Mathieu Bodmer
Encyclopedia
Mathieu Bodmer is a French
footballer who currently plays for Ligue 1
club Paris Saint-Germain F.C.. He usually plays as a central midfielder
. He serves as president of amateur French club Évreux FC
, located in his hometown.
) at the age of 14. In 1998, he moved to SM Caen
, a club in the second division
of French football, where he made his debut in 2000. He played in 24 matches that season and by the end of the 2002–03 season, he had played in 79 matches for the club, scoring a total of four goals. His hard-working performances helped Caen
keep a mid-table position in the league. Following the season, he joined first division club Lille OSC
for €1 million.
. He earned 33 appearances for the first-team in his debut season, scoring two goals; however, in the 2004–05 season, Lille enjoyed an impressive second-place finish giving them a place in the UEFA Champions League
. They were considered minnow
s in that competition, but Bodmer, as a holding midfielder, helped Lille achieve a draw against Manchester United
at Old Trafford
.
His impressive performances earned the interest of Arsène Wenger
, manager of Arsenal
, who had considered buying him in the spring of 2005, but he was rebuffed by Lille president Michel Seydoux
. Periodically, he was linked with other big-name clubs, including Manchester United. He did sign a contract extension at Lille in December 2005, extending his stay at the club until 2011.
. On June 16, 2007, Lyon confirmed the signing of Bodmer from Lille for a €
6.5 million fee. Bodmer was given the number 5 shirt, previously worn by Caçapa
. Bodmer made his Ligue 1 debut for Lyon in Lyon's second match day loss to Toulouse
. He played the full 90 minutes. Bodmer scored his first goal on August 29, 2007 against Sochaux in Lyon's 2–1 win. It was the game winning goal.
In February 2008, he scored two goals in one league game for the first time of his career against F.C. Sochaux, in a 4-2 victory. Exactly one month later, he shone against Lyon's direct competitor for the league title, Bordeaux, again netting two goals in another 4-2 win. The second of those goals was particularly spectacular. Chesting down an aerial pass, Bodmer chipped the ball over his opponent Souleymane Diawara
and again controlled it on his chest before firing acrobatically past goalkeeper Ulrich Ramé
. Former Marseille
midfielder Franck Sauzée
, commenting the game as a TV pundit for Canal+
, praised Bodmer for his technique and elegance.
In his successful first season in Lyon, the former Lille midfielder was part of a team that conquered a Ligue 1
-Coupe de France
double for the first time in the club's history. Unfortunately, it would turn out to be Bodmer's best season with the club. In the summer of 2008, Claude Puel
, his former coach in Lille, was appointed as the new club manager. Puel did not fancy deploying his former protégé in midfield and preferred playing him in defence, where he was less efficient. After leaving the club, Bodmer admitted that the relationship between Puel and him was a tense one, and had been so ever since their days in Lille.
To make matters worse, between 2008 and 2010, Bodmer was plagued by injuries, another factor that made him unable to reproduce the fine form he had displayed in his first season with Les Gônes. Thus, he made just 31 league appearances during the 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons, less than the 37 he had managed in 2007-2008. During those two seasons, Lyon failed to win any silverware.
for €3 million. Bodmer thus joined the club he had supported as a boy. Ironically, he would go on to score his first goal for his new colours against his former club, in a Coupe de la Ligue
fixture.
Bodmer enjoyed a solid first season in the French capital. He was often deployed by his new coach Antoine Kombouaré
in his favourite position: attacking midfielder behind the striker(s). In this position, he managed to showcase his skills and scored 10 goals in 42 appearances, all competitions included. This tally included a beautiful individual effort against former club and champions elect Lille at the Parc des Princes
in May 2011. For the first time since 2007-08, Bodmer managed to make more than 20 league appearances in one season, being called to action during 28 league games in all.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
footballer who currently plays for Ligue 1
Ligue 1
Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
club Paris Saint-Germain F.C.. He usually plays as a central midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
. He serves as president of amateur French club Évreux FC
Évreux FC
Évreux Football Club 27 is a French association football club founded in 2009. They are based in Évreux, Haute-Normandie and are currently playing in the Championnat de France Amateurs 2 Group A, the fifth tier of the French football league system. They play at the Stade Jean Bouin in Paris...
, located in his hometown.
