Yann M'Vila
Encyclopedia
Yann M'Vila is a French international footballer who plays for French club Rennes in Ligue 1
. He operates as a defensive midfielder
and is described by his club as a player who possesses "excellent defensive abilities" and "impressive physical strength". He is the younger brother of Yohan M'Vila
, who plays for Ligue 2
club Dijon
.
M'Vila began his football career playing for clubs in the Picardy and Île-de-France
regions
, such as Amiens SC
and Mantes
. In 2004, he signed with professional club Stade Rennais. While in the club's youth academy, he achieved several club honours. In 2008, M'Vila turned professional and, in the following season, made his professional debut in a league match against Nice
. M'Vila has since become an integral part of the club under manager
Frédéric Antonetti
.
M'Vila is a French international
having played at all levels for which he was eligible. He has captained several of his age groups including the under-19 team
that reached the semi-finals of the 2009 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship
. M'Vila also played on France teams that participated in the 2007 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship
and the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup
. He is currently playing for both the under-21 team
and the senior team. M'Vila made his senior debut on 11 August 2010 in a friendly match against Norway
.
, a city in the Picardie region
. His father, Jean-Elvis M'Vila, was a former football player who is originally from the Republic of the Congo. He moved to France
in 1983 and played football for 13 years regularly turning out for the reserves of local club Amiens SC
. The elder M'Vila currently resides in Cholet
. He was a police officer
and now works in metallurgy
. Yann also has two younger sisters and an older brother. His brother, Yohan M'Vila
, also plays professional football. Yohan currently plays for Ligue 2
club Dijon
. Yann, himself, is married and has a son who was born when he was 18 years old. In 2010, his wife gave birth to another child.
of Saint-Fuscien
. He spent three years at the club and, in July 1999, joined the biggest club in the region Amiens SC
. M'Vila joined the club as a youth player and practiced in the club's soccer school, which was established by his father, who had previously played on the club's reserve team. After spending five seasons at the club, M'Vila left the club after developing friction and ventured to Paris
to join FC Mantes
. During his short stint at Mantes, M'Vila lived with his grandparents. M'Vila admitted that, during his time at Mantes, he had "forgot his dream" of becoming a professional footballer. The desire was brought back after he was discovered by a Stade Rennais scout in October 2004. The following month, M'Vila departed Mantes to join the prestigious youth academy
of Rennes after signing an aspirant (youth) contract with the club.
Among M'Vila's teammates in the youth system included fellow prospects Damien Le Tallec
, the younger brother of Anthony Le Tallec
, Yohann Lasimant
, Abdoul Camara
, and Yacine Brahimi
. The combination of M'Vila, Brahimi, Camara, and Le Tallec, all four being members of the class of 1990, were particularly instrumental in their youth team's successes. With the under-16 team, the foursome won the Tournoi Carisport, a national tournament that regularly pits the top academies in France against each other. Two seasons later with the under-18 team, M'Vila won the under-18 league championship for the 2006–07 season. In 2008, the youth academy achieved its biggest honour after winning the Coupe Gambardella
. The title was Rennes' third Gambardella Cup and its first since 2003 when the likes of Yoann Gourcuff
and Sylvain Marveaux
were playing in the competition. In the final, Rennes faced Bordeaux
and M'Vila was tasked with the objective of containing fellow French starlet Grégory Sertic
. He accomplished the task and also scored a goal on a left-footed strike from 25 metres (27.3 yd) out leading the team to a 3–0 victory.
, M'Vila missed significant practice time with the senior team and began the season with the club's CFA team for the second consecutive year. Despite Lacombe questioning the player's attitude, M'Vila has declared that he bears no ill feelings towards Lacombe. He, subsequently, appeared in 20 matches with the reserve team and scored no goals as the team finished 1st among professional clubs in its group, thus qualifying for the playoffs, where the club lost to Lyon
in the semi-finals.
Following a successful international campaign with the France under-19 team
, on 13 August 2009, new manager Frédéric Antonetti
announced that M'Vila would be earning some significant playing time with the club for the 2009–10 season
. Two days later, after appearing with the CFA team in the first week of the season, he was named to the 19-man squad to face Nice
. M'Vila made his professional debut in that match appearing as a substitute in the 80th minute. Due to the suspension of Japan
ese midfielder
Junichi Inamoto
, M'Vila earned his first start the following week against Marseille
. He played the entire match, which ended 1–1. The following week against Lens
, M'Vila earned his first professional red card
. After returning from suspension, M'Vila never lost his place within the team breaking the starting eleven in all the remaining league matches, except for one.
