Nicolas Anelka Profile

Nicolas Anelka is a retired French professional footballer who played as a striker. He was known for his technical ability, pace, and scoring prowess, which made him one of the most feared attackers of his time. Anelka had a storied career, which saw him play for some of the biggest clubs in Europe and also represent the French national team.

Anelka was born on March 14, 1979, in Versailles, France. He began his football career at a young age, joining the youth academy at Paris Saint-Germain. He made his professional debut for the club in 1996, at the age of 17. Anelka quickly became a regular in the PSG team and helped them win the French Cup in 1998. His performances caught the eye of several top European clubs, and he was eventually signed by Arsenal for a fee of £500,000.

Anelka's time at Arsenal was marked by some brilliant performances, which saw him score 28 goals in 90 appearances. He helped the club win the Premier League and the FA Cup double in the 1997-98 season. However, his relationship with manager Arsene Wenger soured, and he was eventually sold to Real Madrid for a fee of £22.3 million.

Anelka's time at Real Madrid was not as successful as his time at Arsenal, as he struggled to adapt to the team's playing style. He was eventually loaned out to Paris Saint-Germain and then sold to Liverpool. However, his time at Liverpool was also short-lived, and he was soon on the move again, this time to Manchester City.

At Manchester City, Anelka rediscovered his scoring form, scoring 46 goals in 103 appearances. His performances caught the eye of Chelsea, who signed him for a fee of £15 million. Anelka's time at Chelsea was arguably the most successful of his career, as he won several titles, including the Premier League, the FA Cup, and the Champions League. He formed a deadly partnership with Didier Drogba, and the two strikers helped Chelsea win the league and cup double in the 2009-10 season.

Despite his successes on the pitch, Anelka was no stranger to controversy. He was involved in several high-profile incidents, including a bust-up with French national team manager Raymond Domenech during the 2010 World Cup. Anelka was sent home from the tournament following the incident, and he subsequently retired from international football.

Anelka's playing career came to an end in 2015, following a stint at Indian Super League club Mumbai City FC. He scored 21 goals in 69 appearances for the French national team and was a part of the squad that won the 2000 European Championship.