Patrick Vieira, French footballer: biography, sports career

Patrick Vieira is a famous French footballer, who is of Senegalese origin. He had a difficult life, but nevertheless he was able to "break through". Date of birth of the football player - 1976, June 23 (Dakar). In 2011, this player completed his playing career, which he spent all on the position of midfielder. This footballer has an interesting biography, so it's worth talking about it in more detail.

Childhood and youth

There was a French football player born in the family of immigrants from Cape Verde, where he grew up (the date of birth was indicated above). His mother gave birth at the age of 17. However, the most interesting is that he is not the first child in the family. Then his parents already had one son. The older brother's name is Isizi Nicoro. Mother of boys was difficult to care for two sons. And it is understandable why. It's hard to imagine what it's like to bring up two guys at once in the conditions of African poverty. Because she decided to move with her family in the suburbs of Paris. At that time, Patrick Vieira was small, he was barely 8 years old. And to his homeland, he did not return very long - until 2003.

Patrick was a very educated boy. He did not find himself in a bad company, despite the fact that they lived with his family in the troubled and criminal district of the town of Dreux. He fell in love with football at the time when he studied at the Lyceum. It was there that he was noticed by the representatives of FC "Cannes". Since this all started.

Beginning of a football career

Patrick Vieira began to engage in this sport at a professional level when he was 17 years old. Already two years later, at 19, he became captain of FC "Cannes", whose representatives and held a young player and great football. So, at this time, that is, in the summer of 1995, to the Patrick showed serious interest, "Milan" - one of the most famous and popular clubs in Italy. Naturally, Vieira did not refuse such an offer.

True, after hitting this team, he spent most of his time in reserve. In "Milan" he stayed only a year, until 1996, and went on the field only two times in the form of "Rossoneri". And then, in 1996, he was already interested in the permanent Arsen Wenger - Arsenal coach. He decided as soon as possible to buy back Patrick, seeing in him a real talent. And the coach did not lose. Thanks to his excellent physical strength, high growth and excellent endurance, Patrick Vieira has settled in England for the shortest period of time. Due to such qualities as self-control and the ability to give good passes, he became an integral part of the line of attack, where Wenger turned it on immediately.

"Arsenal"

Vieira - this is a midfielder in football, which is difficult not to appreciate. The head coach of "Arsenal" understood this immediately, and tried to regularly release the player on the field. The first match for the new team, Patrick played on September 16, 1996. Then the Gunners competed with FC Sheffield Wednesday.

French midfielder in football showed himself immediately at the highest level. He in a duet with Emmanuel Petit formed a reliable pair in the center of the field. Thanks to this tactic, he, along with the club, designed the "Golden Double". In the 1997/98 season, he was subdued by the Championship of the country and the FA Cup.

About the behavior on the field

Everyone knows that football is an emotional game, expressive. And Vieira, being a person not indifferent, especially to this sport, often committed undisciplined actions. For example, in the season of Premier League 2000/01 he was removed in two games in a row. But when he returned to the field, then during the next 28 matches he was not shown a single card.

Back in the season, in a game against West Ham Patrick was removed for ... he spat in Neil Ruddock, an opponent. But that is not all! When the football player left the field, heading to the pantribune room, he also managed to fight with the policeman. Of course, this did not leave anyone indifferent. So the football player was fined, which was more than 70 000 dollars, and also disqualified for 7 games. In general, for his entire playing career, Patrick Vieira has been seen many times in similar situations. The biography of this personality as a professional football player is replete with 12 removals. Of these - nine times as a midfielder, "Arsenal", twice - when he played for Turin "Juventus" and one - for the "Internationale". But in real life, despite all the incidents, the French football player has always remained modest.

Years of success

In the "Arsenal" Vieira played 9 years. During this time he achieved a lot with his club. So, for example, in 2002 Arsenal again won the "Golden Double". After this season, Patrick Vieira became the captain of the team, as Tony Adams, the former "leader", decided, as they say, to hang the boots on the nail. On the player fell a great responsibility. This made the Frenchman more disciplined and restrained on the field. And let him missed the FA Cup final of 2003, but he won the captured trophy over his head with David Siman (who was then vice-captain).