On 15 September 2009, M'Vila signed a contract extension with Rennes until June 2013. On 27 August 2010, he agreed to another extension with the club. The new deal will keep him at the club until 2014. On 18 December, in a 1–0 win over Valenciennes
, M'Vila played the entire match completing 100 of his 112 attempted passes, the former statistical output being a league-high for the season. Due to his performances domestically and internationally, M'Vila was linked to Spanish
club Real Madrid
and English
club Liverpool
during the fall season. In December 2010, the midfielder quelled the interest by declaring his commitment to Rennes and also jokingly stating that he would only depart Rennes after scoring his first goal. Coincidentally, he scored his first professional goal on 9 January 2011 in a 7–0 hammering of Championnat National
club Cannes
in the Coupe de France
. A week later, M'Vila scored his first career league goal in a 4–0 win over Arles-Avignon. On 20 February, M'Vila scored the opening goal for Rennes, converting a free kick, in a 2–1 win over Toulouse
. M'Vila was rewarded for his performances during the season with a nomination for the UNFP Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year. The midfielder lost out on the award to national team teammate Mamadou Sakho
, but was given consolation with an appearance on the organization's Team of the Year. A day later, Rennes confirmed on its website that M'Vila had signed a one-year contract extension with the club. The new deal will keep him with Rennes until 2015.
M'Vila opened the 2011–12 season
making his European
debut in a UEFA Europa League
third qualifying round first leg tie against Georgian
club Metalurgi Rustavi
on 28 July 2011. M'Vila played the entire match in a 5–2 win. On 25 August, he scored his first goal of the campaign in a 4–0 second leg win over Serbia
n club Red Star Belgrade
in the Europa League playoff round. On 15 September, M'Vila captained Rennes for the first time in a 1–1 league draw with Nancy.
for which he was eligible beginning with the under-16 team
. He made his international debut with the team on 23 May 2006 in a friendly match against Romania
. M'Vila made his only other appearance in the team in the return leg against Romania. M'Vila began featuring as a regular international with the under-17 team
making his debut on 5 December 2006 in a friendly match against the Czech Republic
. M'Vila scored his first international goal on 20 February 2007 against Portugal
in the Algarve Cup
. He was a member of the team that reached the semi-finals at the 2007 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship
where they lost to England
. In the competition, M'Vila scored a goal against group stage opponents Ukraine
in a 2–2 draw. The draw resulted in France advancing to the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup
held in South Korea
. M'Vila appeared in all five matches helping the team reach the quarter-finals where they were defeated by Spain
on penalties.
With the under-18 team
, M'Vila appeared in six of the ten matches the team contested. He made his debut with the team in its opening match against the United States in the Tournoi de Limoges. M'Vila appeared in all 18 matches scoring 3 goals with the under-19 team
. He was given the honor of captaining the team by coach Jean Gallice
. He scored one goal during the qualification process
against Romania
in a 3–0 victory. The victory assured qualification to the tournament
. At the tournament, held in the Ukraine
, M'Vila appeared in all three group stage matches helping France reach the semi-finals. Due to picking up a yellow card
in back-to-back matches, M'Vila missed the semi-final defeat to England
. Upon receiving the yellow card
in the final group stage match against Spain
, a very distraught M'Vila palmed his face into his knees as he knew he would miss the important semi-final match.
Just days after the under-19 elimination, M'Vila was called up to the under-21 team
, the only one of the under-19 squad, to participate in the team's friendly match against Poland
on 12 August. He made his under-21 debut in that match appearing as a substitute in the 74th minute of a 2–2 draw. On 25 February 2010, M'Vila was reportedly named to the senior team
for their friendly against Spain
on 3 March. The news was based on the preliminary list sent to news agencies minutes before coach
Raymond Domenech
was to announce the squad in a press conference. However, following the formalization of the list at the start of the press conference, his name was replaced with Marseille
midfielder
Benoît Cheyrou
. M'Vila was later called up to the under-21 team for their friendly against Croatia
, but withdrew from the team due to injury. On 11 May, M'Vila was named to the 30-man preliminary list by Domenech to play in the 2010 FIFA World Cup
but failed to make the final 23.
On 5 August 2010, M'Vila was officially called up to the senior team
for the first time by new manager Laurent Blanc
for the team's friendly match against Norway
on 11 August 2010. He earned his first senior cap in the match starting in the defensive midfielder role. Despite France losing the match 2–1, M'Vila earned rave reviews for his performance, with many media outlets in France naming him the team's player of the match. Following his debut, M'Vila appeared in five consecutive matches for France. After starting in the team's UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying
victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina
in September 2010, he became the only player to feature as a starter in Blanc's first three matches as manager. On 25 March 2011, M'Vila completed 92.5 percent of his 134 attempted passes in a 2–0 UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying win over Luxembourg
. The feat was the best by any France player in an international match since 2006. On 2 September 2011, M'Vila scored his first international goal in a 2–1 Euro qualifying victory over Albania
.
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....
. He operates as a defensive 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...
and is described by his club as a player who possesses "excellent defensive abilities" and "impressive physical strength". He is the younger brother of Yohan M'Vila
Yohan M'Vila
Yohan M'Vila is a French-born Congolese professional football player. Currently, he plays in the Ligue 2 for Dijon FCO. He also holds French citizenship....
, who plays for Ligue 2
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...
club Dijon
Dijon FCO
Dijon Football Côte d'Or is a French association football club based in Dijon. The club was founded in 1998 as a result of a merger between two local clubs in the city and currently competes in Ligue 1 after gaining promotion for the first time ever in the 2010-11 season.The club president is...
.
