Nicolas Anelka

Supremely talented but enigmatic French striker who played for a record number of top clubs and won trophies everywhere he went.

Nicolas Sébastien Anelka was born on 14 March 1979 in Le Chesnay, France, to parents who had emigrated from Martinique in 1974, and grew up in Trappes, a Paris suburb whose tough neighbourhoods also produced actors Omar Sy and Jamel Debbouze, childhood friends of Anelka's. He progressed through the elite Clairefontaine academy before signing for Paris Saint-Germain, making his professional debut in 1996 at just 17. Anelka's talent was so obvious that Arsenal signed him in 1997 for a modest fee, and within two seasons he had become one of the most coveted young strikers in Europe, winning the Premier League and FA Cup double in 1998 and being named PFA Young Player of the Year. His subsequent transfer to Real Madrid in 1999 made him, briefly, one of the most expensive players in the world, though his time in Spain proved unsettled and he returned to Paris Saint-Germain within a year. Over a career spanning stints at Liverpool, Manchester City, Fenerbahçe, Bolton Wanderers, and finally Chelsea, Anelka developed a reputation as one of the most technically gifted, if occasionally controversial, forwards of his generation — his combination of pace, finishing, and tactical intelligence made him a valuable asset wherever he played, even as frequent club changes and a sometimes prickly relationship with managers and media earned him the nickname "Le Sulk" in the English press. He won the Premier League and League Cup with Chelsea, and earned 69 caps for France, playing at the 1998 and 2010 World Cups and Euro 2008. Anelka's international career ended controversially after he was sent home from the disastrous 2010 World Cup in South Africa following a dressing-room dispute with manager Raymond Domenech. He later played in China with Shanghai Shenhua before finishing his career in India with Mumbai City, whom he also briefly managed.

Pace, clinical finishing, intelligent movement in the box

Prolific striker who won major trophies across multiple top European leagues

• Premier League 2x
• FA Cup 2x
• La Liga 2000
• Golden Boot 2009
• Champions League 2000
• UEFA European Championship 2000

Club Career

Club	Period	Fee	Apps	Goals
Paris Saint-Germain	1996–1997	—	10	1
Arsenal	1997–1999	—	65	23
Real Madrid	1999–2000	—	19	2
Paris Saint-Germain	2000–2002	—	39	14
Liverpool	2001–2002	loan	20	4
Manchester City	2002–2005	—	89	37
Fenerbahçe	2005–2006	—	39	14
Bolton Wanderers	2006–2008	—	53	21
Chelsea	2008–2012	—	125	38
Shanghai Shenhua	2012–2013	—	22	3
Juventus	2013–2013	loan	2	0
West Bromwich Albion	2013–2014	—	12	2
Mumbai City	2014–2015	—	13	2
France	—	—	69	14