Dimitri Payet
Encyclopedia
Florent Dimitri Payet is a French football player of Réunion
nais heritage
who currently plays for French club Lille
in Ligue 1
. He primarily plays as an attacking midfielder and a winger and is described as a player who is "quick" and "blessed with terrific technique and dribbling skills".
Payet was born on the island of Réunion
and began his career on the island playing for local clubs Saint-Philippe and Saint-Pierroise
. In 1999, he moved to metropolitan France
joining Le Havre
. Payet spent four years at the club before returning to Réunion where he spent two years playing for AS Excelsior in the Réunion Premier League
. In 2005, he joined Nantes and, after a successful 2006–07 season, joined Saint-Étienne
on a four-year contract. With Saint-Étienne, Payet played in European
competition for the first time after featuring in the 2008–09 edition of the UEFA Cup
. In the 2010–11 season
, he won the UNFP Player of the Month
award for September after scoring three goals and helping Saint-Étienne reach first place in the league table. Following the season, in June 2011, Payet joined the defending champions Lille
signing a four-year contract.
Payet is a French international
. Through 2006–2008, he played on the France under-21 team
making over ten appearances. In 2010, he was called up to the senior team by manager Laurent Blanc
for the first time. Payet made his international debut on 9 October 2010 in a UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying
match against Romania
appearing as a substitute.
in Saint-Pierre
in the Indian Ocean and began his career at local club AS Saint-Philippe. While at the club as a youth, he was described by coaches as "a kid who stood out from his comrades" and, after three years of development training, moved to one of the best clubs on the island, JS Saint-Pierroise
. After only a year at Saint-Pierroise, Payet was signed by professional club Le Havre
in metropolitan France
, whom Saint-Pierroise shared a mutual partnership with. Le Havre also recruited former Saint-Pierroise players Florent Sinama Pongolle and Guillaume Hoarau
during this period.
While at Le Havre, Payet endured a tumultuous four years. While training at the club, he was accused of having a difficult character and displaying a lack of motivation. The accusations ultimately led to his departure in 2003 as Payet returned to Réunion to sign with AS Excelsior. He spent only a year and a half at Excelsior playing in the Réunion Premier League
before being signed in January 2005 by Nantes who sought to give the player another opportunity to prove himself on the mainland. Payet signed a two-year amateur deal with the club, however, Nantes were given the option of terminating the contract after six months.
. In the 2005–06 season, Payet quickly established himself as one of the best players on the reserve team. He impressed with the team in 22 matches scoring six goals and was described by the club's reserve team coach Stéphane Moreau as a "talented player despite his natural indifference". His influential play with the team resulted in the player being called up to the senior team in December 2005 by manager Serge Le Dizet
. Payet made his professional debut on 19 December in a league match against Bordeaux
appearing as a substitute in a 0–0 draw. After the winter break, Payet remained with the senior team and scored his first professional goal in a 4–1 win over Metz. The midfielder appeared as a substitute in the match and had not been on the field for no more than two minutes before netting the goal. After appearing in a league match against Toulouse
on 4 February, Payet was relegated back to the reserve team for the rest of the season.
Ahead of the 2006–07 season, Payet signed a three-year professional contract with Nantes. He was officially promoted to the senior team and assigned the number 31 shirt by Le Dizet. After appearing as a substitute in the first two matches of the season, Payet made his first professional start on 9 September 2006 in a league match against Lille
. In the match, he scored the equalizing goal in a 1–1 draw. Two weeks later, Payet started again and scored the opening goal in a 2–1 win against Marseille
. Payet, subsequently, appeared as a starter for the rest of the campaign. He scored his only other goal during the season in a 1–1 draw with Sedan
. One dark spot during the campaign was a straight red card
in an embarrassing 5–2 loss to Valenciennes
. Despite the successful individual season by Payet, Nantes ultimately finished the campaign in 19th place, which meant the club would play in Ligue 2
for the first time since 1963.
and Saint-Étienne
. Payet ultimately decided to sign with Les Verts stating the move to the club was a "straightforward logical answer" and that Saint-Étienne "can offer me the opportunity to play, which is a priority". Payet ultimately succeeded in getting the move after agreeing to a four-year contract with the club ahead of the 2007–08 season. Nantes was compensated €4 million for the player.