M'Vila began his football career playing for clubs in the Picardy and Île-de-France
Île-de-France (région)
Île-de-France is the wealthiest and most populated of the twenty-two administrative regions of France, composed mostly of the Paris metropolitan area....
regions
Régions of France
France is divided into 27 administrative regions , 22 of which are in Metropolitan France, and five of which are overseas. Corsica is a territorial collectivity , but is considered a region in mainstream usage, and is even shown as such on the INSEE website...
, such as Amiens SC
Amiens SC
Amiens Sporting Club is a French association football club based in Amiens. The club was formed in 1901 and currently play in Ligue 2, the second level of French football. The club plays its home matches at the Stade de la Licorne located within the city...
and Mantes
FC Mantes
Football Club Mantois 78 are a French football club that was founded in 1994. The club is based in Mantes-la-Ville in the suburbs of Paris and is of the Yvelines department. The club's relatively late foundation is due to a merger between three other clubs from the region...
. In 2004, he signed with professional club Stade Rennais. While in the club's youth academy, he achieved several club honours. In 2008, M'Vila turned professional and, in the following season, made his professional debut in a league match against Nice
OGC Nice
Olympique Gymnaste Club Nice Côte d'Azur is a French association football club based in Nice. The club was founded in 1904 and currently plays in Ligue 1, the top-tier of French football. Nice plays its home matches at the Stade Municipal du Ray located within the city. In 2013, the club is...
. M'Vila has since become an integral part of the club under manager
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
Frédéric Antonetti
Frédéric Antonetti
Frédéric Antonetti is a football manager, currently managing Ligue 1 side Stade Rennais.-Manager:-References:...
.
M'Vila is a French international
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
having played at all levels for which he was eligible. He has captained several of his age groups including the under-19 team
France national under-19 football team
The France national under-19 football team is the national under-19 football team of France and is controlled by the French Football Federation. The team competes in the annual UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship. They were the 2010 champions of the competition having won on home soil...
that reached the semi-finals of the 2009 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship
2009 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship
-Group B:---------------------Bracket:-Semi-finals:---------Final:-Top goalscorers:4 goals Nathan Delfouneso3 goals Henri Lansbury Danijel Aleksić Denys Harmash-External links:*...
. M'Vila also played on France teams that participated in the 2007 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship
2007 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship
The UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship 2007 Final Tournament was held in Belgium from May 2, 2007, to May 13, 2007. Top 5 teams will qualify for FIFA U-17 World Cup 2007...
and the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup
2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup
The FIFA U-17 World Cup 2007 was held in the Korea Republic between 18 August and 9 September 2007. For this event, the number of teams had been expanded from 16 to 24, with the top two of each group and the four best third-place teams advancing to the Round of 16...
. He is currently playing for both the under-21 team
France national under-21 football team
The France national under-21 football team , known in France as Les Espoirs , is the national under-21 football team of France and is controlled by the French Football Federation. The team competes in the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years...
and the senior team. M'Vila made his senior debut on 11 August 2010 in a friendly match against Norway
Norway national football team
The Norway national football team represents Norway in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Norway, the governing body for football in Norway. Norway's home ground is Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo and their head coach is Egil Olsen...
.
Personal life
M'Vila was born in AmiensAmiens
Amiens is a city and commune in northern France, north of Paris and south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme department in Picardy...
, a city in the Picardie region
Régions of France
France is divided into 27 administrative regions , 22 of which are in Metropolitan France, and five of which are overseas. Corsica is a territorial collectivity , but is considered a region in mainstream usage, and is even shown as such on the INSEE website...
. His father, Jean-Elvis M'Vila, was a former football player who is originally from the Republic of the Congo. He moved to France
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...
in 1983 and played football for 13 years regularly turning out for the reserves of local club Amiens SC
Amiens SC
Amiens Sporting Club is a French association football club based in Amiens. The club was formed in 1901 and currently play in Ligue 2, the second level of French football. The club plays its home matches at the Stade de la Licorne located within the city...
. The elder M'Vila currently resides in Cholet
Cholet
Cholet is a commune of western France in the Maine-et-Loire department. It was the capital of military Vendée.-Geography:Cholet stands on an eminence on the right bank of the Moine, which used to be crossed by a bridge from the fifteenth century...
. He was a police officer
Police officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
and now works in metallurgy
Metallurgy
Metallurgy is a domain of materials science that studies the physical and chemical behavior of metallic elements, their intermetallic compounds, and their mixtures, which are called alloys. It is also the technology of metals: the way in which science is applied to their practical use...
. Yann also has two younger sisters and an older brother. His brother, Yohan M'Vila
Yohan M'Vila
Yohan M'Vila is a French-born Congolese professional football player. Currently, he plays in the Ligue 2 for Dijon FCO. He also holds French citizenship....
, also plays professional football. Yohan currently plays for Ligue 2
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...
club Dijon
Dijon FCO
Dijon Football Côte d'Or is a French association football club based in Dijon. The club was founded in 1998 as a result of a merger between two local clubs in the city and currently competes in Ligue 1 after gaining promotion for the first time ever in the 2010-11 season.The club president is...
