Clément Grenier

Clément Grenier

Grenier playing for Lyon in 2010
Personal information
Date of birth	7 January 1991
Place of birth	Annonay, France
Height	1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position	Attacking midfielder
Club information
Current team	Lyon
Number	7
Youth career
1997–2002	FC Annonay
2002–2009	Lyon
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Gls)^†
2008–	Lyon B	43	(7)
2009–	Lyon	107	(14)
National team^‡
2007	France U16	6	(1)
2007–2008	France U17	16	(8)
2008–2009	France U18	7	(0)
2009–2010	France U19	13	(1)
2010–2011	France U20	11	(2)
2012–	France U21	5	(0)
2013–	France	5	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 14:48, 23 April 2016 (UTC). † Appearances (goals) ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 00:03, 21 December 2015 (UTC)

Clément Grenier (French pronunciation: ​[klemɑ̃ ɡʁənje]; born 7 January 1991) is a French professional footballer who plays for Ligue 1 club Lyon and the France national team. He has also represented France across all youth levels. He is known for his technical ability, dribbling, and free-kick taking. Grenier plays on the right side of midfield, as well as in the attacking midfield position just behind the striker.

Club career

Early career

Grenier began his career with his hometown club FC Annonay starring with the club's under-9 team. He helped the club reach the departmental final of the National Cup for under-9 players.^[1] Grenier later drew interest from Lyon, whose scouts informed the youngster to continue his great play in order to join the club at a later date. In July 2002, he secured a move to Lyon, joining the club's youth academy.^[2]

Lyon

Grenier continued his development, becoming one of the club's best prospects. He attracted interest from Spanish club Real Madrid, English clubs Arsenal and Chelsea, and Italian club Internazionale, whose scouts likened the player to Brazilian international Kaká.^[3][4][5][6] Despite the interest, Grenier along with fellow youth player Yannis Tafer, signed his first professional contract on 15 May 2008, agreeing to a three-year deal.^[7]

Though Grenier was on the senior team and featured in several pre-season matches ahead of the 2008–09 season, he spent the majority of the campaign playing with the reserve team in the Championnat de France Amateur, the fourth division of French football. Grenier played in 16 league matches and scored his only goal against Adge.^[8] He also played in the 2008–09 edition of the Coupe Gambardella appearing in seven matches and scoring three goals as the squad reach the semi-finals. Due to tendinitis of the patella, he did not play in any matches with the senior team.^[9]

Grenier began the 2009–10 season with the reserve team. He scored on his debut against Gap.^[10] On 26 September, he made his senior debut in a 2–1 league win against Toulouse, appearing as a substitute for Bafétimbi Gomis.

On 14 October 2011, Grenier signed a new contract tying him to the club until June 2014.^[11] Amid interest by Arsenal over his availability for transfer, Grenier extended his contract by a further two years on 11 June 2013.^[12][13]

On 29 January 2014, it was widely reported that English Premier League club Newcastle United had made a 'substantial' bid for Grenier. Grenier injured his abductors in March, with his recovery delayed by an infection. At the end of his recovery, he revealed that he was not far from losing the use of his legs. On 30 March, he was present in the stands during the loss in the Derby du Rhône to Saint-Étienne and was suspended two matches for insulting the referee.^[14] Grenier returned against Marseille on but could not prevent a 4–2 defeat. His free kick set Bakary Koné up for the only goal in the game against Nice to help Lyon qualify for the Europa League.

On 21 August 2014, Grenier made his first appearance of the 2014–15 season coming on as a 76th-minute substitute in the Europa League play-off match against Astra Giurgiu but left the pitch with the same groin injury that ruled him out of the latter part of the previous season and the 2014 World Cup at the final whistle.^[15][16] He returned to training in mid-November ^[17] but couldn't play before April 2015 and returned on against Bastia and delivered an assist to Mohamed Yattara to help Lyon beating Bastia 2-0.^[18]

International career

Youth

Grenier has featured for all of France's national youth teams beginning with the under-16 team making his debut in the team's 0–0 draw with Poland on 13 March 2007.^[19] In the return match in Saint-Aubin-lès-Elbeuf, Grenier assisted on two goals in the team's 5–0 victory.^[20] He scored his first and only goal for the team on 3 April in the team's opening group stage match against Cameroon in the Montaigu Tournament. France won the match 2–0.^[21]

