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Samir Nasri

Nasri with France in 2012

Personal information

Date of birth

26 June 1987 (age 37)

Place of birth

Septèmes-les-Vallons, France

Height

1.75 m

Playing position

Attacking midfielder

Youth career

1995–1997

Pennes Mirabeau

1997–2004

Marseille

Senior career*

Years

Team

Apps^†

(Gls)^†

2004–2008

Marseille

121

(11)

2008–2011

Arsenal

(18)

2011–2017

Manchester City

129

(18)

2016–2017

→ Sevilla (loan)

(2)

2017–2018

Antalyaspor

(2)

2019

West Ham United

(0)

2019–2020

Anderlecht

(1)

Total

379

(52)

National team

2002–2003

France U16

(8)

2003–2004

France U17

(6)

2004–2005

France U18

(0)

2005–2006

France U19

(5)

2006–2007

France U21

(0)

2007–2013

France

(5)

Honours


Men's football
Representing France
UEFA European Under-17 Championship
Winner	2004

Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

† Appearances (Goals).

Samir Nasri (born 26 June 1987) is a French former professional footballer. He mostly played as an attacking midfielder or a winger. He was known for his great dribbling, ball control, and passing skills. Many compared his playing style to the famous French player Zinedine Zidane.

Nasri started his football journey playing for youth clubs in his hometown of Marseille. When he was nine, he joined the professional club Olympique de Marseille. He spent seven years learning and growing in their youth academy. In 2004, at just 17 years old, he made his first professional appearance. He quickly became a regular player for Marseille.

In 2008, Nasri moved to the English club Arsenal. He became a very important player for them. In 2010, he was named the French Player of the Year. After three seasons with Arsenal, he joined Manchester City in 2011. There, he won his first major trophy, the Premier League title. He later won another Premier League title and the Football League Cup with Manchester City. After leaving Manchester City, he played for a few other clubs before retiring in 2021.

Nasri also played for the French national youth teams at every level. He was part of the under-17 team that won the 2004 UEFA European Under-17 Championship. He made his debut for the senior French team in 2007. He played 41 games for France and scored 5 goals. He represented his country in the UEFA Euro 2008 and Euro 2012 tournaments.

About Samir Nasri

Samir Nasri was born in Septèmes-les-Vallons, a town near Marseille, France. His parents were both born in France and have Algerian family roots. He is the oldest of four children and is a Muslim. His younger sister is Sonia, and he has twin brothers named Walid and Malik. His cousin, Kaïs Nasri, is also a professional footballer.

Samir's Football Journey

Starting Out in Football

When Samir Nasri was a kid, he played football a lot on the streets of La Gavotte Peyret. This is where he learned many of his amazing skills. His parents saw how talented he was and signed him up for a local club.

After playing for one year in his hometown, he moved to a club called Pennes Mirabeau when he was seven. While playing there, a scout from Olympique de Marseille noticed him. The scout had heard about Samir's talent from people in the area. Samir impressed everyone at a youth tournament in Italy, even scouts from big clubs like Milan and Juventus. After this, Marseille invited him to join their youth academy when he was nine years old.

Playing for Olympique de Marseille

Samir quickly showed how good he was at the Marseille youth academy. He moved to Bastide, where the club's young players lived, and his playing style really improved. He helped his youth teams win many trophies.

In 2004, at 16, he was promoted to the club's reserve team. Many big English clubs like Arsenal and Chelsea were interested in signing him. To keep him, Marseille offered him a professional contract, which he signed in August 2004. He was then moved to the senior team.

First Season as a Pro

Samir made his first professional appearance on 12 September 2004. He came on as a substitute in a game against Sochaux. He made his first start on 17 October. In January 2005, he scored his first professional goal against Lille. In his first season, he played 25 games, scored one goal, and made two assists.

Becoming a Regular Player

In the 2005–06 season, Samir became a regular starter for Marseille. He played alongside famous players like Franck Ribéry and Djibril Cissé. He played in 49 games that season, including matches in European competitions like the UEFA Cup. Marseille won the 2005 UEFA Intertoto Cup that year, and Samir scored his first European goal in that competition. Marseille also reached the Coupe de France final but lost. After the season, he signed a new contract until 2009.

In the 2006–07 season, Samir continued to shine. He scored against rivals Paris Saint-Germain. Marseille reached the Coupe de France final again but lost on penalties. Samir played 50 games that season, with 37 in the league. For his great performances, he won the UNFP Young Player of the Year award. He was also named in the Team of the Year. Fans also voted him the Club Player of the Year.

His Best Season at Marseille

The 2007–08 season was Samir's best at Marseille. He became the main attacking player for the team. He played 42 games, scoring six goals and making 15 assists, which were career highs for him. He played in the UEFA Champions League for the first time. Marseille finished third in the league, qualifying for the Champions League again. In May 2008, he signed another contract extension with Marseille.

Moving to Arsenal

Joining the Gunners

Just one week after signing a new deal with Marseille, Samir Nasri was linked with a move to Premier League club Arsenal. Arsenal's manager, Arsène Wenger, had been watching Samir for a long time. It was later explained that the contract extension was to help Marseille get a better transfer fee for him.

