Mathieu Flamini facts for kids
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Flamini in training for Arsenal in 2015
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Mathieu Pierre Flamini | ||
| Date of birth | 7 March 1984 | ||
| Place of birth | Marseille, France | ||
| Height | 1.78 m | ||
| Playing position | 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) | |
| National team | |||
| 2004–2005 | France U21 | 8 | (1) |
| 2007–2008 | France | 3 | (0) |
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Mathieu Pierre Flamini (born 7 March 1984) is a French former professional footballer. He played as a midfielder for several top clubs. These include 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.
Beyond football, Flamini is also a successful entrepreneur in biochemistry. He co-founded GF Biochemicals, a company that makes special chemicals from plants.
Contents
Mathieu Flamini's Football Journey
Starting at Marseille
Mathieu Flamini was born in Marseille, France. He joined his local club, Marseille, as a young player. He made his first team debut on 20 December 2003. This was in a 1–0 win against Toulouse.
Flamini quickly showed he was a hard-working midfielder. He played 14 games for the club. He also played well in Marseille’s UEFA Cup matches. His strong performances caught the eye of many football clubs. He even played in the final against Valencia. However, because of his age, Marseille could not offer him a long-term contract.
Joining Arsenal: First Time Around
On 23 July 2004, Flamini signed with the English club Arsenal. He chose Arsenal even though he had verbally agreed to stay with Marseille. This move caused some upset at Marseille. Arsenal later paid Marseille €480,000 as compensation.
Flamini played his first game for Arsenal on 15 August 2004. It was 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. He scored his first Arsenal goal on 11 May 2005. It was in a big 7–0 win against Everton. This goal was the last one scored by Arsenal in their traditional red and white kit at their old stadium, Highbury.
In the 2006–07 season, Flamini scored important goals. These included a winning goal in the UEFA Champions League qualifiers. He also scored against big teams like Chelsea and Liverpool. Despite these goals, he was not happy playing in different roles. In April 2007, he thought about leaving Arsenal. But he turned down a move to Birmingham City and stayed.
During the 2007–08 season, Flamini became a key player. He formed a strong partnership with Cesc Fàbregas in midfield. Many fans thought his play had greatly improved. Arsenal fans even made a special song for him! On 29 January 2008, he scored an amazing 25-yard goal against Newcastle United. His last game for Arsenal was on 8 April 2008, in a Champions League match against Liverpool. He later said that Arsenal would always be in his heart.
Playing for Milan in Italy
On 5 May 2008, Flamini signed a contract with the Italian club Milan. He chose the number 84 for his shirt, representing his birth year.
He played his first game in Italy on 30 August 2008. At first, he didn't play much and was used as a utility player. But injuries to other players helped him get a regular spot. Milan sometimes played him as a right-back. However, Flamini preferred playing in midfield, so Milan moved him back to a defensive midfield role.
In the 2010–11 season, Flamini became a very important part of the team. Milan won their 18th scudetto (Italian league title) that season. He played many games and scored two goals. Sadly, he got a serious knee injury in pre-season training. This meant he missed the entire 2011–12 season.
His contract ended on 20 June 2012, and he left the club. But two weeks later, he agreed to a new one-year contract with Milan. He even took a big pay cut to stay. On 7 April 2013, he scored his first goal of that season for Milan.
Back to Arsenal: Second Time Around
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In August 2013, Flamini started training with Arsenal again. He said it was just to stay fit, but soon he signed for the club on 29 August 2013. He made his return debut on 1 September against Tottenham Hotspur. He came on as a substitute and helped Arsenal win 1–0.
Fans and critics praised his performances. Many believed his strong, fighting style of play was a key reason for Arsenal's great start to the season. He scored his first goal in his second spell on 30 November. This was in a 3–0 away win at Cardiff City. He also scored in a crucial 1–1 draw against Manchester City.
Flamini really wanted to win the FA Cup. He had missed out when Arsenal won it in 2005. Arsenal went on to win the FA Cup in 2014. Flamini was on the bench for the final. Arsenal won the FA Cup again in 2015, and he was also an unused substitute then.
On 23 September 2015, Flamini started his first game of the 2015–16 season. It was a Football League Cup match against Tottenham Hotspur. He scored both of Arsenal's goals and was named Man of the Match.
Later Career in Football
After leaving Arsenal, Flamini signed with Crystal Palace for the 2016–17 season. He played 10 games before leaving the club. In February 2018, he joined Getafe in Spain. He played 8 games in La Liga. He rejoined Getafe in December 2018 and retired from playing football in 2019.
Playing for France
Flamini was first called up to the French national team in February 2007. This was for a friendly game against Argentina. He made his international debut on 16 November 2007, coming on as a substitute in a friendly against Morocco. He played a total of three times for France.
Flamini's Playing Style
According to his former manager Arsène Wenger, Flamini was a very energetic and smart midfielder. He worked incredibly hard and was good at winning the ball from opponents. He had a great attitude. He could play in many midfield roles, including in the center as a box-to-box or defensive midfielder. He could also play on the sides of the midfield or even as a full-back.
Mathieu Flamini's Business Life
Flamini is a partner at GF Biochemicals. This company is a leader in making levulinic acid and other related chemicals. He has said that they started GFBiochemicals to find ways to make products without using 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 it one of 12 molecules that can help create a "greener" world.
GFBiochemicals has offices in the Netherlands and Italy. Flamini also sees China and Brazil as new places for the company to grow. In 2016, GFBiochemicals took full control of Segetis, another company that makes levulinic acid products. In 2017, they announced plans to build a special plant in the US with a biotech company called American Process.
Flamini also helped create BIOCIRCE. This is Europe’s first master's degree program focused on the "bioeconomy." This means using natural resources in a smart, sustainable way. He also co-founded The BioJournal, which is the world's first online magazine about the bio-world and being eco-friendly.
In 2015, Flamini was named one of the "People of the Year" by NME, a popular music magazine.
Football Achievements
Marseille
- UEFA Cup runner-up: 2003–04
Arsenal
- FA Cup: 2004–05, 2013–14, 2014–15
- FA Community Shield: 2014
- UEFA Champions League runner-up: 2005–06
Milan
- Serie A: 2010–11
Individual Awards
- Arsenal Player of the Season: 2007−08
See also
In Spanish: Mathieu Flamini para niños
