Patrick Vieira

Patrick Donalé Vieira (born 23 June 1976 in Dakar) is a Senegalese-born French-Cape Verdean Association football midfielder who currently plays for Serie A club F.C. Internazionale Milano and the France national football team. Patrick Vieira came to prominence during Patrick Vieira stint at Arsenal F.C. from 1996 to 2005, where Patrick Vieira won three Premier League titles and four FA Cups, and eventually became club captain. Patrick Vieira spent a single season at Juventus F.C. before joining Internazionale in 2006, after Juventus were relegated due to their part in a 2006 Serie A scandal. Patrick Vieira has 107 cap (sport) for France, and was part of their FIFA World Cup 1998 and 2000 UEFA European Football Championship-winning sides. In August 2008, an Arsenal fan poll, conducted on the club's official website, naming the Gunners Greatest 50 Players, ranked Vieira as fifth.

Club career

Early career

Born in the Christian Cape Verdean community, Vieira's family moved to Dreux when Patrick Vieira was aged 8; Patrick Vieira did not return to Senegal until 2003. Vieira first played for AS Cannes, where Patrick Vieira made Patrick Vieira debut at the age of 17 and captained the team aged only 19. Patrick Vieira height, stamina and physical strength meant Patrick Vieira settled in England quickly, while Patrick Vieira composure and the quality of Patrick Vieira passing meant Patrick Vieira became an integral part of Wenger's stylish attacking side. Forming a powerful midfield partnership with compatriot Emmanuel Petit, Vieira won the FA Premier League and FA Cup the Double in 1998, Patrick Vieira first full season at the club. That summer, Patrick Vieira was called up to France's Football World Cup 1998 squad.

Vieira's earlier years at Arsenal were beset by disciplinary problems - in FA Premier League 2000-01 Patrick Vieira was sent off twice in two consecutive matches (the opening matches of the season), though after returning Patrick Vieira did not receive another card for 28 matches. In all Patrick Vieira has been sent off twelve times in Patrick Vieira career (nine times with Arsenal and once each with Juventus, France and Internazionale).

Vieira would go on to win 2000 European Football Championship with France, as well as a second Double with Arsenal in 2002. Patrick Vieira also played in the 2000 UEFA Cup Final. Arsenal lost the Final to Turkey side Galatasaray S.K. on penalty shootout (football), with Vieira missing his. After Tony Adams (footballer)'s retirement in 2002, Vieira (already vice-captain) became club captain, since which Patrick Vieira disciplinary problems cooled significantly. Though Patrick Vieira missed Arsenal's 2003 FA Cup Final win with injury and therefore did not qualify for a winner's medal, Vieira lifted the trophy jointly with captain for the day David Seaman.

In FA Premier League 2003-04 at Arsenal, Patrick Vieira captained the side on a historic unbeaten season in the FA Premier League. At the beginning of this campaign Patrick Vieira was in and out of the side because of a hamstring injury, with Ray Parlour replacing Patrick Vieira in the side. However, Vieira returned for the UEFA Champions League match against Lokomotiv Moscow, with the Gunners winning 2-0 and qualifying for the 1st Knockout round. At the end of this season Vieira was heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid who were reportedly ready to offer around £30 million for Patrick Vieira services. Then in the 2005 FA Cup Final Patrick Vieira scored the winning kick in a penalty shootout (football) with Patrick Vieira final kick in Arsenal colours, after a 0-0 draw with Manchester United F.C.. In total, Vieira played 407 times for Arsenal and scored 34 times.

Madrid reportedly offered Arsenal £23 million for him, so Patrick Vieira could fill the role of the departed Claude Makélélé in the holding midfielder position, which was reluctantly accepted. However at the last moment after much deliberation Vieira decided to stay at the club where Patrick Vieira made Patrick Vieira name. Others suggest that the deal failed because Madrid president Florentino Pérez had refused to pay high wages for defensive players. A year later, Vieira did move away from Highbury. Arsenal accepted a bid of £13.7m from Italian giants Juventus F.C. on July 14, 2005, and Vieira agreed a five-year contract with the Serie A side the following day. In Patrick Vieira autobiography, Patrick Vieira cited the main reason for Patrick Vieira leaving Arsenal as the board's "neutral" position over the Juventus bid. One of the reasons for Patrick Vieira transfer was also the emergence of teenager Cesc Fàbregas, who had played in place of Vieira when the latter was injured.

The then Juventus coach Fabio Capello used Vieira in a midfield consisting of Brazilian Emerson Ferreira da Rosa and Czech Republic Pavel Nedvěd. Patrick Vieira helped Juventus to record their best ever start to a league season. Despite Patrick Vieira performances dipping as the result of a persistent groin injury and a reported training ground bust-up with team mate Zlatan Ibrahimović, Vieira helped Juventus retain the Italian Championship.

In a twist of fate, Vieira returned to Highbury on March 28, 2006 to play against Arsenal in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League. Arsenal won 2-0 on aggregate, scoring twice in the first leg. Vieira received a Misconduct (football) in the first leg match at Highbury and was suspended for the return leg on April 5, 2006. During the first leg Patrick Vieira was the subject of a strong tackle by former club and national team mate Robert Pires. Vieira was left crestfallen as Pires regained possession and Arsenal attacked, scoring the first goal of the tie through Cesc Fàbregas. Pires humorously quipped that it was the first time in 13 years Patrick Vieira had got the better of Vieira physically.