. Yann, himself, is married and has a son who was born when he was 18 years old. In 2010, his wife gave birth to another child.
Early career
M'Vila began his football career playing for ES Sains-Saint-Fussien in the communeCommunes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
of Saint-Fuscien
Saint-Fuscien
Saint-Fuscien is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France. The name of the commune in picard is Saint-Fuschien.-Geography:The commune is situated some south of Amiens, on the D7 road.-History:...
. He spent three years at the club and, in July 1999, joined the biggest club in the region Amiens SC
Amiens SC
Amiens Sporting Club is a French association football club based in Amiens. The club was formed in 1901 and currently play in Ligue 2, the second level of French football. The club plays its home matches at the Stade de la Licorne located within the city...
. M'Vila joined the club as a youth player and practiced in the club's soccer school, which was established by his father, who had previously played on the club's reserve team. After spending five seasons at the club, M'Vila left the club after developing friction and ventured to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
to join FC Mantes
FC Mantes
Football Club Mantois 78 are a French football club that was founded in 1994. The club is based in Mantes-la-Ville in the suburbs of Paris and is of the Yvelines department. The club's relatively late foundation is due to a merger between three other clubs from the region...
. During his short stint at Mantes, M'Vila lived with his grandparents. M'Vila admitted that, during his time at Mantes, he had "forgot his dream" of becoming a professional footballer. The desire was brought back after he was discovered by a Stade Rennais scout in October 2004. The following month, M'Vila departed Mantes to join the prestigious youth academy
Youth system
Youth system is a sporting terminology used to refer to a youth investment program within a particular team or league, which develops and nurtures young talent in farm teams, with the vision of using them in the first team if they show enough promise, and to fill up squads numbers in some teams...
of Rennes after signing an aspirant (youth) contract with the club.
Among M'Vila's teammates in the youth system included fellow prospects Damien Le Tallec
Damien Le Tallec
Damien Le Tallec is a French football player currently playing for German club Borussia Dortmund in the Fußball-Bundesliga. Damien is the younger brother of former Liverpool and current Auxerre striker Anthony Le Tallec...
, the younger brother of Anthony Le Tallec
Anthony Le Tallec
Anthony Le Tallec is a French footballer who plays for AJ Auxerre in Ligue 1, as a forward or attacking midfielder.-Liverpool:...
, Yohann Lasimant
Yohann Lasimant
Yohann Lasimant is a French footballer. He currently plays for Ligue 2 club Grenoble.-Club career:Yohann began his career at his local club SC Clémenceau in Besançon. In 2002, he moved to the biggest club in the city, Besançon RC. He gained the attention of Rennes scouts during his time here and...
, Abdoul Camara
Abdoul Camara
Abdoul Razzagui Camara is a French footballer who currently plays for French club Sochaux in Ligue 1. He can play as a striker, but is also often utilized as a left-sided winger.-Early career:...
, and Yacine Brahimi
Yacine Brahimi
Yacine Brahimi is a French football player who currently plays for French club Rennes in Ligue 1. He plays as an attacking midfielder and a winger and is described as a "technically gifted player"...
. The combination of M'Vila, Brahimi, Camara, and Le Tallec, all four being members of the class of 1990, were particularly instrumental in their youth team's successes. With the under-16 team, the foursome won the Tournoi Carisport, a national tournament that regularly pits the top academies in France against each other. Two seasons later with the under-18 team, M'Vila won the under-18 league championship for the 2006–07 season. In 2008, the youth academy achieved its biggest honour after winning the Coupe Gambardella
Coupe Gambardella
The Coupe Gambardella is a French football cup competition held between the under-19s of the French football clubs, organized by the French Football Federation ....
. The title was Rennes' third Gambardella Cup and its first since 2003 when the likes of Yoann Gourcuff
Yoann Gourcuff
Yoann Miguel Gourcuff is a French international footballer who currently plays for French club Olympique Lyonnais in Ligue 1. He operates mainly as an attacking midfielder, but can also be utilized as a withdrawn striker and is described as a "playmaker of real quality" who "is an accomplished...
and Sylvain Marveaux
Sylvain Marveaux
Sylvain Marveaux is a French football player who currently plays for English club Newcastle United in the Premier League. He can play a variety of positions in the midfield, but is mostly utilized as a left-sided midfielder or an attacking midfielder. Marveaux is a former French under-21...
were playing in the competition. In the final, Rennes faced Bordeaux
FC Girondins de Bordeaux
Football Club des Girondins de Bordeaux is a French association football club based in the city of Bordeaux. The club currently play in Ligue 1, the first division of French football, and won its last Ligue 1 title in the 2008–09 season....
and M'Vila was tasked with the objective of containing fellow French starlet Grégory Sertic
Grégory Sertic
Grégory Sertić is a French football player of Croatian descent who currently plays for Girondins de Bordeaux. He is a French under-21 international having played with the team at the 2009 Toulon Tournament....
. He accomplished the task and also scored a goal on a left-footed strike from 25 metres (27.3 yd) out leading the team to a 3–0 victory.