In his first season at Saint-Étienne, Payet struggled to assert himself into the team. He made his club debut on 4 August 2007 in a 1–1 draw with Monaco
. Despite being a starter for the majority of the campaign, Payet scored no goals and also failed to provide any assists. In a reversal of fortune, despite Payet's sub-par season, Saint-Étienne finished in 5th place which meant qualification to the UEFA Cup
. In the 2008–09 season, Payet return to the form that resulted in Saint-Étienne signing the player. Prior to the start of the season, he was given the honour of captaining Saint-Étienne in a friendly match against the Réunion national team
in the player's return to the island. Payet appeared in 30 league matches scoring four goals and supplying six assists in the season. He scored his first league goal for the club on 29 September 2008 in a 1–1 draw with Bordeaux netting the opener. In December 2008, he scored the game-winning goal against his former club Le Havre.
Payet featured in European
competition for the first time after playing in the 2008–09 edition of the UEFA Cup
. He made his debut in the competition on 18 September in the first leg of the team's first round tie against Israel
i club Hapoel Tel Aviv
. On his debut, he scored the opening goal in a 2–1 win. In the group stage, Payet scored a goal in a 3–1 win over Danish
club Copenhagen. In the knockout rounds, Payet was instrumental to the team's 5–2 aggregate victory over Greek
club Olympiakos. In the first leg, he assisted on a goal in a 3–1 win, while in the second leg, he netted the opener in 2–1 positive result. Saint-Étienne were eliminated from the competition in the next round by German club Werder Bremen
losing 3–2 on aggregate. Payet appeared as a substitute in both legs. Due to focusing its efforts on performing well in four competitions, Saint-Étienne finished one spot short of relegation in the league. On 22 July 2009, Payet signed a two-year contract extension with the club until 2013.
In the 2009–10 season
, Payet remained consistent appearing in 35 league matches scoring two goals and providing six assists. He also performed well in the cup competitions, particularly in the Coupe de France
. On 24 January 2010, he scored a double in 4–1 victory over Lorient
. Two weeks later, he scored the winner against Vannes
. Saint-Étienne ultimately reached the quarter-finals losing the Lens
. On 18 May 2010, Payet was involved in a physical altercation with teammate and captain Blaise Matuidi
during the team's 1–0 defeat to Toulouse
. Midway through the first half, Payet received criticism from teammate Yohan Benalouane
for displaying a lack of aggression. He was then confronted by Matuidi who echoed Benalouane's sentiments. Payet and Matuidi suddenly went face-to-face with the former player delivering a blow to Matuidi's head before the two were separated by referee Bruno Coue and teammates. As a result of the incident, Payet was substituted out after 31 minutes and sanctioned by club president Roland Romeyer. Payet apologized for the incident shortly after. On 6 October 2010, following both Payet and Matuidi's call up to the national team, Payet described the incident as "an argument that had no place" and that "the incident was explained and the two were on new ground". Matuidi described the altercation as a "lack of maturity" on both players part.
After the summer, Payet put the past behind him and opened the 2010–11 season
by scoring seven goals in the first two months of domestic play. On 7 August 2010, he scored in the team's opening 3–1 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain. On 29 August 2010, Payet scored his first professional hat-trick
in a 3–1 victory over Lens
. After the international break, he scored a double against Montpellier
. On 25 September, Payet delivered a perfect free-kick goal in the team's Derby du Rhône
match against Lyon
. The free-kick, described by local media as "superb and untouchable", was the only goal in the team's upset victory. The win placed Saint-Étienne in 1st place for the week. For his performances, Payet was awarded the UNFP Player of the Month
award for September. Due to his performances domestically and international, Payet drew interest from several clubs, notably English clubs Chelsea
and Liverpool
. In January 2011, he was linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain as the Parisian club looked to immediately replace the departed Stéphane Sessègnon
. Payet sought for the move, but Saint-Étienne refused. Ahead of the closure of the transfer window, a frustrated Payet failed to show up to training in an effort to force the transfer. After returning to the team days later, Payet was demoted to the club's reserve team ahead of the team's league match against Montpellier on 5 February 2011.
confirmed that Payet was on the verge of signing with the defending league champions
Lille
after the player himself informed him the previous day. Hours later, the moved was confirmed by both Saint-Étienne and Lille. Payet agreed to a four-year contract, while the transfer fee was priced at €9 million with future incentives to be included later.