The deal was completed on 11 July 2008. Samir signed a four-year contract with Arsenal. The transfer fee was around £12 million. Samir said that Arsène Wenger was a big reason he joined Arsenal. He knew Wenger gave young players great chances.

First Season in England

Samir was given the number 8 shirt at Arsenal. He made his debut on 30 July 2008 in a friendly game. His Premier League debut was on 16 August against West Bromwich Albion. In that game, he scored his first league goal after just four minutes, helping Arsenal win 1–0. This made him the 83rd player to score on their Premier League debut.

On 8 November, Samir scored both of Arsenal's goals in a 2–1 win over Manchester United. He finished his first season at Arsenal playing 44 games, scoring seven goals, and making five assists.

Overcoming Injury

On 21 July 2009, Samir broke his leg during a training match. This injury meant he missed the start of the 2009–10 Premier League season. He returned to play on 25 October 2009 in a League Cup game against Liverpool.

He scored his first goal of the season on 4 November in a Champions League game against AZ. Three weeks later, he scored another Champions League goal. In March 2010, Samir scored a fantastic goal against Porto in the Champions League. He dribbled past three players before scoring. He finished his second season with 34 games, five goals, and five assists.

His Best Season at Arsenal

Samir was determined to play his best in the 2010–11 season. He started the season well. On 21 September, he scored two goals in a 4–1 win over rivals Tottenham Hotspur. Four days later, he scored another two goals.

In October 2010, Samir scored in three straight games. He scored against Birmingham City, Shakhtar Donetsk, and Manchester City. Because of his great performances, he was named the PFA Fans' Player of the Month for October. He won this award again in December and January.

On 4 December, Samir scored two goals against Fulham, helping Arsenal win 2–1 and go to the top of the league. In December 2010, he was named the France Football French Player of the Year. He was the first Arsenal player to win this award since Thierry Henry in 2006.

In April 2011, Samir was nominated for both the PFA Players' Player of the Year and PFA Young Player of the Year awards. He was also named in the PFA Team of the Year. Overall, Samir scored 27 goals in 124 games for Arsenal.

Playing for Manchester City

Winning the Premier League

On 24 August 2011, Samir Nasri joined Manchester City. The transfer fee was about £25 million, and he signed a four-year contract.

He made his debut on 28 August against Tottenham Hotspur. In that game, he made three assists, helping Manchester City win 5–1. On 1 October, he scored his first goal for the club in a 4–0 victory.

On 13 May 2012, Samir won his first Premier League trophy as Manchester City became champions for the 2011–12 season. They won after a thrilling 3–2 victory over Queens Park Rangers.

More Trophies and Challenges

For the 2012–13 season, Samir changed his shirt number to 8. On 12 August, he scored and assisted a goal in the Community Shield, which City won 3–2 against Chelsea. He also scored in the first league game of the season.

In March 2013, Manchester City's manager, Roberto Mancini, sometimes criticized Samir for not being consistent enough. However, Samir scored the first goal in City's 2–1 win over Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final.

Another League Title

In the 2013–14 season, Samir scored his first goal against Manchester United in a 4–1 win. On 2 March 2014, he scored the second goal as Manchester City beat Sunderland 3–1 to win the League Cup final. He was named the Man of the Match for his performance in the final.

On 11 May, Samir scored Manchester City's first goal in a 2–0 win over West Ham United. This victory meant Manchester City won the 2013–14 Premier League title again.

Later Years at City

Samir signed a new five-year contract with Manchester City in July 2014. In November 2015, he had a tendon injury that kept him out for several months. When he returned on 10 April 2016, he scored the winning goal against West Bromwich Albion.

Loan to Sevilla

On 31 August 2016, Samir joined Spanish club Sevilla on a loan for the season. He played 30 games and scored three goals for Sevilla. He scored the only goal in a Champions League group win against Dinamo Zagreb.

Time in Turkey and Suspension

On 21 August 2017, Samir signed for Turkish club Antalyaspor. He played eight games and scored two goals before leaving the club in January 2018.

In February 2018, Samir was suspended from playing football for six months by UEFA. This was because he broke some rules about what players can take to help their bodies recover. In August 2018, his ban was made longer by another 12 months. The ban lasted until January 2019.

Final Clubs and Retirement

After his ban ended, Samir started training with West Ham United and signed a short-term contract. He played five games for them before leaving in June 2019.

On 5 July 2019, Samir joined Belgian club Anderlecht on a free transfer. His former Manchester City captain, Vincent Kompany, was the player-manager there. Samir played eight games and scored two goals for Anderlecht. In April 2020, he left the club. In September 2021, Samir Nasri announced that he had retired from professional football.

International Career

Playing for Youth Teams

Samir Nasri played for all of France's youth teams. He was part of a special group of players born in 1987, which included Hatem Ben Arfa, Karim Benzema, and Jérémy Ménez.

With the under-16 team, Samir played 16 games and scored eight goals. He was one of the first players from his group to become a regular starter.