Rennes
Following the 2006–07 season, on 11 August 2007, M'Vila, alongside teammates Le Tallec and Camara, signed his first professional contract after agreeing to a three-year deal with Rennes. He spent the entire season playing on the club's reserve team in the Championnat de France amateur in the fourth division before being officially promoted to the senior squad and assigned the number 15 shirt for the 2008–09 season. Due to having minor surgery on his toenail and his attitude being questioned by manager Guy LacombeGuy Lacombe
Guy Lacombe is a French former professional football player and manager.- International :Lacombe was a member of the French squad that won the gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California...
, M'Vila missed significant practice time with the senior team and began the season with the club's CFA team for the second consecutive year. Despite Lacombe questioning the player's attitude, M'Vila has declared that he bears no ill feelings towards Lacombe. He, subsequently, appeared in 20 matches with the reserve team and scored no goals as the team finished 1st among professional clubs in its group, thus qualifying for the playoffs, where the club lost to Lyon
Olympique Lyonnais Reserves and Academy
The Olympique Lyonnais Reserves & Academy are the reserve team and academy of French club Olympique Lyonnais. The reserves squad play in the Championnat de France amateur division, the fourth division of French football and the highest division the team is allowed to participate in. Lyon have won...
in the semi-finals.
Following a successful international campaign with the France under-19 team
France national under-19 football team
The France national under-19 football team is the national under-19 football team of France and is controlled by the French Football Federation. The team competes in the annual UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship. They were the 2010 champions of the competition having won on home soil...
, on 13 August 2009, new manager Frédéric Antonetti
Frédéric Antonetti
Frédéric Antonetti is a football manager, currently managing Ligue 1 side Stade Rennais.-Manager:-References:...
announced that M'Vila would be earning some significant playing time with the club for the 2009–10 season
2009–10 Ligue 1
The 2009–10 Ligue 1 season was the 72nd since its establishment. Bordeaux were the defending champions. The fixtures were announced on 5 June 2009, and play commenced on 8 August and ended on 15 May 2010. There were three promoted teams from Ligue 2, replacing the three teams that were relegated...
. Two days later, after appearing with the CFA team in the first week of the season, he was named to the 19-man squad to face Nice
OGC Nice
Olympique Gymnaste Club Nice Côte d'Azur is a French association football club based in Nice. The club was founded in 1904 and currently plays in Ligue 1, the top-tier of French football. Nice plays its home matches at the Stade Municipal du Ray located within the city. In 2013, the club is...
. M'Vila made his professional debut in that match appearing as a substitute in the 80th minute. Due to the suspension of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese 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...
Junichi Inamoto
Junichi Inamoto
is a Japanese footballer who plays as a midfielder for Kawasaki Frontale.-Playing career:Inamoto played for Japanese club Gamba Osaka during his last year of high school, signing with the club in 1998. He was then one of many high profile transfers of Asian players to Europe, signing with Arsenal...
, M'Vila earned his first start the following week against 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...
. He played the entire match, which ended 1–1. The following week against Lens
RC Lens
Racing Club de Lens is a French association football club based in the northern city of Lens in the Pas-de-Calais department. Its nickname, sang et or , comes from its traditional colours of red and gold. Their primary rivals are their northern neighbors Lille OSC, whom they contest the Derby du...
, M'Vila earned his first professional red card
Penalty card
A penalty card is used in many sports as a means of warning, reprimanding or penalising a player, coach or team official. Penalty cards are most commonly used by referees or umpires to indicate that a player has committed an offense. The referee will hold the card above his or her head while...
. After returning from suspension, M'Vila never lost his place within the team breaking the starting eleven in all the remaining league matches, except for one.
On 15 September 2009, M'Vila signed a contract extension with Rennes until June 2013. On 27 August 2010, he agreed to another extension with the club. The new deal will keep him at the club until 2014. On 18 December, in a 1–0 win over Valenciennes
Valenciennes FC
Valenciennes Football Club is a French association football club based in Valenciennes. The club was founded in 1913 and currently play in Ligue 1, the top level of French football. Valenciennes plays its home matches at the recently-built Stade du Hainaut located within the city...
, M'Vila played the entire match completing 100 of his 112 attempted passes, the former statistical output being a league-high for the season. Due to his performances domestically and internationally, M'Vila was linked to Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
club Real Madrid
Real Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
and English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
club Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
during the fall season. In December 2010, the midfielder quelled the interest by declaring his commitment to Rennes and also jokingly stating that he would only depart Rennes after scoring his first goal. Coincidentally, he scored his first professional goal on 9 January 2011 in a 7–0 hammering of Championnat National
Championnat National
The Championnat de France National, commonly referred to as simply National or Division 3, serves as the third division of the French football league system behind Ligue 1 and Ligue 2...
club Cannes
AS Cannes
Association Sportive de Cannes Football is a French association football club based in Cannes. The club was formed 1902 as a sports club and currently play in the Championnat de France amateur, the fourth division of French football. Cannes plays its home matches at the Stade Pierre de Coubertin...
in the 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...
