Florent Malouda

Florent Johan Malouda (born 13 June 1980 in Cayenne, French Guiana) is a French Association football currently playing as a Midfielder Winger for Chelsea F.C. in the Premier League and the France national football team. Florent Malouda is a left winger who can also play as a second striker or behind the front two.

Florent Malouda signed for Chelsea in July 2007 after beating off stiff competition from around Europe including and Real Madrid C.F.. The French winger joined Chelsea from Lyon for an undisclosed fee said to be within the £13.5 million mark. Florent Malouda joined them on a four and a half year deal.

Club career

Guingamp

Malouda was then signed by top division side En Avant Guingamp following Châteauroux's inability to secure a Ligue 1 berth. It was in Guingamp where Florent Malouda talent was showcased in French top-flight football. Under the tutelage of coach Guy Lacombe, Malouda demonstrated Florent Malouda tremendous ability and formed a superb assister and finisher combination with then team-mate Didier Drogba.

In 92 appearances for Guingamp, Malouda scored 15 goals.

Lyon

Malouda's performances at Guingamp began catching the attention of French giants Olympique Lyonnais who, after claiming their second consecutive title during the Ligue 1 season 2002/2003, decided to sign Malouda. In an outstanding Lyon team containing Juninho Pernambucano, Michael Essien, Grégory Coupet, and Mahamadou Diarra, Malouda established himself on the left side of Lyon's attack, forming great link-ups with all of Lyon's strikers. Florent Malouda performances for Lyon finally earned Florent Malouda a much deserved call up to the French national football team.

The highlights of Malouda's career at Lyon were a man of the match display against Real Madrid C.F. in the UEFA Champions League and Florent Malouda 10 goals which led Lyon to their sixth consecutive Ligue 1 title, both during the Ligue 1 season 2006/2007.

Florent Malouda also won the Ligue 1 Player of the Year that season, succeeding teammate Juninho, Lille OSC's Abdul Kader Keïta, Toulouse FC's Johan Elmander and RC Lens' Seydou Keita (footballer) to the accolade.

Malouda made public Florent Malouda wish to leave Lyon at the end of the Ligue 1 season 2006/2007, with both Chelsea F.C. and Real Madrid C.F. showing interest in the winger. On 29 June 2007, Malouda told Lyon based newspaper Le Progres that Florent Malouda has Florent Malouda heart set on a move to Chelsea, confirming that Chelsea had lodged a Euro17 million bid for him. Malouda later repeated this comment in an interview with the Daily Star (United Kingdom). On 5 July 2007, Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon told Sky Sports that Chelsea had been in discussions with Lyon regarding Malouda's transfer and were hoping to tie up the deal before Chelsea's pre-season tour in the USA.

Chelsea

On 8 July 2007, Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas announced that Lyon had accepted an undisclosed bid, rumoured to be around Euro20,000,000/Pound sterling13,500,000, from Chelsea F.C. for Malouda. Chelsea later officially revealed that Malouda would be traveling to London on 9 July for a medical and to discuss personal terms. Malouda had looked set to join Liverpool F.C. until the Premiership rivals Chelsea intervened, and the opportunity to play for Liverpool faded. At 7pm on the same day, Malouda officially signed a three-year contract with the club. Florent Malouda was handed the number 15 shirt. Chelsea manager José Mourinho described Malouda as a mature and proven player who was up to the challenge of adapting to the fast pace of English football, and hinted that Malouda would be fielded in tandem with Netherlands winger Arjen Robben.

In Florent Malouda first game for Chelsea, a pre-season exhibition game against Mexico side C.F. América, Malouda scored the equaliser and set up John Terry for the winning goal as Chelsea went on to win 2–1.

Malouda made Florent Malouda competitive debut for Chelsea against Manchester United F.C. in the 2007 FA Community Shield on 5 August 2007 in a 1-1 draw, despite Chelsea going on to lose on penalties, Florent Malouda scored in what was an impressive display.

