Patrice Evra

Patrice Evra
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Name	Patrice Evra
Fullname	Patrice Latyr Evra
Birth date	1981-05-15
Birth place	Dakar, Senegal
Height	1.74 m
Position	Left-back

Patrice Evra is a retired professional footballer who played predominantly as a left-back. Born in Dakar, Senegal, and raised in Les Ulis, Evra represented several clubs across France, Italy, England and briefly Spain, while earning over 80 caps for France national football team. He is known for his defensive tenacity, attacking support on the flank, leadership as a captain, and involvement in high-profile matches and incidents across UEFA competitions and domestic leagues.

Early life and youth career

Evra was born in Dakar, Senegal and moved to Les Ulis, a suburb of Paris where he grew up alongside youths who later became notable professionals such as Thierry Henry, Olivier Dacourt, and Emmanuel Petit. He began his youth career at local club CO Les Ulis before joining the academy of CSF Brétigny and later signing for AS Cannes, a club that produced alumni like Zinedine Zidane, Patrick Vieira, and Lilian Thuram. At Cannes he played with teammates who would feature in Ligue 1 and other European competitions, attracting interest from clubs across Europe and leading to a transfer to A.S. Monaco FC's youth setup, where he linked with future professionals such as Jérôme Rothen and Fabien Barthez.

Club career

Evra's professional debut came with AS Monaco FC under manager Luis Fernández and later AS Monaco coaches, where he was part of the squad that reached the 2004 UEFA Champions League final, facing Porto managed by José Mourinho and featuring players like Deco and Ricardo Carvalho. After loans and moves, Evra signed for Manchester United F.C. under manager Sir Alex Ferguson in 2006, joining teammates including Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, and Rio Ferdinand. At United he won multiple Premier League titles, FA Cup trophies, Football League Cup honours, and the 2008 UEFA Champions League final against Chelsea F.C. featuring stars such as Frank Lampard and John Terry; the squad included competitors from clubs like Arsenal F.C., Liverpool F.C., and Tottenham Hotspur F.C..

In 2014 Evra transferred to Juventus F.C. of Serie A, competing alongside players like Gianluigi Buffon, Andrea Pirlo, Giorgio Chiellini, and facing rivals such as A.C. Milan, Inter Milan, and A.S. Roma in domestic and European fixtures. He later signed for Olympique de Marseille in Ligue 1, linking with figures like André-Pierre Gignac and facing clubs such as Paris Saint-Germain F.C. and AS Monaco. Evra had brief spells at West Ham United F.C. and Bastia (via SC Bastia), and ended playing in the lower tiers while interacting with managers and players from clubs like Leeds United, Sunderland A.F.C., and Crystal Palace F.C. across his career.

International career

Evra chose to represent France national football team, making his debut in the mid-2000s and earning selection for tournaments including the UEFA European Championship and the FIFA World Cup. He was part of the France squads that reached the finals of major tournaments alongside internationals such as Zinédine Zidane, Franck Ribéry, Thierry Henry, Nicolas Anelka, and Karim Benzema. Evra featured in qualification campaigns facing national teams like Portugal national football team, Spain national football team, Germany national football team, and Italy national football team. He was suspended from the national squad during the 2010 FIFA World Cup after an incident involving team staff and figures such as Laurent Blanc and Raymond Domenech were involved in squad management and selection debates.

Style of play and reception

As a left-back Evra combined defensive attributes with offensive forays along the left flank, drawing tactical comparisons to full-backs such as Ashley Cole and Gianluca Zambrotta. Managers including Sir Alex Ferguson, Massimiliano Allegri, and Marcelo Bielsa commented on his stamina, crossing ability, tackling and leadership, while pundits from outlets covering UEFA Europa League, Premier League and Serie A discussed his contribution to both club and country. Critics referenced his positional decisions against wingers from teams like FC Barcelona, Real Madrid CF, Bayern Munich, and Paris Saint-Germain F.C., while supporters praised his consistency in matches versus rivals such as Manchester City F.C., Chelsea F.C., and Liverpool F.C..

Personal life

Evra's personal life intersected with figures from the sports and entertainment worlds; he has family roots in Senegal and connections to community projects in Île-de-France. He has been photographed and associated with personalities from television and music scenes in London and Paris, and maintained friendships with teammates including Rio Ferdinand, Wes Brown, Patrice Loko, and Claude Makelele. Evra has appeared as a pundit and commentator on broadcasts covering matches featuring clubs like Manchester United, Juventus F.C., and tournaments organized by UEFA and FIFA.

Controversies and disciplinary incidents

Evra was involved in several high-profile incidents: a dressing-room altercation during the 2010 FIFA World Cup that led to a national team suspension and managerial scrutiny involving Raymond Domenech and Laurent Blanc; a 2017 incident where he clashed with a supporter during a match involving Marseille and supporters linked to SC Bastia, resulting in disciplinary action from organizations including Ligue de Football Professionnel. While at Manchester United he missed fixtures through suspensions tied to on-field conduct in matches against clubs like Aston Villa F.C. and Arsenal F.C., and over his career he faced fines and bans imposed by bodies such as The Football Association and FIGC.

Career statistics and honours

Over his club career Evra accumulated appearances across competitions organized by UEFA, FIFA, The Football Association, Ligue 1, and Serie A, contributing goals and assists in domestic cups such as the Coppa Italia and the FA Cup. He won multiple Premier League titles with Manchester United, the 2008 UEFA Champions League, and league honours with Juventus F.C. in Serie A alongside teammates like Carlos Tevez and Paul Pogba. Internationally he earned over 80 caps for France national football team and participated in tournaments including the UEFA European Championship and the FIFA World Cup. Individual recognitions included selections to seasonal teams of the year in competitions run by UEFA and media outlets covering European football.

Category:1981 births Category:Living people Category:French footballers Category:Senegalese footballers