. A week later, M'Vila scored his first career league goal in a 4–0 win over Arles-Avignon. On 20 February, M'Vila scored the opening goal for Rennes, converting a free kick, in a 2–1 win over Toulouse
Toulouse FC
Toulouse Football Club is a French association football club based in the city of Toulouse. The club was founded in 1970 and currently play in Ligue 1, the top level of French football. Toulouse plays its home matches at the Stadium Municipal located within the city. The first team is managed by...
. M'Vila was rewarded for his performances during the season with a nomination for the UNFP Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year. The midfielder lost out on the award to national team teammate Mamadou Sakho
Mamadou Sakho
Mamadou Sakho is a French international footballer who currently plays for French club Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1. He primarily plays as a centre back for his club, but can also deputized as a left back if necessary. Sakho is known for his leadership credentials, his tireless engine,...
, but was given consolation with an appearance on the organization's Team of the Year. A day later, Rennes confirmed on its website that M'Vila had signed a one-year contract extension with the club. The new deal will keep him with Rennes until 2015.
M'Vila opened the 2011–12 season
2011–12 in French football
The 2011–12 season is the 118th overall season of football and the 79th season of competitive professional football in France.The men's French national team began play on 10 August 2011 contesting a friendly match against Chile. The team will continue its qualification matches for the upcoming UEFA...
making his European
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
debut in a UEFA Europa League
2011–12 UEFA Europa League
The 2011–12 UEFA Europa League is the third season of the competition since it was renamed from the UEFA Cup. It began on 30 June 2011 with the first legs of the first qualifying round, and will end on 9 May 2012 with the final to be held at Stadionul Național in Bucharest, Romania...
third qualifying round first leg tie against Georgian
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
club Metalurgi Rustavi
FC Metalurgi Rustavi
FC Metalurgi Rustavi is a Georgian football team, which are playing in Rustavi. The club play their home games at Poladi Stadium. After FC Tbilisi merged with second division club FC Rustavi in 2006, FC Olimpi Rustavi was established. In 2007, FC Olimpi Rustavi won their first Georgian Premier...
on 28 July 2011. M'Vila played the entire match in a 5–2 win. On 25 August, he scored his first goal of the campaign in a 4–0 second leg win over Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n club Red Star Belgrade
Red Star Belgrade
Red Star Belgrade is a football club from Belgrade, Serbia. The club is a part of the Red Star Sports Society.Red Star Belgrade is the most successful Serbian club, with a record of 25 national championships and 23 national cups in both Serbian and ex-Yugoslav competitions...
in the Europa League playoff round. On 15 September, M'Vila captained Rennes for the first time in a 1–1 league draw with Nancy.
International career
M'Vila has featured for all of France's national youth teamsFrance national youth football team
The France national youth football team are the national under-20, under-19, under-18, under-17 and under-16 football teams of France and are controlled by the Fédération Française de Football. The youth teams of France participate in tournaments sanctioned by both FIFA and UEFA and also...
for which he was eligible beginning with the under-16 team
France national under-16 football team
The France national under-16 football team is the national under-16 football team of France and is controlled by the French Football Federation. The team previously competed in the annual UEFA European Under-16 Football Championship before it was converted into an under-17 competition in 2002...
. He made his international debut with the team on 23 May 2006 in a friendly match against Romania
Romania national football team
The Romania national football team is the national football team of Romania and is controlled by the Romanian Football Federation.Romania is one of only four national teams, the other three being Brazil, France, and Belgium, that took part in the first three World Cups.However, after that...
. M'Vila made his only other appearance in the team in the return leg against Romania. M'Vila began featuring as a regular international with the under-17 team
France national under-17 football team
The France national under-17 football team is the national under-17 football team of France and is controlled by the French Football Federation. The team competes in the annual UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship and the FIFA U-17 World Cup, which is held every four years...
making his debut on 5 December 2006 in a friendly match against the Czech Republic
Czech Republic national football team
The Czech Republic national football team represents the Czech Republic in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of the Czech Republic, the governing body for football in the Czech Republic. Their current head coach is Michal Bílek...
. M'Vila scored his first international goal on 20 February 2007 against Portugal
Portugal national under-17 football team
The Portugal national under-17 football team represents Portugal in international football at this age level and is controlled by Federação Portuguesa de Futebol, the governing body for football in Portugal.-FIFA U-17 World Cup Championship Record:...
in the Algarve Cup
Algarve Cup
The Algarve Cup is a global invitational tournament for national teams in women's football . Held annually in the Algarve region of Portugal since 1994, it is one of the most prestigious women's football events, alongside the Women's World Cup and Women's Olympic Football...
. He was a member of the team that reached the semi-finals at the 2007 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship
2007 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship
The UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship 2007 Final Tournament was held in Belgium from May 2, 2007, to May 13, 2007. Top 5 teams will qualify for FIFA U-17 World Cup 2007...
where they lost to England
England national under-17 football team
-Elite Qualifying Group 3:-Group stage:-Fifth place play-off:-FA International U17 Tournament:-Latest squad:The following players were named in the squad for the 2012 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship qualifying round....