. he made his debut for the team in February 2007 in a friendly match against Switzerland
. In the match, Payet assisted on a goal scored by Jérémy Menez
. In the team's ensuing match against Denmark
, he scored a double in a 3–1 win. He was called up for the senior national team for the first time by Laurent Blanc
for the Euro 2012 qualifying
matches against Romania
and Luxembourg
. He made his debut against Romania on 9 October 2010, being substituted on for Karim Benzema
at the 86th minute and assisted Yoann Gourcuff
's goal to make it 2–0. Three days later, he came on for the last 30 minutes against Luxembourg and again assisted Gourcuff for a goal.
Réunion
Réunion is a French island with a population of about 800,000 located in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar, about south west of Mauritius, the nearest island.Administratively, Réunion is one of the overseas departments of France...
nais heritage
Cultural heritage
Cultural heritage is the legacy of physical artifacts and intangible attributes of a group or society that are inherited from past generations, maintained in the present and bestowed for the benefit of future generations...
who currently plays for French club Lille
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...
in 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....
. He primarily plays as an attacking midfielder and a winger and is described as a player who is "quick" and "blessed with terrific technique and dribbling skills".
Payet was born on the island of Réunion
Réunion
Réunion is a French island with a population of about 800,000 located in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar, about south west of Mauritius, the nearest island.Administratively, Réunion is one of the overseas departments of France...
and began his career on the island playing for local clubs Saint-Philippe and Saint-Pierroise
JS Saint-Pierroise
Jeunesse Sportive Saint-Pierroise, is a football club from Saint-Pierre, Réunion.-Achievements:*Réunion Premier League: 16*Coupe de la Réunion: 8*Coupe D.O.M: 3-Performance in CAF competitions:...
. In 1999, he moved to metropolitan France
Metropolitan France
Metropolitan France is the part of France located in Europe. It can also be described as mainland France or as the French mainland and the island of Corsica...
joining Le Havre
Le Havre AC
Le Havre Athletic Club Football Association is a French association football club based in Le Havre. The club was founded originally as an athletics and rugby club in 1872, thus making it the oldest association football and rugby club registered in France...
. Payet spent four years at the club before returning to Réunion where he spent two years playing for AS Excelsior in the Réunion Premier League
Réunion Premier League
Réunion Premier League is the top division of football on the French overseas territory of Réunion. The league is ran and managed by the Ligue de Football de la Réunion under the watch of the French Football Federation. Réunion Premier League was created in 1950 and the most successful club is JS...
. In 2005, he joined Nantes and, after a successful 2006–07 season, joined Saint-Étienne
AS Saint-Étienne
Association Sportive de Saint-Étienne Loire is a French association football club based in Saint-Étienne. The club was founded in 1919 and currently play in Ligue 1, the top division of French football. Saint-Étienne plays its home matches at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard located within the city...
on a four-year contract. With Saint-Étienne, Payet played in 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....
competition for the first time after featuring in the 2008–09 edition of the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
. In the 2010–11 season
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...
, he won the UNFP Player of the Month
UNFP Player of the Month
The UNFP Player of the Month trophy is awarded to the best player in the French football championship Ligue 1 by the UNFP, RTL and L'Équipe.A similar award goes to the best player in Ligue 2 and is set up by the UNFP, France Football and Eurosport....
award for September after scoring three goals and helping Saint-Étienne reach first place in the league table. Following the season, in June 2011, Payet joined the defending champions Lille
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...
signing a four-year contract.