With the under-17 team, Grenier was a regular and scored on his debut in a 4–0 victory over Switzerland.^[22] Grenier scored a hat trick in the team's 6–0 thrashing of Albania in the first qualifying round of the 2008 UEFA European Under-17 Championship.^[23][24] At the Algarve Cup in Portugal, he helped the team to second place by scoring a brace in the team's 4–2 win against Denmark.^[25] Grenier scored his only goal against Israel in a second group stage match.^[26][27] France finished the round unbeaten and qualified for the tournament. During the Championship, Grenier scored in a 3–3 draw with Spain, converting on a curling free-kick in the 43rd minute. France later reached the final where they were defeated 4–0 by Spain.^[28][29]

With the under-18 team, Grenier made his debut in a match against Ukraine.^[30] Grenier failed to score in seven appearances.

For under-19 duty, Grenier was called up by coach Francis Smerecki, making his first appearance with the team at the 2009 edition of the Sendaï Cup. He scored his only goal for the team in the Tournio de Limoges against Greece in a 3–3 draw. On 7 June 2010, Grenier was named in the 18-man squad for the 2010 UEFA European Under-19 Championship. He missed a penalty in the opening 4–1 victory over the Dutch.^[31] Despite missing the team's final two matches, Grenier became a European champion following a 2–1 comeback victory against Spain in the final. The title was the country's second UEFA Under-19 championship.^[32]

Due to France's victory at the UEFA Under-19 Championship, the nation qualified for the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup. On 7 October 2010, he made his debut with the under-20 team in a friendly match against Portugal. Grenier scored the equalising third goal in a 3–3 draw.^[33] On 9 February 2011, he scored the opening goal for France in a 2–1 win over England. He appeared in two more matches with the team during the 2010–11 campaign. On 10 June 2011, Grenier was named in the 21-man squad for the U-20 World Cup. He made his tournament debut as a substitute in a 4–1 defeat to hosts Colombia on 30 July 2011.^[34]

Senior

Grenier received his first senior call-up by Didier Deschamps as a replacement for the injured Samir Nasri in May 2013. On 5 June 2013, he made his international debut in a friendly against Uruguay,^[35] earning his second cap against Brazil a few days later.

On 13 May 2014, he was named in France's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. He withdrew with injury six days prior to the tournament and was replaced by Morgan Schneiderlin.

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 23 April 2016.^[36][37]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National Cup[lower-alpha 1]		League Cup[lower-alpha 2]		Europe		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Lyon B	2008–09	Championnat de France Amateur	16	1	—		—		—		—		16	1
	2009–10	Championnat de France Amateur	12	5	—		—		—		—		12	5
	2010–11	Championnat de France Amateur	13	0	—		—		—		—		13	0
	2014–15	Championnat de France Amateur	1	1	—		—		—		—		1	1
	2015–16	Championnat de France Amateur	1	0	—		—		—		—		1	0
	Total		43	7	—		—		—		—		43	7
Lyon	2009–10	Ligue 1	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	—		3	0
	2010–11	Ligue 1	7	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	—		9	0
	2011–12	Ligue 1	21	0	4	1	3	0	2[lower-alpha 3]	0	—		30	1
	2012–13	Ligue 1	28	7	0	0	0	0	5[lower-alpha 4]	0	0	0	33	7
	2013–14	Ligue 1	28	4	2	1	2	0	9[lower-alpha 5]	2	—		41	7
	2014–15	Ligue 1	6	1	0	0	0	0	1[lower-alpha 4]	0	—		7	1
	2015–16	Ligue 1	14	2	2	0	2	0	1[lower-alpha 3]	0	—		19	2
	Total		107	14	9	2	8	0	18	2	0	0	142	18
Career total			150	21	9	2	8	0	18	2	0	0	184	25

1. France – Coupe de France
2. France – Coupe de la Ligue
3. Appearance(s) in the UEFA Champions League
4. Appearance(s) in the UEFA Europa League
5. Four appearances and one goal in UEFA Champions League, five appearances and one goal in UEFA Europa League

International

As of match played 1 June 2014.^[38]

Appearances and goals by national team and year

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
France
	2013	3	0
	2014	2	0
Total		5	0