At the under-17 level, Samir, along with Ben Arfa, Benzema, and Ménez, aimed to win the 2004 UEFA European Under-17 Championship in France. Samir scored in the semi-finals against Portugal. In the final, France played Spain, and Samir scored the winning goal, giving France its first title in this competition. He played 16 games and scored six goals for the under-17 team.

He also played for the under-19 team. He scored two goals in friendly matches against Norway. He helped his team in the qualification rounds for the 2006 UEFA European Under-19 Championship.

Playing for the Senior Team

On 15 March 2007, Samir Nasri was called up to the senior French team for the first time. He was very happy and proud. He made his international debut on 28 March against Austria when he was 19. He helped set up the only goal in that game. On 6 June, he scored his first international goal in a 1–0 win over Georgia.

He was chosen for the 23-man squad to play in UEFA Euro 2008. He played as a substitute in the opening game against Romania. He also came on in the final group game against Italy.

After not being chosen for the 2010 FIFA World Cup squad, Samir returned to the national team in August 2010 under new coach Laurent Blanc. On 25 March 2011, Samir was the captain of the national team for the first time in a 2–0 win over Luxembourg. In the final Euro qualifier against Bosnia and Herzegovina, Samir scored a penalty goal that helped France qualify for UEFA Euro 2012.

At Euro 2012, in France's first game against England, Samir scored the goal that made the score 1–1. After France lost to Spain in the quarter-finals, Samir had a disagreement with a reporter. Because of this and other issues, the French Football Federation gave him a three-match international ban.

On 13 May 2014, the French manager, Didier Deschamps, announced his squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, and Samir was not included. On 9 August 2014, at 27 years old, Samir Nasri decided to retire from international football.

How Samir Played

In his early years at Marseille, Samir Nasri played in different positions. He was often a deep-lying midfielder or a wide midfielder on the right side. After two years, he became a playmaker. This role suited him well because of his excellent vision, passing, and technical skills.

Samir usually played as a central attacking midfielder. He could also play on the wing, which he did a lot at Arsenal. His close control of the ball, speed, dribbling, crossing, and ability to use both feet made him great in these positions.

His former manager, Arsène Wenger, described Samir as a "young, quick and technically outstanding player." Many people compared his playing style and background to Zinedine Zidane. When he played for Arsenal, the English media also compared him to another French player, Robert Pires.

Career Statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club	Season	League			National cup		League cup		Europe		Other		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Marseille	2004–05	Ligue 1	24	1	1	0	0	0	—		—		25	1
	2005–06	Ligue 1	30	1	5	0	0	0	14	1	—		49	2
	2006–07	Ligue 1	37	3	6	0	1	0	6	0	—		50	3
	2007–08	Ligue 1	30	6	2	0	2	0	8	0	—		42	6
	Total		121	11	14	0	3	0	28	1	—		166	12
Arsenal	2008–09	Premier League	29	6	5	0	0	0	10	1	—		44	7
	2009–10	Premier League	26	2	1	0	1	0	6	3	—		34	5
	2010–11	Premier League	30	10	4	1	4	2	8	2	—		46	15
	2011–12	Premier League	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	—		1	0
	Total		86	18	10	1	5	2	24	6	—		125	27
Manchester City	2011–12	Premier League	31	5	1	0	4	1	10	0	—		46	6
	2012–13	Premier League	27	2	3	1	0	0	6	1	1	1	37	5
	2013–14	Premier League	34	7	2	2	3	1	7	1	—		46	11
	2014–15	Premier League	24	2	1	0	1	0	6	1	1	0	33	3
	2015–16	Premier League	12	2	0	0	0	0	1	0	—		13	2
	2016–17	Premier League	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	—		1	0
	Total		129	18	7	3	8	2	30	3	2	1	176	27
Sevilla (loan)	2016–17	La Liga	23	2	2	0	—		5	1	—		30	3
Antalyaspor	2017–18	Süper Lig	8	2	0	0	—		—		—		8	2
West Ham United	2018–19	Premier League	5	0	1	0	0	0	—		—		6	0
Anderlecht	2019–20	Belgian Pro League	7	1	1	1	—		—		—		8	2
Career total			379	52	35	5	16	4	87	11	2	1	519	73

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team	Year	Apps	Goals
France	2007	7	2
	2008	7	0
	2009	1	0
	2010	4	0
	2011	8	1
	2012	8	1
	2013	6	1
Total		41	5

Scores and results list France's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Nasri goal.

List of international goals scored by Samir Nasri
No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	6 June 2007	Stade de l'Abbé Deschamps, Auxerre, France	Georgia	1–0	1–0	UEFA Euro 2008 qualification
2	16 November 2007	Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France	Morocco	2–1	2–2	Friendly
3	11 October 2011	Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France	Bosnia and Herzegovina	1–1	1–1	UEFA Euro 2012 qualification
4	11 June 2012	Donbass Arena, Donetsk, Ukraine	England	1–1	1–1	UEFA Euro 2012
5	10 September 2013	Central Stadium, Gomel, Belarus	Belarus	3–2	4–2	2014 FIFA World Cup qualification