Nicolas Anelka facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Nicolas Anelka

Anelka playing for Chelsea in 2010
Personal information
Full name	Nicolas Sébastien Anelka
Date of birth	(1979-03-14) 14 March 1979 (age 46)
Place of birth	Le Chesnay, France
Height	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s)	Forward
Youth career
1983–1993	Trappes Saint-Quentin
1993–1995	Clairefontaine
1995–1996	Paris Saint-Germain
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1996–1997	Paris Saint-Germain	10	(1)
1997–1999	Arsenal	65	(23)
1999–2000	Real Madrid	19	(2)
2000–2002	Paris Saint-Germain	39	(14)
2001–2002	→ Liverpool (loan)	20	(4)
2002–2005	Manchester City	89	(37)
2005–2006	Fenerbahçe	39	(14)
2006–2008	Bolton Wanderers	53	(21)
2008–2012	Chelsea	125	(38)
2012–2013	Shanghai Shenhua	22	(3)
2013	→ Juventus (loan)	2	(0)
2013–2014	West Bromwich Albion	12	(2)
2014–2015	Mumbai City	13	(2)
Total		508	(157)
International career
1997	France U20	3	(0)
1998–2010	France	69	(14)
Managerial career
2015	Mumbai City
Medal record Men's football Representing  France UEFA European Championship Winner 2000 FIFA Confederations Cup Winner 2001
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Nicolas Sébastien Anelka (born 14 March 1979) is a French football manager and former player. He played as a forward. Anelka was known for being a fast and skillful player. He could score goals and help his teammates score too. He played for many top clubs and for the French national team.

Anelka started his career at Paris Saint-Germain. He then moved to Arsenal in England. At Arsenal, he won the Premier League and the FA Cup in 1998. He was also named the PFA Young Player of the Year in 1999. Later, he joined Real Madrid for a large transfer fee. He helped Real Madrid win the UEFA Champions League in 2000.

After Real Madrid, Anelka returned to Paris Saint-Germain. He then played for several other English clubs. These included Liverpool, Manchester City, Fenerbahçe in Turkey, and Bolton Wanderers. In 2008, he joined Chelsea. At Chelsea, he won another Premier League title and two FA Cups. He also played in the Champions League final in 2008. In 2009, he was the top goalscorer in the Premier League, winning the Premier League Golden Boot.

Anelka played 69 times for France. He won the UEFA Euro 2000 and the 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup. He was part of the French team at Euro 2008. In 2010, he was sent home from the World Cup in South Africa. This happened after he had an argument with the coach. He did not play for the national team again after that.

Early Life and Family

Nicolas Anelka was born in Le Chesnay, Yvelines, France. His parents moved from Martinique in 1974. They settled in Trappes, a town near Paris. Some of his childhood friends from Trappes became famous actors. These include Omar Sy and Jamel Debbouze. His mother worked as a secretary at a local high school.

Anelka is married to Barbara Tausia, who is a choreographer from Belgium. They have two sons together. Their first son, Kais, was born in 2008. Their second son, Kahil, was born in 2010. Anelka also has two brothers, Claude and Didier.

In 2002, Anelka appeared in a film called Le Boulet. He played a footballer named Nicolas. He has said that after he stops playing football, he would like to work in movies. He enjoys pretending to be other people.

Anelka's Faith and Beliefs

In 2004, Anelka converted to Islam in the United Arab Emirates. He took the Muslim name "Abdul-Salam Bilal." He used to fast during the Muslim month of Ramadan. However, he later found that he often got injured after this period. So, he stopped observing it strictly.

Controversy and Explanations

Anelka was involved in a controversy in 2013. He made a hand gesture called the quenelle while playing for West Bromwich Albion. This gesture was created by his friend, comedian Dieudonné. Some people saw the gesture as being against Jewish people.

The Football Association (FA) investigated the incident. Anelka said the gesture was against the establishment, not against Jewish people. The FA banned him for five matches. However, they also found that Anelka was not against Jewish people. They said he did not mean for the gesture to promote such views. After this, West Bromwich Albion ended his contract. In a 2020 documentary, Anelka said the gesture was a protest against his former manager.

