Florent Malouda

Florent Johan Malouda (French pronunciation: [flɔʁɑ̃ maluda]; born 13 June 1980) is a French football coach and former professional player who played as a left winger. Born in French Guiana, he represented both France and French Guiana at the international level. Malouda was regarded as one of best wingers in the Premier League during the late 2000s and he is also one of the greatest wingers in Chelsea history.

Malouda spent most of his career at Lyon and Chelsea, winning four consecutive Ligue 1 titles with the former and the UEFA Champions League in 2012 with the latter, among other honours. Malouda represented the France national football team on 80 occasions from 2004 to 2012, including in two FIFA World Cups and two European Championships. He was part of the French team which reached the 2006 World Cup final. In 2017, he played for his home region French Guiana.

Club career

Châteauroux

Malouda was born in Cayenne, French Guiana. He attracted the interest of scouts from French club Châteauroux and he soon moved to Paris to join the club. Despite the difficulties of living far away from his family home in French Guiana, Malouda was able to continue his studies and play professional football. He played 57 games for Châteauroux, making his senior debut at the age of 16 in Ligue 2.

Guingamp

Malouda was then signed by top division side Guingamp following Châteauroux's inability to secure a Ligue 1 berth. It was in Guingamp where his talent was showcased in French top-flight football. Under the tutelage of coach Guy Lacombe, Malouda demonstrated his ability and formed a combination with Didier Drogba, whom he would also accompany later in his career at Chelsea.