References

1. "Football Club Annonay". Football Club Annonay (in French). 27 September 2009. Retrieved 27 September 2009.
2. "Football Club Annonay". Le Dauphine (in French). 2 May 2009. Retrieved 27 September 2009.
3. "El Madrid sigue los pasos de Clement Grenier". Marca (in Spanish). 10 April 2008. Retrieved 27 September 2009.
4. "Arsenal, Chelsea eyeing Lyon kid Grenier". Tribal Football. 11 April 2008. Retrieved 27 September 2009.
5. "Quartet track Lyon youngster". Sky Sports. 15 April 2008. Retrieved 27 September 2009.
6. "Arsenal reported to be looking at French prodigy". Guardian Series. 3 April 2008. Retrieved 27 September 2009.
7. "Yanis Tafer – Clément Grenier, les nouvelles pépites de l’OL!". Foot Mercato (in French). 17 May 2008. Retrieved 27 September 2009.
8. "Lyon v. Agde Match Report" (in French). 8 February 2009. Retrieved 27 September 2009.
9. "Football: après la pluie, le beau temps?". Hebdo-Ardeche (in French). 3 May 2009. Retrieved 27 September 2009.
10. "Lyon v. Gap Match Report". Foot-National (in French). 8 August 2009. Retrieved 27 September 2009.
11. "Clément Grenier À L'O.L. Jsuqu'en 2014" (in French). Olympique Lyonnais. 14 October 2011. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
12. Holyman, Ian (11 July 2013). "Grenier signs new contract with Lyon". ESPN FC. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
13. Haond, Patrick (12 July 2013). "Clement Grenier signs new Lyon deal to end Arsenal speculation". Sky Sports. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
14. "Grenier suspendu pour sa blague sur l'arbitre d'OL-ASSE".
15. "Grenier vers une opération" (in French). L'Equipe. 21 August 2014. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
16. "Lyon fal heavily as FC Astra take an option". Ligue 1. 21 August 2014. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
17. "Ligue 1: Lyon playmaker Clement Grenier returns to training". Sky Sports. 14 November 2014. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
18. "OL – Bastia : Grenier de nouveau passeur, 11 mois après". 16 April 2015.
19. "Match nul pour débuter (0–0)". French Football Federation (in French). 13 March 2007. Retrieved 24 July 2010.
20. "Belle victoire tricolore (5–0)". French Football Federation (in French). 15 March 2007. Retrieved 24 July 2010.
21. "Débuts réussis pour la France (2–0)". French Football Federation (in French). 3 April 2007. Retrieved 24 July 2010.
22. "Reprise réussie pour les Tricolores (4–0)" (in French). French Football Federation. 2 October 2007. Retrieved 24 July 2010.
23. "France v. Albania Match Report". Union of European Football Associations. 25 October 2007. Retrieved 27 September 2009.
24. "Large victoire et qualification (6–0)" (in French). French Football Federation. 25 October 2007. Retrieved 24 July 2010.
25. "Une victoire (4–2) pour finir" (in French). French Football Federation. 5 February 2008. Retrieved 24 July 2010.
26. "France v. Israel Match Report". Union of European Football Associations. 27 March 2008. Retrieved 27 September 2009.
27. "Une victoire (4–2) pour finir" (in French). French Football Federation. 5 February 2008. Retrieved 24 July 2010.
28. "Stupendous Spain win U17 crown". Union of European Football Associations. 16 May 2008. Retrieved 24 July 2010.
29. "L'Espagne réalise le doublé". French Football Federation. 16 May 2008. Retrieved 24 July 2010.
30. "Défaite pour les Tricolores (1–3)" (in French). French Football Federation. 30 September 2008. Retrieved 24 July 2010.
31. "France flurry too much for Dutch". Union of European Football Associations. 18 July 2010. Retrieved 24 July 2010.
32. "France fight back to claim U19 crown". Union of European Football Associations. 30 July 2010. Retrieved 5 August 2010.
33. "France 3–3 Portugal". French Football Federation. 7 October 2010. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
34. "Colombia 4–1 France". Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 30 July 2011. Retrieved 2 August 2011.
35. "France: Première sélection pour C. Grenier et A. Lacazette!" (in French). Olympique Lyonnais. 5 June 2013. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
36. "Clément Grenier". Retrieved 21 December 2015.
37. Clément Grenier profile at Soccerway. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
38. "Clément Grenier". National Football Teams. Retrieved 21 December 2015.

External links

• Clement Grenier profile at OLWeb.fr
• Clément Grenier – French League Stats at LFP.fr (French)
• Clément Grenier – FIFA competition record
• Clément Grenier – UEFA competition record
• Clément Grenier at L'Équipe Football (French)