Payet 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...
. Through 2006–2008, he played on the France 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...
making over ten appearances. In 2010, he was called up to the senior team by 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 first time. Payet made his international debut on 9 October 2010 in a 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...
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...
appearing as a substitute.
Early career
Payet was born on the island of RéunionRéunion
Réunion is a French island with a population of about 800,000 located in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar, about south west of Mauritius, the nearest island.Administratively, Réunion is one of the overseas departments of France...
in Saint-Pierre
Saint-Pierre, Réunion
Saint-Pierre is the third-largest commune in the French overseas department of Réunion. It is located on the southwest side of the island of Réunion.-External links:*...
in the Indian Ocean and began his career at local club AS Saint-Philippe. While at the club as a youth, he was described by coaches as "a kid who stood out from his comrades" and, after three years of development training, moved to one of the best clubs on the island, JS Saint-Pierroise
JS Saint-Pierroise
Jeunesse Sportive Saint-Pierroise, is a football club from Saint-Pierre, Réunion.-Achievements:*Réunion Premier League: 16*Coupe de la Réunion: 8*Coupe D.O.M: 3-Performance in CAF competitions:...
. After only a year at Saint-Pierroise, Payet was signed by professional club Le Havre
Le Havre AC
Le Havre Athletic Club Football Association is a French association football club based in Le Havre. The club was founded originally as an athletics and rugby club in 1872, thus making it the oldest association football and rugby club registered in France...
in metropolitan France
Metropolitan France
Metropolitan France is the part of France located in Europe. It can also be described as mainland France or as the French mainland and the island of Corsica...
, whom Saint-Pierroise shared a mutual partnership with. Le Havre also recruited former Saint-Pierroise players Florent Sinama Pongolle and Guillaume Hoarau
Guillaume Hoarau
Guillaume Hoarau is a French football player who plays for French club Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1. He is noted for his imposing height standing at 6 ft 3.5 in and his prolific goal-scoring....
during this period.
While at Le Havre, Payet endured a tumultuous four years. While training at the club, he was accused of having a difficult character and displaying a lack of motivation. The accusations ultimately led to his departure in 2003 as Payet returned to Réunion to sign with AS Excelsior. He spent only a year and a half at Excelsior playing in the Réunion Premier League
Réunion Premier League
Réunion Premier League is the top division of football on the French overseas territory of Réunion. The league is ran and managed by the Ligue de Football de la Réunion under the watch of the French Football Federation. Réunion Premier League was created in 1950 and the most successful club is JS...
before being signed in January 2005 by Nantes who sought to give the player another opportunity to prove himself on the mainland. Payet signed a two-year amateur deal with the club, however, Nantes were given the option of terminating the contract after six months.
Nantes
Upon his arrival to Nantes, Payet was inserted onto the club's reserve team in the Championnat de France amateur, the fourth level of football in FranceFootball in France
Football is the most popular sport in France. The Fédération Française de Football is the national governing bodyand is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the game of association football in the country, both professional and amateur...
. In the 2005–06 season, Payet quickly established himself as one of the best players on the reserve team. He impressed with the team in 22 matches scoring six goals and was described by the club's reserve team coach Stéphane Moreau as a "talented player despite his natural indifference". His influential play with the team resulted in the player being called up to the senior team in December 2005 by manager Serge Le Dizet
Serge Le Dizet
Serge Le Dizet is a French football coach who had a playing career. He is currently an assistant coach at US Boulogne....
. Payet made his professional debut on 19 December in a league match against 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....
appearing as a substitute in a 0–0 draw. After the winter break, Payet remained with the senior team and scored his first professional goal in a 4–1 win over Metz. The midfielder appeared as a substitute in the match and had not been on the field for no more than two minutes before netting the goal. After appearing in a league match against 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...
on 4 February, Payet was relegated back to the reserve team for the rest of the season.
Ahead of the 2006–07 season, Payet signed a three-year professional contract with Nantes. He was officially promoted to the senior team and assigned the number 31 shirt by Le Dizet. After appearing as a substitute in the first two matches of the season, Payet made his first professional start on 9 September 2006 in a league match against Lille
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...