Malouda started against Birmingham City F.C. on 12 August on the left wing, a position previously adopted by Arjen Robben and Joe Cole. Malouda scored Chelsea's second goal in a 3-2 victory, before being replaced by Steve Sidwell in the 83rd minute.

On 19 August, Malouda won a dubious penalty decision from referee Rob Styles in a Premier League game against Liverpool. Replays of the incident indicated Malouda had backed into the Liverpool defender, Jamie Carragher, after trying to leave the ball for the unmarked Didier Drogba. The penalty kick was given and Frank Lampard scored. Referee Rob Styles was dropped from the next weekend Premier League games as a result of this incident and some other contentious decisions during the game.
Florent Malouda scored against FC Schalke 04 in Florent Malouda first UEFA Champions League game for Chelsea, squeezing the ball through keeper Manuel Neuer's legs after turning Florent Malouda marker Márcio Rafael Ferreira de Souza. On 23 January, Malouda set up Joe Cole with a long pass to score against Everton F.C. in the Football League Cup, Chelsea won 3-1 on aggregate. On 5 May 2008, Malouda scored Florent Malouda second Premier League goal in the penultimate game of the season against Newcastle United F.C., converting Frank Lampard's through ball. Malouda ended Florent Malouda first season in English football with two goals and one assist in the league, a relatively poor return due to being second choice on the left wing to Salomon Kalou for the majority of the season and the shock arrival of Avram Grant as Chelsea manager.

Malouda scored Florent Malouda first two goals in the Luis Felipe Scolari era against France team FC Girondins de Bordeaux in the Champions League group stages on 16 September 2008 and in the Carling Cup third round tie against Portsmouth F.C.. Both games went on to be 4-0 victories for Chelsea. Florent Malouda first league goal of the season was against Middlesbrough F.C. in a 5-0 win. The Frenchman scored the crucial second goal in a 2-0 win against Newcastle United F.C., scoring from Frank Lampard's pass in what was almost a carbon copy of Florent Malouda goal Florent Malouda scored at Saint James' Park the previous season. Malouda then played one of Florent Malouda best games for Chelsea in a 3-1 win over Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League, supplying crosses for Branislav Ivanović and Didier Drogba to score. Florent Malouda then scored the leveling goal against Arsenal F.C. in what would be a 2-1 victory for Chelsea in their FA Cup semi-final at Wembley Stadium. On 2 May, Florent Malouda netted in Chelsea's 3-1 win over Fulham F.C. at Stamford Bridge. On 6th may in a Champions league semi final against FC Barcelona Malouda was disallowed a potential penalty by the controversial referee, who dissalowed numerous other Chelsea appeals for a penalty. Florent Malouda scored the fourth goal in a famous 4-1 victory over Arsenal which was they biggest defeat in the league at home for 38 years. In the game which marked Florent Malouda 50th Premier League match for the Blues. The next match in the Premier League was against Blackburn Rovers. Florent Malouda scored the first goal in the game from a fine header. In the 2009 FA Cup Final against Everton, Florent Malouda played a pivotal role in Chelsea's 2-1 win setting up Didier Drogba's equaliser but was then later denied a superb goal when Florent Malouda 30 yard strike hit the underside of the crossbar which in replays showed it crossed the line.
Malouda's impressive form in the last half of the season prompted interest from FC Barcelona and AC Milan
Although on June 23, 2009, Malouda proved Florent Malouda loyalty by signing a four year contract with Chelsea which will keep Florent Malouda at Stamford Bridge until 2013.

International career

Malouda made Florent Malouda debut for France national football team on 17 November 2004 in a match against Poland national football team. Florent Malouda then became a regular for Florent Malouda country, scoring Florent Malouda first goal for Florent Malouda country on May 31, 2005 against Hungary national football team.

After playing almost throughout France's qualifying campaign for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Malouda earned a call up to the final squad. Malouda continued to play regularly in the tournament, where the French eventually lost on Penalty kick to Italy national football team in the final. Florent Malouda won a penalty for France in that game which was converted by Zinédine Zidane. To date, Malouda has scored three goals in 42 appearances for the French national team.

International goals