Éric Abidal

Éric Sylvain Abidal (French pronunciation: ​[eʁik abidal]; born 11 September 1979) is a French retired professional footballer who played as a left back or a central defender.

In his career he played mainly for Lyon and Barcelona, winning 21 major titles the two teams combined, including two Champions League trophies with the latter. His later career was marked by liver disease, resulting in a transplant.

A French international across nine years, Abidal represented the nation in two World Cups – finishing second in 2006 – and Euro 2008.

Club career

Early career

Born in Lyon, Abidal started playing with AS Lyon Duchère, an amateur team in the suburbs. He started his professional career with AS Monaco FC, making his Ligue 1 debut on 16 September 2000 in a 3–0 home win against Toulouse FC but only appearing in 22 league matches over the course of two full seasons.

Abidal transferred to fellow league club Lille OSC for 2002–03, reuniting with former manager Claude Puel and being first-choice during his spell. Subsequently, he returned to his native region and joined Olympique Lyonnais.