Early career
Bodmer began his professional career at Évreux AC (now Évreux FCÉvreux FC
Évreux Football Club 27 is a French association football club founded in 2009. They are based in Évreux, Haute-Normandie and are currently playing in the Championnat de France Amateurs 2 Group A, the fifth tier of the French football league system. They play at the Stade Jean Bouin in Paris...
) at the age of 14. In 1998, he moved to SM Caen
SM Caen
Stade Malherbe Caen is a professional French football team, playing in the city of Caen, Normandy. The club was founded on 17 November 1913 following the merger of Club Malherbe Caennais and Club Sportif Caennais...
, a club in the second division
Ligue 2
Ligue 2 , formerly known as Division 2, is a French professional football league. The league serves as the second division of French football and is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel , the other being Ligue 1, the country's top football division...
of French football, where he made his debut in 2000. He played in 24 matches that season and by the end of the 2002–03 season, he had played in 79 matches for the club, scoring a total of four goals. His hard-working performances helped Caen
Caen
Caen is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the Basse-Normandie region. It is located inland from the English Channel....
keep a mid-table position in the league. Following the season, he joined first division club Lille OSC
Lille OSC
LOSC Lille Métropole is a French association football club based in Lille. The club was founded in 1944 as a result of a merger and currently play in Ligue 1, the first division of French football. Lille plays its home matches at the Stade Lille-Metropole in nearby Villeneuve-d'Ascq. In 2012, the...
for €1 million.
Lille
The 2003–04 season served as an auspicious introduction to top league football, where Bodmer played against the likes of Michael EssienMichael Essien
Michael Kojo Essien is a Ghanaian footballer who plays for Chelsea and the Ghanaian national team. He is a midfielder who has often been touted as a box-to-box midfielder for his ability to exert boundless energy in supporting offensive and defensive play...
. He earned 33 appearances for the first-team in his debut season, scoring two goals; however, in the 2004–05 season, Lille enjoyed an impressive second-place finish giving them a place in the UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
. They were considered minnow
Underdog (competition)
An underdog is a person or group in a competition, frequently in electoral politics, sports and creative works, who is popularly expected to lose. The party, team or individual expected to win is called the favorite or top dog. In the rare case where an underdog wins, the outcome is an upset. These...
s in that competition, but Bodmer, as a holding midfielder, helped Lille achieve a draw against Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
at Old Trafford
Old Trafford (football)
Old Trafford is a football stadium in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, England, and the home of Manchester United. With a capacity of 75,811, Old Trafford is the second-largest football stadium in England after Wembley, the third-largest in the United Kingdom and the eleventh-largest in Europe...
.
His impressive performances earned the interest of Arsène Wenger
Arsène Wenger
Arsène Wenger, OBE is a French association football manager and former player, who has managed English Premier League side Arsenal since 1996...
, manager of Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
, who had considered buying him in the spring of 2005, but he was rebuffed by Lille president Michel Seydoux
Michel Seydoux
Michel Seydoux is a French businessman and movie producer. He also serves as the president and chairman of French club Lille OSC. Seydoux is the grandson of scientist Marcel Schlumberger and has two brothers; Jérôme and Nicolas. Jérôme is a shareholder on football club Olympique Lyonnais.-External...
. Periodically, he was linked with other big-name clubs, including Manchester United. He did sign a contract extension at Lille in December 2005, extending his stay at the club until 2011.
Lyon
On June 14, 2007, Lyon officially announced that they would be unveiling Kader Keïta and Bodmer to the media, the pair having already passed their medicals at the Stade GerlandStade Gerland
The Stade de Gerland is a stadium, in the city of Lyon, France and home to Ligue 1 football club Olympique Lyonnais...
. On June 16, 2007, Lyon confirmed the signing of Bodmer from Lille for a €
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
6.5 million fee. Bodmer was given the number 5 shirt, previously worn by Caçapa
Caçapa
Cláudio Roberto da Silva, commonly known as Cláudio Caçapa or simply Caçapa is a Brazilian footballer. He plays as a central defender for Brazilian club Avaí.-Atlético Mineiro:...
. Bodmer made his Ligue 1 debut for Lyon in Lyon's second match day loss to Toulouse
Toulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
. He played the full 90 minutes. Bodmer scored his first goal on August 29, 2007 against Sochaux in Lyon's 2–1 win. It was the game winning goal.