. In the match, he scored the equalizing goal in a 1–1 draw. Two weeks later, Payet started again and scored the opening goal in a 2–1 win 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...
. Payet, subsequently, appeared as a starter for the rest of the campaign. He scored his only other goal during the season in a 1–1 draw with Sedan
CS Sedan Ardennes
Club Sportif Sedan Ardennes, commonly referred to as CS Sedan or simply Sedan , is a French association football club based in Sedan. The club was formed in 1919 and currently play in Ligue 2, the second level of French football. Sedan plays its home matches at the Stade Louis Dugauguez located...
. One dark spot during the campaign was a straight 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...
in an embarrassing 5–2 loss to 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...
. Despite the successful individual season by Payet, Nantes ultimately finished the campaign in 19th place, which meant the club would play in 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...
for the first time since 1963.
Saint-Étienne
Following Nantes' relegation, Payet's desire to remain in the first division led the player to issuing a transfer request. The player was, subsequently, linked with SochauxFC Sochaux-Montbéliard
Football Club Sochaux-Montbéliard is a French association football club based in the city of Montbéliard. The club was founded in 1928 and currently plays in Ligue 1, the top tier of French football. Sochaux plays its home matches at the Stade Auguste Bonal located within the city...
and Saint-Étienne
AS Saint-Étienne
Association Sportive de Saint-Étienne Loire is a French association football club based in Saint-Étienne. The club was founded in 1919 and currently play in Ligue 1, the top division of French football. Saint-Étienne plays its home matches at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard located within the city...
. Payet ultimately decided to sign with Les Verts stating the move to the club was a "straightforward logical answer" and that Saint-Étienne "can offer me the opportunity to play, which is a priority". Payet ultimately succeeded in getting the move after agreeing to a four-year contract with the club ahead of the 2007–08 season. Nantes was compensated €4 million for the player.
In his first season at Saint-Étienne, Payet struggled to assert himself into the team. He made his club debut on 4 August 2007 in a 1–1 draw with Monaco
AS Monaco FC
Association Sportive de Monaco Football Club are a French football club based in Fontvieille, Monaco. The club was founded in 1924 and currently play in Ligue 2, the second tier of French football. The team plays its home matches at the Stade Louis II located within Fontvieille...
. Despite being a starter for the majority of the campaign, Payet scored no goals and also failed to provide any assists. In a reversal of fortune, despite Payet's sub-par season, Saint-Étienne finished in 5th place which meant qualification to the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
. In the 2008–09 season, Payet return to the form that resulted in Saint-Étienne signing the player. Prior to the start of the season, he was given the honour of captaining Saint-Étienne in a friendly match against the Réunion national team
Réunion national football team
The Réunion national football team is the regional team of the French overseas department and region of Réunion and is controlled by the Ligue Réunionnaise de Football, local branch of the Federation Française de Football. Réunion is not a member of FIFA and is only an associate member of CAF, and...
in the player's return to the island. Payet appeared in 30 league matches scoring four goals and supplying six assists in the season. He scored his first league goal for the club on 29 September 2008 in a 1–1 draw with Bordeaux netting the opener. In December 2008, he scored the game-winning goal against his former club Le Havre.
Payet featured in 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....
competition for the first time after playing in the 2008–09 edition of the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
. He made his debut in the competition on 18 September in the first leg of the team's first round tie against Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i club Hapoel Tel Aviv
Hapoel Tel Aviv FC
Hapoel Tel Aviv Football Club is an Israeli football club based in Tel Aviv. The club currently competes in the Israeli Premier League and plays its home matches at the Bloomfield Stadium. To date, the club has won thirteen championships and thirteen State Cups, making them the country's second...
