Samir Nasri

Samir Nasri (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 was also deployed in the central midfield. Nasri was known for his dribbling, ball control and passing ability. His playing style, ability and cultural background drew comparisons to former French player Zinedine Zidane.

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.