. In the competition, M'Vila scored a goal against group stage opponents Ukraine
Ukraine national football team
The Ukraine national football team is the national football team of Ukraine and is controlled by the Football Federation of Ukraine. After Ukrainian Independence and breakaway from the Soviet Union, they played their first match against Hungary on 29 April 1992...
in a 2–2 draw. The draw resulted in France advancing to the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup
2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup
The FIFA U-17 World Cup 2007 was held in the Korea Republic between 18 August and 9 September 2007. For this event, the number of teams had been expanded from 16 to 24, with the top two of each group and the four best third-place teams advancing to the Round of 16...
held in South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. M'Vila appeared in all five matches helping the team reach the quarter-finals where they were defeated by Spain
Spain national under-17 football team
The Spain national under-17 football team represents Spain in international football at this age level and is controlled by Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain....
on penalties.
With the under-18 team
France national under-18 football team
The France national under-18 football team is the national under-18 football team of France and is controlled by the French Football Federation. The team serves as a feeder team to the under-19 team as its matches aren't competitive...
, M'Vila appeared in six of the ten matches the team contested. He made his debut with the team in its opening match against the United States in the Tournoi de Limoges. M'Vila appeared in all 18 matches scoring 3 goals with the under-19 team
France national under-19 football team
The France national under-19 football team is the national under-19 football team of France and is controlled by the French Football Federation. The team competes in the annual UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship. They were the 2010 champions of the competition having won on home soil...
. He was given the honor of captaining the team by coach Jean Gallice
Jean Gallice
Jean Gallice is a French former professional football player.-External links:*...
. He scored one goal during the qualification process
2009 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship qualification
2009 UEFA U-19 Championship was the first round of qualifications for the Final Tournament of 2009 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship. The final tournament of the 2009 UEFA European Under-19 Championship is preceded by two qualification stages: a qualifying round and an Elite round...
against Romania
Romania national football team
The Romania national football team is the national football team of Romania and is controlled by the Romanian Football Federation.Romania is one of only four national teams, the other three being Brazil, France, and Belgium, that took part in the first three World Cups.However, after that...
in a 3–0 victory. The victory assured qualification to the tournament
2009 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship
-Group B:---------------------Bracket:-Semi-finals:---------Final:-Top goalscorers:4 goals Nathan Delfouneso3 goals Henri Lansbury Danijel Aleksić Denys Harmash-External links:*...
. At the tournament, held in the Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, M'Vila appeared in all three group stage matches helping France reach the semi-finals. Due to picking up a yellow card
Penalty card
A penalty card is used in many sports as a means of warning, reprimanding or penalising a player, coach or team official. Penalty cards are most commonly used by referees or umpires to indicate that a player has committed an offense. The referee will hold the card above his or her head while...
in back-to-back matches, M'Vila missed the semi-final defeat to England
England national under-19 football team
-Other matches:-Latest squad:The following players were named in the squad for the friendly match against Denmark.- Recent call-ups :The following players have also been called up to the England under-19 squad and remain eligible.-Past squads:...
. Upon receiving the yellow card
Penalty card
A penalty card is used in many sports as a means of warning, reprimanding or penalising a player, coach or team official. Penalty cards are most commonly used by referees or umpires to indicate that a player has committed an offense. The referee will hold the card above his or her head while...
in the final group stage match against Spain
Spain national under-19 football team
The Spain national under-19 football team represents Spain in international football at this age level and is controlled by Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain.-UEFA European Under-19 Championship Record:...
, a very distraught M'Vila palmed his face into his knees as he knew he would miss the important semi-final match.
Just days after the under-19 elimination, M'Vila was called up to the under-21 team
France national under-21 football team
The France national under-21 football team , known in France as Les Espoirs , is the national under-21 football team of France and is controlled by the French Football Federation. The team competes in the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years...
, the only one of the under-19 squad, to participate in the team's friendly match against Poland
Poland national under-21 football team
The Poland national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Poland and is controlled by the Polish Football Association....
on 12 August. He made his under-21 debut in that match appearing as a substitute in the 74th minute of a 2–2 draw. On 25 February 2010, M'Vila was reportedly named to the senior team
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
for their friendly against Spain
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
on 3 March. The news was based on the preliminary list sent to news agencies minutes before coach
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
Raymond Domenech
Raymond Domenech
Raymond Domenech is a retired French footballer and the former manager of the France national team.-2006 World Cup:On 12 July 2004, Domenech was a surprise choice to succeed Jacques Santini after the country's disappointing exit from UEFA Euro 2004 by losing in the quarter-final match to the...
was to announce the squad in a press conference. However, following the formalization of the list at the start of the press conference, his name was replaced with 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
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...
Benoît Cheyrou
Benoït Cheyrou
Benoît Cheyrou is a French football player who currently plays for Olympique de Marseille in Ligue 1. He plays as a central midfielder and often acts as a deep-lying playmaker for the attack. Cheyrou is known for his vision, distribution, and assists...
. M'Vila was later called up to the under-21 team for their friendly against Croatia
Croatia national under-21 football team
The Croatia national under-21 football team, also known as Croatia under-21 or Croatia U21 is a youth association football national team which represents Croatia at this age level and is a feeder team for the Croatia national football team....
