On Sunday evening, Lille once again lifted another league title, exactly a decade after winning their last one. Les Douges, under Christophe Galtier, have upset the odds and managed a 2-1 win from their final match against Angers to secure their title.
As the Lille players write their names into the history books, you can’t help but wonder about the players that helped them win their last title. That said, one wonders what happened to the players that helped Lille win their previous title.
2010/11 Ligue 1 Winning Lille Team: Where Are They Now?
Unlike the last couple of seasons, the French league was not dominated by a single team. Before the entry of the Qatari investors at Paris Saint-Germain, Ligue 1 had seen multiple champions and had one of the most exciting leagues in all of Europe. Under Rudi Garcia, Lille had emerged as a contender for the league title at the start of the season.
After a gruelling start, Lille proved themselves superior to their challengers as they won the title with a healthy eight-point lead. The title also helped Europe’s elite take notice of talented players like Eden Hazard, Gervinho, Yohan Cabaye and Adil Rami.
Lille Goalkeeper and Defensive Line
Mickael Landreau
The all-time Ligue 1 record appearance maker won his second league title during this Lille stint. Conceding just 36 goals, Landreau was an ever-present player in Lille’s title-winning squad. The French custodian spent three-and-a-half seasons at Lille and left the club in 2012 after terminating his contract due to a strained relationship with general manager Frederic Pacquet.
Landreau spent a couple of seasons at Bastia before entering into management. The Frenchman was last seen in the dugout with FC Lorient in 2019.
Mathieu Debuchy
A Lille academy project, Debuchy was one of the longest-serving members in the Lille squad that won the league. The defender spent 20 seasons at the club, joining the youth academy in 1993. The Frenchman spent a couple more seasons at Lille before joining Newcastle United in 2013.
Debuchy is now back in Ligue 1 with Saint Etienne after joining the club in 2018.
Emerson
The Brazilian started the campaign as a first-team regular but found himself on the bench as the campaign wore on. Emerson spent four seasons at Lille, the longest tenure of any club for the Brazilian. The defender, though, moved to Benfica in 2011 after a lack of first-team opportunities.
Emerson then went on a club tour that saw him play for Trabzonspor, Rennes, Atletico Mineiro, Cortiba, Rio Branco and Cianorte. The Brazilian was last seen playing for in the lower leagues of his homeland.
Franck Beria
The only remaining member of the title-winning squad still working with Lille. Franck Beria started the season on the bench before making himself an indispensable part of the squad. The Frenchman joined Lille in 2007 and spent ten seasons at the club, amassing over 300 appearances.
Following his retirement in 2017, Beria has been working as the director of professional football at Lille.
Aurelien Chedjou
Recruited from the fourth division of French football in 2007, Aurelien Chedjou emerged as one of the standout stars for Lille during the 2010/11 season. The Cameroonian international made 34 appearances and popped up with a goal during the Dogues campaign.
Chedjou’s performances for Lille saw him emerge as a potential target for several notable names in Europe. Despite the rumours, Chedjou left Lille and joined Galatasaray in 2013. The defender went on to play for many Turkish clubs and returned to France last year.
He currently plays in Turkey’s second division after moving to Adana Demirspor at the end of last season, following his spell with Amiens.
Adil Rami
Another gem unearthed by Lille, Adil Rami, was the lynchpin of the Lille defence. In fact, the French international missed just two league matches during the entire season. Rami’s standout performance for Douges saw him earn his first international cap. He also made it into the Ligue 1 Team of the Year as the sole representative from Lille’s defensive line.
Rami’s performance caught the eye of Valencia and moved to the club in 2011. The years that have followed have seen the defender play for AC Milan, Sevilla, Fenerbahce and Marseille. Rami was also part of the French team that won the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The Frenchman signed for Boavista in 2020 and currently plays in the Liga NOS in Portugal.
Midfield and Forwards
Florent Balmont
The midfielder made 27 appearances in the league and chipped in with four assists during Lille’s victorious campaign. Florent Balmont was one of three players with Ligue 1 winning experience.
The Frenchman spent seven seasons at Lille Metropole. The midfielder became one of the top five appearance makers in the club’s history before moving to Dijon in 2016. Balmont spent four seasons at Dijon before retiring last year. The midfielder is likely to move into coaching.