And in 2003/04 the English club reached a historic achievement. "Arsenal" has never failed. Unfortunately, at that time, Patrick Vieira was eliminated from the first half of the season, because he was overtaken by a trauma. But to the home match, which was held within the Champions League (then the English played against the Moscow "Locomotive"), the Frenchman recovered and helped to win with a score of 2: 0. By the end of that season, Patrick was seen as the world's best midfielder. He began to receive proposals from "Chelsea", from Madrid "Real". But in 2005 he moved to another team - in Turin "Juventus".

Going to "Juventus"

Undoubtedly, Vieira in the "Arsenal" became a star. Therefore, it is not surprising that he became the object of attention of other, equally strong clubs. For example, "Manchester United". However, the player bought "Juventus", giving him 13.7 million pounds. It is interesting that "Real" offered an amount that is almost 2.5 times more money - 30 million! However, the proposal was taken precisely from the Italians. Vieira himself says that he decided to act in this way because the Londoners reacted to the possible transition to the "Juventus" of his player normally, neutrally.

It was decided to put the Frenchman in the center of the field. His partner in ties was the well-known Pavel Nedved and the Brazilian Emerson. Patrick helped his new club to make the best start in the championship in the history of the "Old Lady".

Match "irony of fate"

I'd like to note a special attention to the game that took place in the ¼ final of the Champions League of the 2005/06 season. Then, "Juventus" was supposed to play against the "Arsenal" - the former club of Patrick. It should be noted that Londoners have previously shown themselves at a decent level. In the first game Patrick received a yellow card, in connection with which he did not go on the field in the second leg. In the game against the Londoners Vieira received a powerful blow to his feet from his former teammate, who also was his close teammate. It was Robert Pires. Vieira was very annoyed. Cesc Fabregas also discovered the score after the combination played by Robert. Pires then joked that this, for some reason, the very case when he managed to outstrip Patrick in physical terms. By the way, "Arsenal" then won in a two-legged confrontation. The final score of the games was 2: 0.

Beginning of coaching career

After a year in the "Juventus", Vieira was invited to the Milan "Inter". The matter is that "Juventus" in the summer of 2006 lost two championship titles, won recently, and sent to the division lower. That is, in Serie B. Tom was the cause of the notorious corruption scandal. Many players, "Juventus" hurried to leave the club. Many thought that Vieira would return to "Arsenal" or go to the "Manchester United", but no. The contract with the Milan team was signed for four years. "Inter" at that time was the current owner of Scudetto. "Juventus" for the player paid 9.5 million euros. Although, as you might remember, Turintsy for the Frenchman gave a much more substantial amount.

In 2011, the great footballer, once (in 2007) considered the third most high-paying player in the world, announced that he had decided to retire from his career. However, only as a player. From that moment began his coaching career. And in this regard, he proved himself worthy. In which club did he start promoting football? "Manchester City" - it was there that Patrick revealed himself as a leader. At first he was the executive director for football development, and at the end of the season 2012/13 took the place of the head coach of the youth structure.

National football team of France

A great place in the life of Patrick Vieira was occupied by his national team. At the summer Olympics in 1996, the footballer was in the application and in the composition too, however, on the field he was never released. The team itself flew out of the ¼ finals.

The player's debut took place in 1997. Then the French national football team played against the Dutch team, and it ended with a victory in their favor with a score of 2: 1. After that, Vieira was included in the team's application for the 1998 World Cup. The event, as is known, took place in France. In this championship Patrick played two matches. But at the European Championship 2000 he was declared as a player of the main line-up. And this championship team of France won, going around in the finals of the Italian national team.

In 2001, the French won the Confederations Cup. Such a successful finale, in fact, the French are obliged to Patrick. Because it was he who designed the decisive goal against the Japanese team, which made his team winners in the Cup. But unfortunately, at the championship itself, that is, a year later, the French failed to score a single goal.

"Rise" to the captain

In 2004, Patrick was injured and could not help his team. The French lost to Greece in the ¼ finals of the European Championship. After this championship team left Zinedine Zidane, resulting in the captain's cap passed to Vieira. But only until 2005, because then the ex-captain decided to return to the national team. Then Zizu decided to go away again (this time for good) and the bandage was handed over to Patrick again.

Until 2010, Vieira played in the national team. He until the last helped the French team to achieve achievements and left with dignity.