Internazionale

Juventus were stripped of their 2005-06 title (as well as the 2004-05 title) after it was revealed they were involved in a 2006 Serie A scandal. Juventus were relegated to Serie B and deducted 17 points by the Italian Football Federation for their involvement,

In Patrick Vieira first season at Inter, Patrick Vieira added to Patrick Vieira trophy cabinet the Italian Super Cup (scoring a brace in that game) as well as the 2006-07 and 2007-08 Serie A titles.

Since joining Inter Milan, Patrick Vieira has found Patrick Vieira time limited due to frequent injuries and being left out of certain matches by manager Jose Mourinho. In June 2009, it was confirmed that Vieira would leave in search of regular football with Olympique Lyonnais and Paris Saint Germain interested in bringing Patrick Vieira back to France along with an audacious bid from English Premier League outfit Birmingham City F.C..

The most recent team to be linked with a move for Vieira is Tottenham Hotspur FC who are reportedly opening talks with Patrick Vieira at the moment.

Italian sports paper, the Corriere dello Sport and other Italian sources have announced that "Patrick Vieira will sign a 12 month contract with Premier League side, Tottenham Hotspur FC, by July 22nd".
The Italian radio stations have also run the story stating that "Vieira has announced that Patrick Vieira will be leaving Milan and returning to London to play for Tottenham Hotspur".
"Vieira also has an option to sign for Fulham, but has decided to move to Tottenham Hotspur as Patrick Vieira is personal friends with the Tottenham Hotspur head coach, Harry Redknapp", added the radio station.

International career

While at Arsenal, despite being born in Senegal and ethnically being of Senegal origin, Vieira chose to make Patrick Vieira debut for France national football team in 1997 against the Netherlands national football team. Patrick Vieira was part of the France squad in the 1998 FIFA World Cup. Patrick Vieira came on as a substitute in the final against Brazil national football team, and set up Emmanuel Petit for France's third goal in a 3-0 win. He, with the rest of the squad, received Légion d'honneur, France's highest decoration, in 1998.

Patrick Vieira subsequently played as a first choice midfield player in France's successful campaign in 2000 European Football Championship, which they won, beating Italy national football team in the final. Patrick Vieira helped France to victory in the 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup, ending the tournament as joint top scorer with two goals, including the winner in the final against Japan. Patrick Vieira also played in all three games in the FIFA World Cup 2002, in which France were eliminated in the group stage, failing to score a goal. Patrick Vieira was injured and missed France's defeat to Greece national football team at 2004 European Football Championship.

Vieira was appointed France's national team captain on Zinédine Zidane's retirement from international football. Nonetheless, Patrick Vieira and veteran defender Lilian Thuram were instrumental in convincing Zidane to end Patrick Vieira retirement and help the flagging campaign to qualify for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Vieira even handed back the captaincy of the team to Zidane.

On June 23, 2006, Patrick Vieira 30th birthday, Vieira took the captain's armband for the match in place of the suspended playmaker Zidane, whom Patrick Vieira shared the birthday with, scoring the first goal when France national football team defeated Togo national football team 2-0 in the group stages of the FIFA World Cup 2006; Vieira set up Thierry Henry for France's second. This win helped France advance to the knockout stages, coming second behind Switzerland national football team, and it prolonged Zidane's international career. In the round of sixteen, Vieira scored the second goal in France's 3-1 defeat of Spain national football team; France went on to beat favourites Brazil national football team 1-0 in the quarter-finals, and Portugal national football team by the same score in the semi-finals, which gave them a place in the final against Italy. Vieira was one of the best midfielders at the tournament with a string of fine dominant performances. Vieira has received criticism in the past over Patrick Vieira international performances, with both fans and pundits commenting that Patrick Vieira does not play for France as Patrick Vieira did for Arsenal, Thierry Henry has also received similar criticism in the past. Having played in every match up to the final, Vieira started the match but was substituted due to injury in the second half, likely sustained when Patrick Vieira collided with Italian defender Fabio Cannavaro. Italy won 5-3 on penalties after the game finished 1-1 after extra time. As of November 23, 2006 Vieira has appeared 100 times for France, scoring 6 goals.

On August 5, 2006 Vieira was reappointed captain of the French national team for the Euro 2008 qualifying campaign.

Vieira played no part in the group games at Euro 2008 for a struggling France due to a niggling knee injury.

Personal life

Vieira and Patrick Vieira Trinidadian wife, Cheryl, first met in England while Patrick Vieira was playing for Arsenal.

Honours

Arsenal

Winner
- Premier League (3): 1997-98, 2001-02, 2003-04
- FA Cup (4): 1998, 2002, 2003, 2005
- FA Community Shield (4): 1998, 1999, 2002, 2004
Runner-up
- Premier League (5): 1998-99, 1999-2000, 2000-01, 2002-03, 2004-05
- FA Cup: 2001
- FA Community Shield: 2003
- UEFA Cup Final: 2000

Juventus

- Serie A: 2005-06 (Trophy revoked due to Calciopoli scandal)

Internazionale

Winner
- Serie A (3): 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09
- Italian Super Cup (2): 2006, 2008
Runner-up
- Italian Super Cup: 2007

International

Winner
- FIFA World Cup: 1998 FIFA World Cup
- UEFA European Championship: 2000
- FIFA Confederations Cup: 2001
Runner-up
- FIFA World Cup: 2006 FIFA World Cup final

Individual

- 2000 UEFA European Football Championship UEFA Team of the Tournament: 2000
- 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup: Top Scorer
- 2006 FIFA World Cup All star team: 2006
- PFA Team of the Year: 1998-99, 1999-00, 2000-01, 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04
- UEFA Team of the Year: 2000-01
- France Football: 2001
- FIFA 100

Orders and special awards

- Légion d'honneur: 1998