, but withdrew from the team due to injury. On 11 May, M'Vila was named to the 30-man preliminary list by Domenech to play in the 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
but failed to make the final 23.
On 5 August 2010, M'Vila was officially called up to the senior team
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
for the first time by new manager Laurent Blanc
Laurent Blanc
Laurent Robert Blanc is a French association football manager and former player. He is the head coach of the French national team, having replaced Raymond Domenech in the wake of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. He was previously the manager of Bordeaux...
for the team's friendly match against Norway
Norway national football team
The Norway national football team represents Norway in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Norway, the governing body for football in Norway. Norway's home ground is Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo and their head coach is Egil Olsen...
on 11 August 2010. He earned his first senior cap in the match starting in the defensive midfielder role. Despite France losing the match 2–1, M'Vila earned rave reviews for his performance, with many media outlets in France naming him the team's player of the match. Following his debut, M'Vila appeared in five consecutive matches for France. After starting in the team's UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying
UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying
The qualifying competition for UEFA Euro 2012 is a series of parallel association football competitions held over 2010 and 2011 to decide the qualifiers for UEFA Euro 2012, to be held in Poland and Ukraine...
victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team
The Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team is the national football team of Bosnia and Herzegovina, governed by the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina...
in September 2010, he became the only player to feature as a starter in Blanc's first three matches as manager. On 25 March 2011, M'Vila completed 92.5 percent of his 134 attempted passes in a 2–0 UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying win over Luxembourg
Luxembourg national football team
The Luxembourg national football team is the national football team of Luxembourg, and is controlled by the Luxembourg Football Federation. The team play most of their home matches at the Stade Josy Barthel, in Luxembourg.- History :...
. The feat was the best by any France player in an international match since 2006. On 2 September 2011, M'Vila scored his first international goal in a 2–1 Euro qualifying victory over Albania
Albania national football team
The Albania national association football team is the national association football team of Albania and is controlled by the Football Association of Albania...
.
Club
| Club | Season | League | CupIncludes 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... , 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... , Trophée des Champions Trophée des champions The Trophée des champions , is a French association football trophy contested in an annual match between the champions of Ligue 1 and the winners of the Coupe de France. It is equivalent to the Super Cups found in many countries... |
Europe UEFA The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer.... Includes UEFA Supercup |
Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | ||
| Rennes | 2009–10 2009–10 Ligue 1 The 2009–10 Ligue 1 season was the 72nd since its establishment. Bordeaux were the defending champions. The fixtures were announced on 5 June 2009, and play commenced on 8 August and ended on 15 May 2010. There were three promoted teams from Ligue 2, replacing the three teams that were relegated... |
35 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010–11 2010–11 Ligue 1 The 2010–11 Ligue 1 season was the 73rd since its establishment. Entering the season, Marseille were the defending champions. The fixtures were announced on 21 May 2010 and the season began on 7 August and ended on 29 May 2011. The winter break was in effect between 23 December and 15 January 2011... |
37 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 3 | 1 | |
| 2011–12 2011–12 Ligue 1 The 2011–12 Ligue 1 season is the 74th since its establishment. Lille are the defending champions. The league schedule was announced on 31 March 2011 and the fixtures were determined on 10 June. The season began on 6 August 2011 and will end on 20 May 2012... |
14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 1 | 1 | |
| Total | 86 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 99 | 4 | 2 | |
| Career total | 86 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 99 | 4 | 2 | |
International
| National team | Season | Apps | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| France France national football team The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe... |
2010–11 2010–11 in French football The 2010–11 season is the 78th season of competitive professional football in France. The league season began on 6 August 2010 for the Championnat National and Ligue 2 and on 7 August for Ligue 1 and the Championnat de France amateur. The season concluded on 26 May 2011 for Ligue 2, 27 May for the... |
10 | 0 | 0 |
| 2011–12 2011–12 in French football The 2011–12 season is the 118th overall season of football and the 79th season of competitive professional football in France.The men's French national team began play on 10 August 2011 contesting a friendly match against Chile. The team will continue its qualification matches for the upcoming UEFA... |
7 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 17 | 1 | 0 | |
International goals
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
2 September 2011 | Qemal Stafa Qemal Stafa Qemal Stafa was a founding member of the Albanian Communist Party, and the leader of its youth section. He was very active in the National Liberation Movement during World War II. He was killed in a house at the outskirts of Tirana by the Italian fascist forces, who had occupied Albania... , Tirana Tirana Tirana is the capital and the largest city of Albania. Modern Tirana was founded as an Ottoman town in 1614 by Sulejman Bargjini, a local ruler from Mullet, although the area has been continuously inhabited since antiquity. Tirana became Albania's capital city in 1920 and has a population of over... , Albania Albania Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea... |
|
|
UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying The qualifying competition for UEFA Euro 2012 is a series of parallel association football competitions held over 2010 and 2011 to decide the qualifiers for UEFA Euro 2012, to be held in Poland and Ukraine... |
||||||
| Correct as of 11 October 2011 | |||||||||||
Individual
- UNFP Ligue 1Ligue 1Ligue 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....
Team of the Year (1): 2010–11