016–17 season. He left the club at the end of that season. In February 2018, he joined Getafe in Spain. He played eight games in La Liga before leaving the club. He rejoined Getafe in December 2018 and retired from playing football in 2019.

International Appearances: Playing for France

Flamini was first called up to the French national team by coach Raymond Domenech. This was for a friendly match against Argentina on 7 February 2007. He made his international debut in a friendly against Morocco on 16 November 2007, coming on as a substitute.

Playing Style: What Kind of Player Was Flamini?

According to Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger, Flamini was a strong, energetic, and smart midfielder. He had a fantastic work rate, was good at winning the ball, and had a great mindset. He could play anywhere in midfield, either in the center as a box-to-box or defensive midfielder, or on the sides as a cover at full-back.

Business Ventures: Life After Football

Flamini is a partner at GF Biochemicals. This company is a global leader in producing levulinic acid and related products. He has said that they started GFBiochemicals to find environmentally friendly alternatives to products made from oil. Levulinic acid can be made from things like grass or woodchips. It can be used in plastics, fuels, and medicines. The U.S. Department of Energy has even called levulinic acid one of the 12 molecules that can help create a "greener" world.

GFBiochemicals has offices in the Netherlands and Italy. Flamini has also mentioned that China and Brazil could be new markets for the company to grow into. In 2016, GFBiochemicals took full control of Segetis, a company that makes products from levulinic acid. In 2017, GFBiochemicals announced plans to build a special plant in the US with American Process, a biotech company.

Flamini also helped create BIOCIRCE. This is Europe's first master's degree program focused on teaching about the bioeconomy. He also co-founded The BioJournal, which is the world's first online magazine completely dedicated to the bio-world and eco-sustainability. In 2015, Flamini was recognized as one of the People of the Year by NME.

Career Statistics: Flamini's Football Numbers

International Statistics

Games and goals for the French national team by year

Achievements: Mathieu Flamini's Trophies

Marseille

• UEFA Cup runner-up: 2003–04 (finished second)

Arsenal

• FA Cup: 2004–05, 2013–14, 2014–15 (won three times)
• FA Community Shield: 2014 (won once)
• UEFA Champions League runner-up: 2005–06 (finished second)

Milan

• Serie A: 2010–11 (won the Italian league title)

Individual Awards

• Arsenal Player of the Season: 2007−08 (voted best player for Arsenal that season)

See also

In Spanish: Mathieu Flamini para niños