Club Football Journey

Nicolas Anelka played for many different football clubs. He moved between clubs often during his career.

Starting at Paris Saint-Germain

Anelka began his football journey at Paris Saint-Germain. He joined their youth team when he was 16 years old.

Time at Arsenal

In 1997, when he was 17, Anelka moved to Premier League club Arsenal. He joined for a transfer fee of £500,000. His manager at Arsenal was Arsène Wenger.

In the 1997–98 season, Anelka became a regular player. He scored his first goal for Arsenal in November 1997. He was a key player when Arsenal won both the Premier League and the FA Cup that season. He scored a goal in the FA Cup final against Newcastle United.

Anelka was Arsenal's top scorer in the 1998–99 season. He scored 17 Premier League goals. Because of his great form, he won the PFA Young Player of the Year award. However, he decided he wanted to leave Arsenal. He felt unhappy in England. He joined Real Madrid in August 1999. Anelka later said he wished he had never left Arsenal. He played 90 games for Arsenal and scored 28 goals.

Playing for Real Madrid

In 1999, Anelka moved to Real Madrid for £22.3 million. It took him some time to score his first goal for the club. He finally scored in January 2000. He also scored twice in a match against Corinthians.

In February 2000, Anelka scored his first La Liga goal against Barcelona. However, he had some disagreements with his coach. He was even suspended for a short time. After returning, Anelka scored important goals. He scored in both legs of the Champions League semi-final. Real Madrid won the Champions League final against Valencia. Anelka started in that final game.

Returning to Paris Saint-Germain

In July 2000, Anelka signed a six-year contract to return to Paris Saint-Germain. The transfer was worth £22 million. He started well and was even made captain. However, the team's performance dropped. Anelka also had more issues with his new coach.

Loan to Liverpool

In December 2001, Anelka returned to the Premier League. He joined Liverpool on a short loan until the end of the season. He scored goals against teams like Everton and Fulham. He helped Liverpool finish second in the league. But the manager decided not to sign him permanently.

Joining Manchester City

Anelka joined Manchester City in May 2002. The transfer fee was £13 million, a club record at the time. In his first season, Anelka was Manchester City's top scorer with 14 goals. This included a goal against his former club, Arsenal. In his second season, he was again the top scorer with 25 goals.

Moving to Fenerbahçe

In January 2005, Anelka moved to the Turkish team Fenerbahçe. The transfer was worth £7 million. He helped Fenerbahçe win the Süper Lig title in 2005. He also played in European competitions with them.

Playing for Bolton Wanderers

In August 2006, Bolton Wanderers signed Anelka. This was for a club record fee of £8 million. He scored his first goals for Bolton in November 2006 against Arsenal. He finished the season as Bolton's top scorer with eleven goals. Anelka signed a new contract with Bolton in 2007.

Success at Chelsea

On 11 January 2008, Anelka joined Chelsea for £15 million. He made his debut the next day. He scored his first goal for Chelsea in the FA Cup against Wigan Athletic.

Anelka with Chelsea

In the 2008 Champions League final, Anelka took a penalty kick. The opposing goalkeeper saved it, and Chelsea lost the match. Anelka later said he was brought on too late in the game.

In the 2008–09 season, Anelka started very well. He scored his first hat-trick for Chelsea in November 2008. He became the first player that season to score ten Premier League goals. He won the Golden Boot award for being the league's top scorer with 19 goals. He scored another hat-trick in the FA Cup.

Anelka warming up for Chelsea

In the 2009–10 season, Anelka continued to score important goals. He scored against Fulham and Burnley. He also scored in the Champions League against Porto. On the last day of the season, Anelka scored two goals. This helped Chelsea win their third Premier League title. He signed a new contract with Chelsea until 2012.

Anelka started the 2010–11 season in great form. He scored two goals against Wigan Athletic. He also scored many goals in the Champions League. In October 2010, he scored his 50th goal for Chelsea. He finished the season with 16 goals.

In December 2011, Chelsea announced Anelka would leave the club. He joined the Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua. In total, Anelka scored 59 goals for Chelsea in 184 games.