In February 2008, he scored two goals in one league game for the first time of his career against F.C. Sochaux, in a 4-2 victory. Exactly one month later, he shone against Lyon's direct competitor for the league title, Bordeaux, again netting two goals in another 4-2 win. The second of those goals was particularly spectacular. Chesting down an aerial pass, Bodmer chipped the ball over his opponent Souleymane Diawara
Souleymane Diawara
Souleymane Diawara is a Senegalese footballer who plays as a central defender for Olympique Marseille and the Senegal national team.-Career:...
and again controlled it on his chest before firing acrobatically past goalkeeper Ulrich Ramé
Ulrich Ramé
Ulrich Ramé is a French footballer who plays for CS Sedan Ardennes as a goalkeeper.In a professional career which spanned two decades, he played mainly for Bordeaux , appearing in more than 500 official games and winning six major titles.A French international during four years, Ramé represented...
. Former Marseille
Olympique de Marseille
Olympique de Marseille is a French association football club based in Marseille. Founded in 1899, the club plays in Ligue 1 and have spent most of its history in the top tier of French football. Marseille have been French champions nine times and have won the Coupe de France a record ten times. In...
midfielder Franck Sauzée
Franck Sauzée
Franck Sauzée is a former French international footballer and manager. He played 39 times for the French national team between 1988 and 1993, scoring nine goals and captaining the team several times...
, commenting the game as a TV pundit for Canal+
Canal+
Canal+ is a French premium pay television channel launched in 1984. It is 80% owned by the Canal+ Group, which in turn is owned by Vivendi SA. The channel broadcasts several kinds of programming, mostly encrypted...
, praised Bodmer for his technique and elegance.
In his successful first season in Lyon, the former Lille midfielder was part of a team that conquered a Ligue 1
Ligue 1
Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
-Coupe de France
Coupe de France
The Coupe Charles Simon, commonly known as the Coupe de France , is the premier knockout cup competition in French football organized by the French Football Federation...
double for the first time in the club's history. Unfortunately, it would turn out to be Bodmer's best season with the club. In the summer of 2008, Claude Puel
Claude Puel
Claude Puel is a French football manager and former player. He spent 17 years playing for AS Monaco.-Managerial career:...
, his former coach in Lille, was appointed as the new club manager. Puel did not fancy deploying his former protégé in midfield and preferred playing him in defence, where he was less efficient. After leaving the club, Bodmer admitted that the relationship between Puel and him was a tense one, and had been so ever since their days in Lille.
To make matters worse, between 2008 and 2010, Bodmer was plagued by injuries, another factor that made him unable to reproduce the fine form he had displayed in his first season with Les Gônes. Thus, he made just 31 league appearances during the 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons, less than the 37 he had managed in 2007-2008. During those two seasons, Lyon failed to win any silverware.
PSG
On 30 June 2010 Paris Saint-Germain signed the French midfielder to a three-year deal from Ligue 1 rival Olympique LyonnaisOlympique Lyonnais
Olympique Lyonnais is a French association football club based in Lyon. They play in France's highest football division, Ligue 1. The club was formed as Lyon Olympique Universitaire in 1899, according to many supporters and sport historians, but was nationally established as a club in 1950. The...
for €3 million. Bodmer thus joined the club he had supported as a boy. Ironically, he would go on to score his first goal for his new colours against his former club, in a Coupe de la Ligue
Coupe de la Ligue
The Coupe de la Ligue , known outside of France as the French League Cup, is a knockout cup competition in French football organized by the Ligue de Football Professionnel...
fixture.
Bodmer enjoyed a solid first season in the French capital. He was often deployed by his new coach Antoine Kombouaré
Antoine Kombouaré
Antoine Kombouaré is a manager of football Ligue 1 side Paris Saint-Germain and a former professional football defender.-Early life and career:...
in his favourite position: attacking midfielder behind the striker(s). In this position, he managed to showcase his skills and scored 10 goals in 42 appearances, all competitions included. This tally included a beautiful individual effort against former club and champions elect Lille at the Parc des Princes
Parc des Princes
The Parc des Princes is an all-seater football stadium located in the southwest of Paris, France. The venue, with a seating capacity of 48,712 spectators, has been the home of French football club Paris Saint-Germain since 1974. The current Parc des Princes was inaugurated on 4 June 1972, endowed...
in May 2011. For the first time since 2007-08, Bodmer managed to make more than 20 league appearances in one season, being called to action during 28 league games in all.
External links
- Profile on olweb.fr