Samir Nasri

Samir Nasri

Nasri with France in 2012
Personal information
Full name	Samir Nasri[1]
Date of birth	(1987-06-26) 26 June 1987 (age 37)[2]
Place of birth	Septèmes-les-Vallons, France
Height	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)[3]
Position(s)	Attacking midfielder
Youth career
1995–1997	Pennes Mirabeau
1997–2004	Marseille
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2004–2008	Marseille	121	(11)
2008–2011	Arsenal	86	(18)
2011–2017	Manchester City	129	(18)
2016–2017	→ Sevilla (loan)	23	(2)
2017–2018	Antalyaspor	8	(2)
2019	West Ham United	5	(0)
2019–2020	Anderlecht	7	(1)
Total		379	(52)
International career
2002–2003	France U16	16	(8)
2003–2004	France U17	16	(6)
2004–2005	France U18	4	(0)
2005–2006	France U19	10	(5)
2006–2007	France U21	4	(0)
2007–2013	France	41	(5)
Medal record Men's football Representing  France UEFA European Under-17 Championship Winner 2004 France
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Samir Nasri (French pronunciation: [saˈmiʁ nasˈʁi]; Arabic: سمير نصري; born 26 June 1987) is a French former professional footballer. He primarily played as an attacking midfielder and a winger, although he had also been deployed in central midfield. Nasri was known for his dribbling, ball control and passing ability.^[4][5] His playing style, ability and cultural background drew comparisons to former French player Zinedine Zidane.^[6]

Nasri began his football career playing for local youth clubs in his hometown Marseille. At age nine, he joined professional club Olympique de Marseille and spent the next seven years developing in the club's youth academy at La Commanderie, the club's training centre. In the 2004–05 season, he made his professional debut in September 2004 at age 17 against Sochaux. In the following season, he became a regular starter in the team and participated in European competition for the first time after playing in the 2005–06 edition of the UEFA Cup. In the 2006–07 campaign, Nasri won the National Union of Professional Footballers (UNFP) Young Player of the Year award and was also named to the Team of the Year. He finished his career with Marseille amassing over 160 appearances. He played in the teams that reached back-to-back Coupe de France finals in 2006 and 2007.

In June 2008, Nasri joined Premier League club Arsenal on a four-year contract. He reached prominence with the team in his third season winning the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) Fans' Player of the Month award on three occasions and being named to the association's Team of the Year. In December 2010, he was named the French Player of the Year for his performances during the calendar year.^[7] In August 2011, after three seasons with Arsenal, Nasri joined Manchester City on a four-year contract. In his first season with the club, he won his first major honour as a player as the club won the 2011–12 Premier League. In 2017, Nasri was suspended from football for eighteen months until January 2019 following a doping violation. Nasri announced his professional retirement from football in 2021.

Nasri is a former France youth international and represented his nation at every level for which he was eligible. Prior to playing for the senior team, he played on the under-17 team that won the 2004 UEFA European Under-17 Championship. Nasri made his senior international debut in March 2007 in a friendly match against Austria. Two months later, he scored his first senior international goal in a 1–0 UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying win over Georgia. Nasri represented France at two major international tournaments: UEFA Euro 2008 and Euro 2012. In 2014, Nasri announced his retirement from international football after being omitted from the 2014 World Cup.