Adventures in China and Italy

On 1 January 2012, Anelka moved to Shanghai Shenhua in China. He said he chose this move because he didn't have good offers to stay in Europe. He scored his first goal for the club in March 2012. In April 2012, Anelka was also named part of the coaching staff.

Anelka played with Giovanni Moreno and his former Chelsea teammate Didier Drogba at Shanghai Shenhua.

In June 2012, his former Chelsea teammate Didier Drogba also joined Shanghai Shenhua. Anelka helped Drogba score goals.

In January 2013, Anelka joined Italian club Juventus on a five-month loan. He played three games for Juventus. The club won the league title that season.

Back to England with West Bromwich Albion

On 4 July 2013, Anelka joined West Bromwich Albion for free. This was another return to the Premier League. He said he wanted to finish his career in England.

Anelka scored his first goals for the club in December 2013. He scored two goals in a 3–3 draw. This was when the controversial "quenelle" gesture happened. After this, West Bromwich Albion ended his contract.

Playing in India and Becoming a Player-Manager

On 15 September 2014, Anelka joined Mumbai City in the new Indian Super League. He made his debut in October 2014. He scored his first goal for Mumbai City five days later. He played seven matches for the team that season.

In January 2015, Anelka tried to join an Algerian team. But the move was blocked because of his age. He then returned to Mumbai City. In July 2015, he was named the team's player-manager. This meant he would both play and manage the team.

International Career for France

Anelka in action for France during a friendly match against Colombia in April 2008.

Anelka played for the French under-20 team in 1997. He made his debut for the senior French team in April 1998. He was not chosen for the 1998 FIFA World Cup team, which France won. However, he quickly became a key forward for France. He scored important goals in the Euro 2000 qualifying games. He scored both goals in a 2–0 win against England in 1999.

Anelka played in Euro 2000, which France won. He was also part of the team that won the 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup. He scored a goal in that tournament against South Korea.

In November 2005, Anelka returned to the French squad. He scored in a friendly match against Costa Rica. He also scored in Euro 2008 qualifiers. Anelka played in Euro 2008.

Anelka played an important role in France's 2010 World Cup playoff. He scored the winning goal against the Republic of Ireland.

World Cup Incident and Suspension

During the 2010 World Cup, Anelka was sent home. This happened after he had a serious argument with coach Raymond Domenech. The incident was reported in the media. Anelka refused to apologize publicly. The French Football Federation (FFF) suspended him for 18 games. This effectively ended his international career. Anelka later said he was "dying with laughter" at the ban. He had already decided to retire from international play.

Life After Playing Football

After retiring as a player, Anelka started working in football management. In February 2017, he joined the staff of Dutch club Roda JC. He wanted to help his friend who was a shareholder at the club.

In November 2018, he joined Lille as a coach for young forwards. In February 2021, he became the sporting director of Hyères. He left this role three months later. On 25 January 2024, Anelka was appointed president of the Turkish club Ümraniyespor. He resigned from this position in July 2024.

Achievements and Awards

Arsenal

• Premier League: 1997–98
• FA Cup: 1997–98
• FA Charity Shield: 1998

Real Madrid

• UEFA Champions League: 1999–2000

Paris Saint-Germain

• UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2001

Fenerbahçe

• Süper Lig: 2004–05

Chelsea

• Premier League: 2009–10
• FA Cup: 2008–09, 2009–10
• FA Community Shield: 2009
• UEFA Champions League runner-up: 2007–08

Juventus

• Serie A: 2012–13

France U18

• UEFA European Under-18 Championship: 1997

France

• UEFA European Championship: 2000
• FIFA Confederations Cup: 2001

Individual Awards

• Division 1 Rookie of the Year: 1998
• Premier League Player of the Month: February 1999, November 2008
• PFA Young Player of the Year: 1998–99
• PFA Team of the Year: 1998–99 Premier League, 2008–09 Premier League
• Premier League Golden Boot: 2008–09

Images for kids

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  Anelka with Chelsea

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  Anelka warming up for Chelsea

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  Anelka played with Giovanni Moreno and his former Chelsea teammate Didier Drogba at Shanghai Shenhua.

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  Anelka in action for France during a friendly match against Colombia in April 2008.

See also

In Spanish: Nicolas Anelka para niños