.jpg) André withLille in 2024 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Benjamin Michel Édouard André[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1990-08-03)3 August 1990 (age 35) | ||
| Place of birth | Nice, France | ||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[2] | ||
| Position(s) | Central midfielder,defensive midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Lille | ||
| Number | 21 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1996–2006 | Stade Raphaëlois | ||
| 2006–2008 | Ajaccio | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2008–2014 | Ajaccio | 187 | (12) |
| 2014–2019 | Rennes | 154 | (7) |
| 2019– | Lille | 198 | (10) |
| International career | |||
| 2010–2011 | France U21 | 7 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 9 November 2025 | |||
Benjamin Michel Édouard André (born 3 August 1990) is a French professionalfootballer who plays as acentral anddefensive midfielder forLigue 1 clubLille, for which he serves as thecaptain.
André was with theCorsica-based club Ajaccio since he was 16 years old, joining the club as an academy player after arriving from his hometown ofNice inProvence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. After gaining notice playing on the club's under-18 side, he was promoted to the senior squad for the2008–09 season, despite being only 17 years old at the time of the promotion. André appeared sparingly early on in the season making his debut on 22 August 2008 againstSedan appearing as a substitute in a 1–1 draw.[3] He earned his first start in aCoupe de France match on 22 November 2008 against amateur sideBagnols Pont playing 120 minutes. The match went into apenalty shootout with the young André converting Ajaccio's final shootout goal ensuring the club's advancement to the next round.[4]
Five days later, he made his first league start in a 2–0 defeat toBoulogne.[5] Throughout the season, his starts increased and, despite Ajaccio's inconsistent play, became an instant revelation[6] helping the club reach the Round of 16 of the Coupe de France. He scored his first career goal of the season on the final match day of the season againstChâteauroux in a 2–1 loss.[7] His best season with Ajaccio was the2013–14 Ligue 1 season. Although Ajaccio were relegated, he provided four goals and five assists across all competitions.[8]
In the summer transfer market of 2014, André signed withRennes after six years at Ajaccio.[9] On 25 January 2015, he scored his first goal for Stade Rennais in a 4–1 loss againstCaen.[10]
On 27 April 2019, he won the2018–19 Coupe de France as Rennes beat league championsParis Saint-Germain in thefinal, playing the full 120 minutes and lifting the trophy as the team captain.[11]
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On 17 July 2019, André signed a four-year deal withLille, for a reported €8 million transfer fee.[12][13] For his first season with Lille, he played his firstUEFA Champions League games.
André quickly became an important player for Lille. He showed himself as a consistent performer and their midfield linchpin, as they won their fourthleague title during the2020–21 season, playing 35 league games and emerging as the team vice-captain.[14] Therefore, he was named in theUNFP Team of the Year.[15]
During the2021–22 Lille OSC season, he participated in the 1–0 win againstPSG in theTrophée des Champions, with the club winning that trophy for the first time ever.[16] Later, he helped the team to get out of the2021–22 UEFA Champions League group stage and played againstChelsea inround of 16.[17]
On 7 August 2022, André started off thenew season under new head coachPaulo Fonseca by scoring Lille's first goal in a 4–1 victory overAuxerre on the league opening weekend, 36 seconds after kick-off.[18] On 12 January 2023, he extended his contract with Lille until 2026.[19] At the end of the season, he became the team'scaptain afterJosé Fonte's departure.[20]
On 2 March 2024, he played his 400thLigue 1 game in a 0–1 away win againstReims.[21]
André was born in France to a Senegalese mother and a French father.[22]
| Club | Season | League | Coupe de France | Coupe de la Ligue | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Ajaccio | 2008–09 | Ligue 2 | 26 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 31 | 1 | ||
| 2009–10 | Ligue 2 | 33 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 37 | 2 | |||
| 2010–11 | Ligue 2 | 32 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 37 | 1 | |||
| 2011–12 | Ligue 1 | 33 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 34 | 4 | |||
| 2012–13 | Ligue 1 | 27 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 29 | 0 | |||
| 2013–14 | Ligue 1 | 36 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 38 | 4 | |||
| Total | 187 | 12 | 11 | 0 | 8 | 0 | — | — | 206 | 12 | ||||
| Rennes | 2014–15 | Ligue 1 | 22 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 27 | 1 | ||
| 2015–16 | Ligue 1 | 32 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 34 | 1 | |||
| 2016–17 | Ligue 1 | 36 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 38 | 0 | |||
| 2017–18 | Ligue 1 | 34 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | — | — | 39 | 4 | |||
| 2018–19 | Ligue 1 | 30 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 8[a] | 0 | — | 46 | 4 | ||
| Total | 154 | 7 | 12 | 2 | 10 | 1 | 8 | 0 | — | 184 | 10 | |||
| Lille | 2019–20 | Ligue 1 | 26 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5[b] | 0 | — | 36 | 2 | |
| 2020–21 | Ligue 1 | 35 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 5[a] | 0 | — | 43 | 0 | |||
| 2021–22 | Ligue 1 | 33 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | 7[b] | 0 | 1[c] | 0 | 42 | 2 | ||
| 2022–23 | Ligue 1 | 34 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 37 | 1 | ||||
| 2023–24 | Ligue 1 | 30 | 4 | 3 | 0 | — | 12[d] | 1 | — | 45 | 5 | |||
| 2024–25 | Ligue 1 | 30 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 13[b] | 0 | — | 45 | 0 | |||
| 2025–26 | Ligue 1 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 2[a] | 1 | — | 12 | 2 | |||
| Total | 198 | 10 | 14 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 44 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 260 | 12 | ||
| Career total | 538 | 29 | 37 | 2 | 21 | 1 | 52 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 649 | 34 | ||
Rennes
Lille
Individual
