Nicolas Anelka

Nicolas Anelka - Career and Personal Life:

Club Career:

• Paris Saint-Germain (PSG): Anelka began his career at Paris Saint-Germain before making a move to Arsenal.
• Arsenal: At Arsenal, he achieved success by winning the 1997–98 Premier League and FA Cup double. He was a first-team regular and received the PFA Young Player of the Year Award.
• Real Madrid: Anelka transferred to Real Madrid in 1999, contributing to the team's 1999–2000 UEFA Champions League victory. However, he did not settle well and returned to PSG.
• Manchester City: After a loan spell at Liverpool in 2002, Anelka joined Manchester City for the 2002–03 season.
• Fenerbahçe: He later moved to Fenerbahçe in Turkey for two seasons before returning to England to play for Bolton Wanderers.
• Chelsea: Anelka joined Chelsea from Bolton for £15 million in January 2008. He won the Premier League, two FA Cups, and reached the UEFA Champions League final in 2007–08.
• Later Career: Anelka had brief stints at Shanghai Shenhua, Juventus, West Bromwich Albion, and Mumbai City FC.

International Career:

• Anelka earned 69 caps for the French national team and won UEFA Euro 2000 and the 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup.
• Despite success at the international level, his inconsistent club performances limited his national team appearances.
• He returned to the national team for Euro 2008 but faced exclusion from the 2010 World Cup due to comments against the coach.

Personal Life:

• Anelka was born on March 14, 1979, in Le Chesnay, Yvelines, France. His parents moved from Martinique in 1974.
• Childhood friends include actors Omar Sy and Jamel Debbouze.
• Married to Belgian choreographer Barbara Tausia, with two sons, Kais (born 2008) and Kahil (born 2010).
• Expressed interest in the film industry post-retirement and appeared in the 2002 film "Le Boulet."
• Converted to Islam in 2004, adopting the name "Abdul-Salam Bilal." Initially considered leaving European football for the UAE.
• Known for a controversial relationship with comedian Dieudonné M'bala M'bala and performing the quenelle hand gesture in 2013.
• Anelka has faced scrutiny for the quenelle gesture, which he claimed was anti-establishment, not anti-Semitic.
• Subject of documentaries: "L'Entrée des Trappistes" (2012) and "Anelka: Misunderstood" (2020).

Nicolas Anelka - Club Career (Detailed):

Return to Paris Saint-Germain:

• In July 2000, Anelka returned to Paris Saint-Germain, signing a six-year professional contract in a transfer deal worth £22 million. His return generated significant excitement, but the team's performance declined.
• Despite initially being appointed captain, issues with head coach Luis Fernández arose, and PSG finished ninth in Ligue 1 during the 2000–01 season.

Liverpool (Loan):

• In December 2001, Anelka returned to the Premier League, joining Liverpool on a short-term loan until the end of the season.
• Contributed to Liverpool's push to finish second in the 2001–02 FA Premier League, scoring several goals, but was not offered a permanent deal.

Manchester City:

• Anelka joined Manchester City on May 24, 2002, for a then-club record transfer fee of £13 million.
• In his first season, he was the top scorer with 14 goals, including a memorable goal in the last Manchester Derby at Maine Road against Manchester United.
• Finished as the top scorer again in his second season with 25 goals.

Fenerbahçe:

• Anelka moved to Fenerbahçe in January 2005 for a reported £7 million transfer fee.
• Helped Fenerbahçe win the Süper Lig title in 2005 and played in the UEFA Cup and UEFA Champions League.

Bolton Wanderers:

• On August 25, 2006, Bolton Wanderers signed Anelka for a club-record transfer fee of £8 million.
• Finished the 2006–07 Premier League season as Bolton's top scorer with eleven goals.

Chelsea:

• Joined Chelsea on January 11, 2008, for £15 million. Made his debut against Tottenham Hotspur and scored his first goal against Wigan Athletic.
• In the 2008 Champions League final, Anelka delivered Chelsea's seventh penalty, which was saved, resulting in a loss to Manchester United.
• Won the Golden Boot Award in the 2008–09 season, scoring 19 Premier League goals.
• Continued his impressive form in the 2009–10 season, contributing significantly to Chelsea's success, including their third Premier League title.
• Scored his final goal for Chelsea on the opening day of the 2011–12 season against West Brom.
• Left Chelsea in December 2011, joining Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua, scoring 59 goals in 184 appearances for Chelsea.

Shanghai Shenhua:

• Moved to Shanghai Shenhua on January 1, 2012, with an annual salary reported to be around €12 million.
• Scored his debut goal in a pre-season friendly in February 2012.
• Named as part of the coaching staff in April 2012 to assist manager Jean Tigana.
• Joined by former Chelsea teammate Didier Drogba in June 2012.

Juventus (Loan):

• Joined Juventus on a five-month loan deal on January 26, 2013, making three appearances as Juventus won the Serie A title.

West Bromwich Albion:

• Joined West Bromwich Albion on a free transfer on July 4, 2013.
• Faced controversy for performing the quenelle gesture during a match in December 2013.
• Banned for five matches by the FA but not found to be promoting anti-Semitism.
• Terminated his contract with West Brom in March 2014.

Mumbai City FC:

• Joined Mumbai City FC in the Indian Super League in September 2014.
• Made his debut in October 2014 and scored goals in several matches.
• Played seven matches, finishing seventh with Mumbai City FC.

Return to Coaching:

• In January 2015, after a blocked move to Algerian side NA Hussein Dey, Anelka returned to Mumbai City FC as player-manager.

This summarizes Nicolas Anelka's extensive club career, showcasing his journey through various clubs in Europe and Asia.

Nicolas Anelka - International Career and Retirement:

Youth and Early Senior Career:

• Anelka played for the French under-20 team at the 1997 World Youth Championship.
• Made his senior debut for France in a goalless draw against the Sweden national team on April 22, 1998.
• Was not part of the 1998 FIFA World Cup-winning squad but quickly became France's first-choice center forward during the UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying campaign.

Major Tournaments and Achievements:

• Played in Euro 2000, which France won.
• Part of the squad that won the 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup, scoring his only goal in the tournament against South Korea.
• Featured in the 2010 World Cup playoff against the Republic of Ireland, scoring the winning goal.

Controversial Exit from 2010 World Cup:

• Sent home during the 2010 World Cup after reportedly abusing coach Raymond Domenech at half-time during the 2–0 defeat to Mexico.
• Anelka was reported to have said, "Va te faire enculer, sale fils de pute," ("Go fuck yourself, you dirty son of a whore").
• Refused to apologize publicly and received an 18-game suspension from international football, effectively ending his international career.
• The squad protested Anelka's expulsion by refusing to go to training the next day.

Legal Disputes and Media Controversy:

• Took L'Équipe to court for their front page, demanding €150,000 in compensation. He lost the case, denying the wording of the insult attributed to him.
• In a 2018 documentary, Domenech clarified that Anelka only insulted his management, not him as a person or his mother.

Retirement and Coaching Career:

• Retired as a player and joined the technical staff of Dutch Eredivisie side Roda JC in February 2017.
• Joined Lille as a youth forwards coach in November 2018.
• Became the sports director of Hyères FC on February 3, 2021, and departed on May 4, 2021.
• Appointed as the new president for TFF First League club Ümraniyespor on January 25, 2024.

Nicolas Anelka's international career was marked by both success, including victories in Euro 2000 and the 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup, and controversy, particularly his infamous exit from the 2010 World Cup. Following his retirement as a player, he transitioned into coaching and administrative roles in various football clubs.