Nicolas Anelka

Nicolas Anelka (born March 14, 1979 in Versailles, France) by his friends, since he converted to Islam. He recently got married, in July 2007.

Club career

Paris Saint-Germain

Anelka started his career at Paris Saint-Germain as a youth player and was said to have great potential.

Arsenal

In February 1997, at the age of 17, he joined English Premier League club Arsenal F.C. for a fee of £500,000, under newly appointed manager Arsène Wenger. Anelka scored his first goal for Arsenal against Manchester United F.C. in a 3-2 home win. His first team opportunities were limited in the 1996-97 in English football, but in the 1997-98 in English football he broke into the first team, after a long-term injury to striker Ian Wright. Anelka was a key player in Arsenal's "The Double" win, of both Premier League championship and FA Cup trophy that season. Anelka scored the second goal in Arsenal's 2-0 win over Newcastle United F.C. in that season's FA Cup final.

A player with exceptional pace and finishing ability, he won the PFA Young Player of the Year in the 1998-99 in English football, but Arsenal failed to defend their Premiership title and made little progress in the UEFA Champions League and Anelka wanted a better salary, taking into consideration he was not a beginner anymore.

He was eventually transferred to Spain giants Real Madrid in the summer of 1999, for £22.3m. In all he made 90 appearances for Arsenal (including 17 as a substitute (soccer)), scoring 28 goals and establishing himself as a top class striker.

Real Madrid

Anelka spent just one season at Real Madrid, and played in the side that won the UEFA Champions League final, beating Valencia CF 3-0. However, his form was remarkably lower than it had been at Arsenal – scoring four goals in 29 appearances – and his difficulties to mix with his new teammates (with the exception of good friend Steve McManaman) as well as to cope with media attention led to him leaving in the summer of 2000.

Paris Saint-Germain

Anelka signed a professional contract at Paris Saint-Germain, a return to the club which he used to play as a youth player, in a transfer deal worth £20 million.

After one season at Paris St-Germain, Anelka returned to the English Premiership, signing a one-year loan deal with Liverpool F.C.. He failed to hold down a regular first team place and manager Gérard Houllier decided not to offer him a permanent deal after the end of the season. Nevertheless, he placed 96th in the 100 Players Who Shook The Kop.

Manchester City

Anelka opted to join newly promoted Manchester City F.C. and the £12 million fee paid by manager Kevin Keegan was a club record. Manchester City was the first club Anelka wore the 39 shirt for. He has since worn it for Fenerbahçe, Bolton and the French national team.

In his three seasons at Manchester City, although scoring freely, the addition of Anelka to the club's squad hardly made a drastic difference to its playing fortunes. They finished ninth in 2002-03 in English football, 16th in 2003-04 in English football and midway through the 2004-05 in English football they were looking set for a mid-table finish at best. There was increasing speculation as to whether Anelka was going to be transferred to a bigger club.

Fenerbahçe

In January 2005, the speculation ended when Manchester City announced that Anelka had completed a £7 million transfer to Turkey team Fenerbahçe. Anelka helped the Turkish club win the league title in 2005. In August of that same year, there was considerable speculation in the press that Anelka was being courted by Newcastle United F.C. for a return to English football, although the transfer never came about. Anelka stayed on at the Turkish club where he played with them in the UEFA Champions League, but they finished bottom of their group. They also fell short in the title race in 2006, as rivals Galatasaray S.K. won the title on the season's final day.

During the summer transfer window of 2006, press reports once again linked Anelka with a return to English football. Portsmouth F.C. manager Harry Redknapp was allegedly willing to either pay £8.2 million to bring the striker to Fratton Park, or take him on a season long loan.

Bolton Wanderers

On 25 August 2006, Bolton Wanderers F.C.'s manager Sam Allardyce announced that he had signed Anelka on a four year deal for a club record of £8 m. Anelka made his debut for Bolton against Watford F.C. on 9 September 2006.

Anelka took time to settle in at Bolton, and took until 25 November 2006 to score his first league goal for the club. Ironically this came in the form of a brace against Arsenal F.C., the club that introduced him to the Premiership. In this game against Arsenal at the Reebok Stadium, he managed to score a goal in both the first and second halves of the game. The first goal,was quite remarkable, winning November's Goal of the Month (England) award on Match of the Day.

Anelka celebrates his goals by making a butterfly sign. Interlocking his two hands and creating a flicking movement, On the 30 December 2006 Anelka revealed to English paper The Daily Mail that the celebration was "something between me and my friends in France" it is thus assumed a celebration he wishes to keep personal. He finished the 06-07 season as Bolton's top scorer with 11 goals.

During January 2007, Anelka stated that he would be willing to leave Bolton Wanderers for a return to former club Arsenal F.C.. However, Anelka pledged his future to Bolton Wanderers in July 2007, following talks with manager Sammy Lee (footballer). Anelka later said he would reluctantly consider leaving the club if Boltons poor start to the 2007-08 in English football season continues. However, Anelka signed a new four year contract with Bolton Wanderers on 30 August, which would expire in 2011.

International career

At junior level, Anelka played for the French junior team in the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship. Anelka had made his senior team debut for France in a goalless draw with Sweden national football team on April 22 1998 and he participated to the 1998 FIFA World Cup, won by France. He was also part of France's victory in 2000 UEFA European Football Championship and played the 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup squads. However, in 2002, he was left out of the 2002 FIFA World Cup. After France's disastrous defense of their title in Japan & Korea, manager Roger Lemerre was replaced by Jacques Santini. Anelka was not called up for international duty between 2002 and 2005, after a fallout with Santini, when he refused to participate to a friendly match, due to an injury. However he enjoyed a revival of sorts, as Santini's replacement Raymond Domenech recalled him to the squad for a round of friendly matches in November 2005, culminating in him scoring his first international goal for over three years in a 3-2 win over Costa Rica national football team on the island of Martinique. As of June 2006, he has won 38 cap (football) for France, scoring ten goals.

But once again, he was not selected for the FIFA World Cup in Germany, and even when striker Djibril Cissé was forced out of the tournament due to injury, Olympique Lyonnais' striker Sidney Govou was called up as Cissé's replacement rather than Anelka. He declared he felt this decision as a "real shame. I was completely available and ready to play in this World Cup. I think I could have helped France."

Anelka came on as a substitute in the 2008 UEFA European Football Championship qualifying against Lithuania national football team on 24 March 2007, and scored the only goal in a 1-0 victory. Following his performance, Anelka was praised by Raymond Domenech: "It is the Nicolas I like to see... when he shows these qualities, he is a candidate for a permanent place.
" He also scored in the 2-0 victory against Ukraine national football team on 2 June 2007.

He plays with number 39 for both club and country.