1. Blaise Matuidi was born on 9 April 1987 and is a French former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.
49 Facts About Blaise Matuidi
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In July 2011, after four seasons with Saint-Etienne, Blaise Matuidi transferred to Paris Saint-Germain, which had been newly acquired by Qatar Sports Investments, on a three-year deal.
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Blaise Matuidi won sixteen domestic honours during his time with the club, including four consecutive Ligue 1 titles.
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Blaise Matuidi played for Major League Soccer club Inter Miami for two seasons before retiring in 2022.
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Blaise Matuidi is a former France youth international, having represented his nation at under-19 and under-21 level.
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Blaise Matuidi made his international debut in September 2010 and has since represented his nation at two UEFA European Football Championships and two FIFA World Cups, winning a runners-up medal at Euro 2016, and a winner's medal at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
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Blaise Matuidi was born and raised in Toulouse, Haute-Garonne, to an Angolan father, Faria Rivelino, and a Congolese mother, Elise.
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Blaise Matuidi has four other siblings and was raised in the Parisian suburb of Fontenay-sous-Bois.
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Blaise Matuidi grew an attraction to the sport of football watching Paris Saint-Germain and became an admirer of former PSG attacker Jay-Jay Okocha.
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Blaise Matuidi began his football career at the age of six playing for hometown club US Fontenay-sous-Bois.
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In 1999, Blaise Matuidi was rated as one of the best players in the Ile-de-France region and was selected to attend the prestigious INF Clairefontaine academy.
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Blaise Matuidi trained at the academy for three seasons, playing there on weekdays while simultaneously playing for Vincennes on the weekends.
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In 2001, Blaise Matuidi left Vincennes to sign for semi-professional club Creteil.
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Blaise Matuidi spent one year in the club youth academy quickly becoming one of the club's most sought after prospects.
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Blaise Matuidi began his career with Troyes playing on the club's reserve team in the Championnat de France amateur 2, the fifth division of French football.
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Blaise Matuidi was relegated back to the club's reserve team for the rest of the campaign where he helped the team finish in sixth place.
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Blaise Matuidi was inserted as a starter by Furlan and appeared in 31 league matches.
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Blaise Matuidi was one of the league leaders in card accumulation, with 11.
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Blaise Matuidi appeared in 35 total matches and score three goals.
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Blaise Matuidi formed a bond with former and fellow Troyen Bafetimbi Gomis, who had a breakout season.
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Blaise Matuidi made his club debut on 11 August 2007 in a league match against Valenciennes.
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Blaise Matuidi remained first-choice for the entire season under Laurent Roussey.
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Blaise Matuidi was tracked by Italian club Milan during the season.
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Blaise Matuidi made his European debut on 18 September 2008 in the team's first leg tie in the first round of the UEFA Cup against Israeli club Hapoel Tel Aviv.
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Blaise Matuidi made eight appearances in the competition as Saint-Etienne ultimately reached the Round of 16 before suffering elimination to German club Werder Bremen.
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Blaise Matuidi was then confronted by Matuidi, who echoed Benalouane's sentiments.
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Blaise Matuidi was presented to the media the same day alongside fellow new signing and international teammate Jeremy Menez and was assigned the number 14 shirt.
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On 24 May 2013, Blaise Matuidi was one of five PSG players named in the Ligue 1 Team of the Year.
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On 26 February 2014, Blaise Matuidi agreed a four-year contract extension.
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On 18 August 2017, Blaise Matuidi joined Juventus on a three-year contract that would expire on 30 June 2020.
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On 12 August 2020, Blaise Matuidi terminated his contract with Juventus on a consensual basis.
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On 13 August 2020, Blaise Matuidi signed for Major League Soccer club Inter Miami on a free transfer.
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In May 2021, Inter Miami had to pay a $2m fine for breaking MLS rules, as Blaise Matuidi was the fourth designated player in the team rather than the permitted three.
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In January 2022, Blaise Matuidi was left off Inter Miami's roster for the 2022 season.
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On 23 December 2022, Blaise Matuidi announced his retirement from professional football after an 18 year long career.
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Blaise Matuidi is a former French youth international, having represented his nation at under-19 and under-21 level.
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Blaise Matuidi subsequently appeared with the team in qualifying matches for the 2006 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship.
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France ultimately failed to qualify for the competition and Blaise Matuidi finished the campaign with nine appearances and no goals.
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Blaise Matuidi earned his first call up to the under-21 team under coach Rene Girard in the team's first match following the 2006 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship against Belgium, appearing as a half-time substitute for Jimmy Briand.
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Blaise Matuidi featured in qualification matches for the 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship and appeared as a substitute in both legs of the team's surprising defeat to Israel in the qualifying playoffs.
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Blaise Matuidi appeared with the team in the next ten matches, which included qualifiers for the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship.
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Blaise Matuidi remained with the team for the rest of the qualifying campaign.
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Blaise Matuidi failed to make an appearance in the match, but was called back into the team the following month as an injury replacement for UEFA Euro 2012 qualification matches against Belarus and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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Blaise Matuidi was named in France's squad for Euro 2012 but did not make an appearance in the tournament due to injury.
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On 13 May 2014, Blaise Matuidi was named in Didier Deschamps' squad for the 2014 World Cup.
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In May 2016, Blaise Matuidi was named by national side manager Deschamps to France's 23-man squad for Euro 2016, hosted on home soil.
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Blaise Matuidi was capable of making effective attacking runs into the box and scoring goals, which saw him deployed in a more offensive, left-sided central midfield role during his time with Juventus under manager Massimiliano Allegri, a position known as the mezzala or incursore role in Italian football jargon.
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Blaise Matuidi was used in a similar role by Allegri at Juventus.
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In 2018, he was named champion of the year and champion for peace by the organisation Peace and Sport, for his work with his organisation 'Tremplin Blaise Matuidi' which helps the reintegration of youths from the suburbs.