Yohan Cabaye
The gem that ran the Lille midfield, Yohan Cabaye was one of several academy graduates in the squad. The Frenchman missed just two league matches and ended up making 50 appearances during the season. The midfielder scored two goals and made nine assists, ending as one of the top five assist makers in the season.
Cabaye’s display for Douges earned him a move to Newcastle United in 2011. The Frenchman went on to play for PSG, Crystal Palace, Al Nasr and Saint Etienne. Yohan Cabaye announced his retirement this season after being without a contract for about a year.
Ludovic Obraniak
Signed from Metz in 2007, Ludovic Obraniak was one of Rudi Garcia’s top options from the bench. The former Polish international made 26 appearances in the league but started just five of them. Despite the lack of minutes, Obraniak still managed to score and assist two goals each.
The midfielder left the club in 2012 and joined Bordeaux due to his lack of playing time. Obraniak went on to play in Germany, Turkey and Israel before returning to France in 2016 to join Auxerre. The midfielder retired two years after his contract with Auxerre ended at the end of the 2017/18 season.
Rio Mavuba
One of the two outfield players to play every league match for Lille, Rio Mavuba, was an ever-present figure in the heart of Lille’s midfield. The former France internationals’ tireless effort and work rate made him a fan-favourite. Initially arriving on loan from Villarreal in 2008, Mavuba’s impressive performances for the club saw him move to Lille at the end of the season.
Mavuba spent nine seasons at the club and was the captain of the side from 2013. The midfielder moved to Sparta Prague in 2017, where he spent one season before returning to France. The former French international was last seen playing for French amateur side Mergnac-Arlac.
Eden Hazard
The cream of the crop, Eden Hazard, was one of the standout performers for Les Douges. 19-year-old Hazard tore through defences, scoring seven goals and making eight assists. The Belgian even played 54 matches during the season, including all 38 league matches.
A Lille academy graduate, Hazard’s impressive 2010/11 campaign confirmed him as one of the best young prospects on the continent. He eventually left a season later, joining Chelsea. The Belgian went on to have a successful spell with the Blues and completed a move to Real Madrid in 2019, although injury has limited his progress in Spain.
Idrissa Gueye
Lille’s star of the campaign, Idrissa Gueye broke into the first team after a couple of seasons with the reserves. The midfielder made minimal impact and had just 11 starts during the season. Gueye, though, went on to establish himself as a regular in the Lille lineup in the following season.
The Senegal international moved to Aston Villa in 2015 after five seasons in Lille. Gueye moved to Everton a season later before returning to France to join PSG during the 2019 summer transfer window.
Moussa Sow
With 25 goals, Moussa Sow was the leading goalscorer in Ligue 1 during the 2010/11 season. The Senegal internationals’ exploits on the attacking side helped him win to earn a place in the Ligue 1 Team of the Season. Signed from Rennes in 2010, Sow’s instant impact was one of the reasons for Lille’s title-winning campaign.
The striker left the club in 2012 after scoring 36 goals in 76 appearances. Sow currently plays for Umraniyespor after spells with Fenerbahce, Gazishir Gaziantep, Bursaspor, Shabab Al-Ahli and Al Ahli.
Tulio de Melo
An impact striker off the bench for Rudi Garcia, Tulio de Melo made just five starts of his 29 league appearances during the season. The Brazilian arrived at Lille in 2008 but rarely made starts for the club. The striker spent six seasons at the club before moving down a division to join Evian in 2014.
Tulio de Melo went on to have spells in Spain, Brazil and Japan before retiring in 2019.
Pierre-Alan Frau
Pierre-Alan Frau was one of the elderly statesmen in the young Lille squad. The striker had limited starts but still managed to chip in with five goals and two assists. One of the two outfield players with experience of winning the league, Frau was a great tutor for Lille’s young attacking talent.
The Frenchman moved to Caen at the end of the season before spending a season in the Qatari League. Pierre-Alan Frau retired in 2014 after a spell with his hometown club, FC Sochaux.
Gervinho
The 2010/11 season turned the tables for a then-young Gervinho. The Ivorian scored 15 goals and made ten assists, helping him earn a move to Arsenal the following season. Despite his lack of success at the Emirates, Gervinho went onto have spells with Roma and Hebei CFFC before returning to Serie A in 2018.
Gervinho currently plays for Parma and has been one of their leading goalscorers since his arrival.
Main Photo
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