. On his debut, he scored the opening goal in a 2–1 win. In the group stage, Payet scored a goal in a 3–1 win over Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
club Copenhagen. In the knockout rounds, Payet was instrumental to the team's 5–2 aggregate victory over Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
club Olympiakos. In the first leg, he assisted on a goal in a 3–1 win, while in the second leg, he netted the opener in 2–1 positive result. Saint-Étienne were eliminated from the competition in the next round by German club Werder Bremen
SV Werder Bremen
SV Werder Bremen is a German sports club best known for its association football team playing in Bremen, in the northwest German federal state of the same name. The club was founded on 4 February 1899 as Fußballverein Werder by a group of sixteen vocational high school students who had won a prize...
losing 3–2 on aggregate. Payet appeared as a substitute in both legs. Due to focusing its efforts on performing well in four competitions, Saint-Étienne finished one spot short of relegation in the league. On 22 July 2009, Payet signed a two-year contract extension with the club until 2013.
In 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...
, Payet remained consistent appearing in 35 league matches scoring two goals and providing six assists. He also performed well in the cup competitions, particularly 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...
. On 24 January 2010, he scored a double in 4–1 victory over Lorient
FC Lorient
Football Club Lorient-Bretagne Sud is a French association football club based in Lorient. The club was founded in 1926 and currently play in Ligue 1, the top level of French football. Lorient plays its home matches at the Stade du Moustoir located within the city. The team is managed by Christian...
. Two weeks later, he scored the winner against Vannes
Vannes OC
Vannes Olympique Club is a French association football club based in Vannes. The club was formed relatively late in 1998 as a result of a merger and currently play in Ligue 2, the second level of French football. Vannes plays its home matches at the Stade de la Rabine located within the city...
. Saint-Étienne ultimately reached the quarter-finals losing the 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...
. On 18 May 2010, Payet was involved in a physical altercation with teammate and captain Blaise Matuidi
Blaise Matuidi
Blaise Matuidi is a French football player who currently plays for French club Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1. He primarily plays as a combative defensive midfielder often occupying a withdrawn position as a deep-lying playmaker and is described as a "fierce and strong tackler".Matuidi began his...
during the team's 1–0 defeat to 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...
. Midway through the first half, Payet received criticism from teammate Yohan Benalouane
Yohan Benalouane
Yohan Benalouane is a Tunisian–French football defender. He currently plays in Italy for A.C. Cesena....
for displaying a lack of aggression. He was then confronted by Matuidi who echoed Benalouane's sentiments. Payet and Matuidi suddenly went face-to-face with the former player delivering a blow to Matuidi's head before the two were separated by referee Bruno Coue and teammates. As a result of the incident, Payet was substituted out after 31 minutes and sanctioned by club president Roland Romeyer. Payet apologized for the incident shortly after. On 6 October 2010, following both Payet and Matuidi's call up to the national team, Payet described the incident as "an argument that had no place" and that "the incident was explained and the two were on new ground". Matuidi described the altercation as a "lack of maturity" on both players part.
After the summer, Payet put the past behind him and opened the 2010–11 season
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...
by scoring seven goals in the first two months of domestic play. On 7 August 2010, he scored in the team's opening 3–1 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain. On 29 August 2010, Payet scored his first professional hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
in a 3–1 victory over 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...
. After the international break, he scored a double against Montpellier
Montpellier HSC
Montpellier Hérault Sport Club is a French association football club based in the city of Montpellier. The club was founded in 1919 and currently plays in Ligue 1, the top level of French football. Montpellier plays its home matches at the Stade de la Mosson, located within the city...
. On 25 September, Payet delivered a perfect free-kick goal in the team's Derby du Rhône
Derby du Rhône
The Derby du Rhône is a football match contested between French clubs Olympique Lyonnais and AS Saint-Étienne. Both clubs situate themselves in the region of Rhône-Alpes along the Rhône river, which is where the rivalry's name is derived from....
match against Lyon
Olympique 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...
. The free-kick, described by local media as "superb and untouchable", was the only goal in the team's upset victory. The win placed Saint-Étienne in 1st place for the week. For his performances, Payet was awarded the UNFP Player of the Month
UNFP Player of the Month
The UNFP Player of the Month trophy is awarded to the best player in the French football championship Ligue 1 by the UNFP, RTL and L'Équipe.A similar award goes to the best player in Ligue 2 and is set up by the UNFP, France Football and Eurosport....
award for September. Due to his performances domestically and international, Payet drew interest from several clubs, notably English clubs Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
and 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...
