Emmanuel Petit

French defensive midfielder who won the double with Arsenal in his debut season and scored in the 1998 World Cup final.

Emmanuel Laurent Petit (born 22 September 1970) is a French former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder at club level for Arsenal, Barcelona, Monaco, and Chelsea. He represented France at international level in two FIFA World Cups and two UEFA European Championships; he scored the third goal in France's 3–0 victory in the 1998 FIFA World Cup Final and was also a member of the French squad that won UEFA Euro 2000. He was known for his strong defensive abilities, including tackling, interceptions, and marking, as well as his passing range and ability to transition play from defense to attack. In his prime, he was one of the best left-footed players in European and world football.

Quick Facts

Full name: Emmanuel Laurent Petit
Born: 22 September 1970
Birthplace: Dieppe, Seine-Maritime, France
Height: 1.85 m / 6 ft 1 in
Position: Defensive midfielder
Total caps: 385
Total goals: 16

Lore & Background

Petit began his career at minor club ES Arques-la-Bataille before being signed by Arsène Wenger's Monaco side at the age of 18. He made his debut soon after and played in the 1989 Coupe de France final. Petit became a regular at Monaco, playing as a left-sided or central midfielder. In 1991, he won the Coupe de France with Monaco and also played in the 1992 European Cup Winners' Cup final (which Monaco lost to Werder Bremen).

In 1996–97, his final season at Monaco, he captained his side to the Ligue 1 title. Petit joined Arsenal in June 1997 for £2.5 million, where he was reunited with his former Monaco manager Arsène Wenger. Wenger switched Petit from central midfielder to defensive midfielder, and partnered him with fellow Frenchman Patrick Vieira. The French duo formed a midfield partnership which brought instant success, as Petit won the double with Arsenal in his very first season, clinching both the Premier League title and the FA Cup.

Altogether, in the three seasons in his Arsenal career, Petit made 118 appearances and scored 11 goals, including a stunning drive from outside the area against Derby County (which was also the winning goal), during the 1997–98 season. Petit moved to Barcelona (together with Arsenal teammate Marc Overmars) in the summer of 2000 for £7 million (€14 million). At Barcelona, he was moved back into defence and suffered a rash of niggling injuries. As a result, he failed to settle and could not hold down a regular place.

In his biography, published in 2008, the midfielder gave his time at Barcelona a special chapter in which he exposed that coach Lorenzo Serra Ferrer did not even know what position he played when he joined the team. His only goal for Barcelona came on 13 May 2001 at home to Rayo Vallecano in a 5–1 win. After his first season at the Camp Nou, Petit was linked with moves back to England with Manchester United, Tottenham and Chelsea, joining the latter in 2001 in a £7.5 million transfer deal.

He initially was a first-team regular for the Blues in a largely disappointing first season and played in the 2002 FA Cup final which Chelsea lost to his old club, Arsenal. He scored his first goal for Chelsea in a 2–1 win over Derby on 30 March 2002.

Reader's Guide

Petit played exclusively under Arsène Wenger at Arsenal, having joined in June 1997—over two years after George Graham's dismissal in February 1995. He won the World Cup with France in July 1998, roughly a year after his arrival at Arsenal and before the start of the following club season. His greatest achievement at Arsenal is not explicitly stated in the source, but he won the double in his debut season (1997–98).

Did You Know?

Petit scored the 1,000th goal in the history of the French Football Federation in the 1998 World Cup final.
He wore the number 17 shirt throughout his club career because his brother Olivier died at age 17.
Petit starred as himself in a Christmas special episode of British police show The Bill in 1998.