. In January 2011, he was linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain as the Parisian club looked to immediately replace the departed Stéphane Sessègnon
Stéphane Sessegnon
Stéphane Sessègnon is Beninese football player of Ivorian heritage who currently plays for English club Sunderland in the Premier League. He is a Benin international having starred for the nation at both the 2008 and 2010 editions of the Africa Cup of Nations...
. Payet sought for the move, but Saint-Étienne refused. Ahead of the closure of the transfer window, a frustrated Payet failed to show up to training in an effort to force the transfer. After returning to the team days later, Payet was demoted to the club's reserve team ahead of the team's league match against Montpellier on 5 February 2011.
Lille
On 28 June 2011, Saint-Étienne manager Christophe GaltierChristophe Galtier
Christophe Galtier is a French former football defender, who is currently the Head Coach of AS Saint-Étienne.-Career:Galtier spent most of his career in France before ending his career with stints in Italy and China....
confirmed that Payet was on the verge of signing with the defending league champions
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...
Lille
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...
after the player himself informed him the previous day. Hours later, the moved was confirmed by both Saint-Étienne and Lille. Payet agreed to a four-year contract, while the transfer fee was priced at €9 million with future incentives to be included later.
International career
Payet is a former French under-21 internationalFrance 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...
. he made his debut for the team in February 2007 in a friendly match against Switzerland
Switzerland national under-21 football team
The Switzerland national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Switzerland and is controlled by the Swiss Football Association...
. In the match, Payet assisted on a goal scored by Jérémy Menez
Jérémy Menez
Jérémy Ménez is a French international footballer who currently plays for French club Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1. He plays many positions in the attacking midfield, usually as a winger and a playmaker...
. In the team's ensuing match against Denmark
Denmark national under-21 football team
The Denmark national under-21 football team has played since 1976 and is controlled by the Danish Football Association. Before 1976, the age limit was 23 years.-U-21 European Championship:*1978 – Quarterfinals*1980 to 1984 – Did not qualify...
, he scored a double in a 3–1 win. He was called up for the senior national team for the first time by 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 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...
matches 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...
and 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 :...
. He made his debut against Romania on 9 October 2010, being substituted on for Karim Benzema
Karim Benzema
Karim Benzema is a French international footballer who currently plays for Real Madrid in the Spanish La Liga. He primarily plays as a striker whose influence can extend out to the wings and is known for his technical ability, powerful style of play, and vast goal-scoring ability...
at the 86th minute and assisted 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...
's goal to make it 2–0. Three days later, he came on for the last 30 minutes against Luxembourg and again assisted Gourcuff for a goal.
Club
(As of 18 October 2011)| 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, FIFA Club World Cup FIFA Club World Cup The FIFA Club World Cup is a football competition between the champion clubs from all six continental confederations.The first FIFA Club World Championship took place in Brazil in January 2000... |
Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | ||
| Nantes | 2005–06 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 2006–07 | 30 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 4 | 0 | |
| Total | 33 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 5 | 0 | |
| Saint-Étienne AS Saint-Étienne Association Sportive de Saint-Étienne Loire is a French association football club based in Saint-Étienne. The club was founded in 1919 and currently play in Ligue 1, the top division of French football. Saint-Étienne plays its home matches at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard located within the city... |
2007–08 | 31 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 2 |
| 2008–09 | 30 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 42 | 7 | 7 | |
| 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 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 5 | 6 | |
| 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... |
33 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 13 | 3 | |
| Total | 129 | 19 | 17 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 143 | 24 | 18 | |
| Lille 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... |
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... |
6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 1 | |
| Career total | 168 | 24 | 18 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 185 | 29 | 19 | |
International
- (Correct as of 5 February 2011)
National team Season Apps Goals Assists France France national football teamThe 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 3 0 2 Total 3 0 2