Payet was born on the French island ofRéunion in theIndian Ocean, where he began his career playing for local clubs Saint-Philippe andSaint-Pierroise. In 1999, he moved tometropolitan France, joiningLe Havre. Payet spent four years at the club before returning home to spend two years playing forAS Excelsior in theRéunion Premier League. In 2005, he joinedFC Nantes and, after a successful2006–07 season, joinedAS Saint-Étienne on a four-year contract. With Saint-Étienne, Payet played inEuropean competition for the first time after featuring in the2008–09 edition of theUEFA Europa League. In the2010–11 season, he won theUNFP Player of the Month award for September after scoring three goals and helping Saint-Étienne reach first place in the league table. Following the season, in June 2011, Payet joined the defending championsLille signing a four-year contract. He had two years there and a further two atOlympique de Marseille before moving abroad to joinWest Ham United. In 2017 he moved back to France to join his old team, Marseille before leaving the club by mutual agreement in July 2023, joining Brazilian sideVasco da Gama a month later.
Payet is aFrench international. From 2007 to 2008, he represented his country atunder-21 level, making eleven appearances and scoring four goals. In 2010, he was called up to the senior team by managerLaurent Blanc for the first time. Payet made his international debut on 9 October 2010 in aUEFA Euro 2012 qualifying match againstRomania, appearing as a substitute. He was a member of the French squad that reached thefinal ofUEFA Euro 2016, being named afterward byUEFA in the Team of the Tournament.
Payet was born inSaint-Pierre on the island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean and began his career at local club AS Saint-Philippe.[7] While at the club as a youth, he was described by coaches as "a kid who stood out from his comrades" and, after three years of development training, moved to one of the best clubs on the island,JS Saint-Pierroise.[8] After only a year at Saint-Pierroise, Payet was signed by professional clubLe Havre inmetropolitan France, with whom his club shared a mutual partnership. Le Havre also recruited former Saint-Pierroise playersFlorent Sinama Pongolle andGuillaume Hoarau during this period.[7]
While at Le Havre, Payet endured a tumultuous four years. While training at the club, he was accused of having a difficult character and displaying a lack of motivation.[9] The accusations ultimately led to his departure in 2003 as Payet returned to Réunion to sign withAS Excelsior. He spent only a year and a half at Excelsior playing in theRéunion Premier League before being signed in January 2005 byNantes who sought to give the player another opportunity to prove himself on the mainland. Payet signed a two-year amateur deal with the club; however, Nantes were given the option of terminating the contract after six months.[9]
Upon his arrival at Nantes, Payet was placed in the club's reserve team in theChampionnat de France Amateur, the fourth level offootball in France. In the 2005–06 season, Payet quickly established himself as one of the best players on the reserve team. He impressed with the team in 22 matches scoring six goals and was described by the club's reserve team coach Stéphane Moreau as a "talented player despite his natural indifference".[10][11] His influential play with the team resulted in the player being called up to the senior team in December 2005 by managerSerge Le Dizet. Payet made his professional debut on 19 December in a league match againstBordeaux appearing as a substitute in a 0–0 draw.[12] After the winter break, Payet remained with the senior team and scored his first professional goal in a 4–1 win overMetz. The midfielder appeared as a substitute in the match and had been on the field for no more than two minutes before netting the goal.[13] After appearing in a league match againstToulouse on 4 February, Payet was relegated back to the reserve team for the rest of the season.[14]
Ahead of the2006–07 season, Payet signed a three-year professional contract with Nantes. He was officially promoted to the senior team and assigned the number 31 shirt by Le Dizet. After appearing as a substitute in the first two matches of the season, Payet made his first professional start on 9 September 2006 in a league match againstLille. In the match, he scored the equalizing goal in a 1–1 draw.[15] Two weeks later, Payet started again and scored the opening goal in a 2–1 win againstMarseille.[16] Payet, subsequently, appeared as a starter for the rest of the campaign. He scored his only other goal during the season in a 1–1 draw withSedan.[17] One dark spot during the campaign was a straightred card in an embarrassing 5–2 loss toValenciennes.[18] Despite the successful individual season by Payet, Nantes ultimately finished the season in 19th place and were relegated, which meant the club would play inLigue 2 for the first time since 1963.[citation needed]
Following Nantes' relegation, Payet's desire to remain in the first division led the player to issuing a transfer request. The player was, subsequently, linked withSochaux andSaint-Étienne. Payet ultimately decided to sign withLes Verts, stating the move to the club was a "straightforward logical answer" and that Saint-Étienne "can offer me the opportunity to play, which is a priority".[19] Payet ultimately succeeded in getting the move after agreeing to a four-year contract with the club ahead of the2007–08 season. Nantes was compensated €4 million for the player.[11]
In his first season at Saint-Étienne, Payet struggled to assert himself into the team. He made his club debut on 4 August 2007 in a 1–1 draw withMonaco. Despite being a starter for the majority of the campaign, Payet scored no goals and also failed to provide any assists. In a reversal of fortune, despite Payet's sub-par season, Saint-Étienne finished in fifth place, which meant qualification to theUEFA Cup. In the2008–09 season, Payet return to the form that resulted in Saint-Étienne signing the player. Prior to the start of the season, he was given the honour ofcaptaining Saint-Étienne during afriendly against theRéunion national team in the player's return to the island.[20] Payet appeared in 30 league matches scoring four goals and supplying six assists in the season. He scored his first league goal for the club on 29 September 2008 in a 1–1 draw with Bordeaux, netting the opener.[21] In December 2008, he scored the game-winning goal against his former club Le Havre.[22]
Payet featured inEuropean competition for the first time after playing in the2008–09 edition of the UEFA Cup. He made his debut in the competition on 18 September in the first leg of the team's first round tie against Israeli clubHapoel Tel Aviv. On his debut, he scored the opening goal in a 2–1 win.[23] In the group stage, Payet scored a goal in a 3–1 win overDanish clubCopenhagen.[24] In the knockout rounds, Payet was instrumental to the team's 5–2 aggregate victory overGreek clubOlympiacos. In the first leg, he assisted on a goal in a 3–1 win, while in the second leg, he netted the opener in 2–1 positive result.[25][26] Saint-Étienne were eliminated from the competition in the next round by German clubWerder Bremen, losing 3–2 on aggregate. Payet appeared as a substitute in both legs. Due to focusing its efforts on performing well in four competitions, Saint-Étienne finished one spot short of relegation in the league. On 22 July 2009, Payet signed a two-year contract extension with the club until 2013.[27]
In the2009–10 season, Payet remained consistent appearing in 35 league matches scoring two goals and providing six assists. He also performed well in the cup competitions, particularly in theCoupe de France. On 24 January 2010, he scored a double in 4–1 victory overLorient.[28] Two weeks later, he scored the winner againstVannes.[29] Saint-Étienne ultimately reached the quarter-finals losing toLens. On 18 May 2010, Payet was involved in a physical altercation with teammate and captainBlaise Matuidi during the team's 1–0 defeat to Toulouse.[30] Midway through the first half, Payet received criticism from teammateYohan Benalouane for displaying a lack of aggression. He was then confronted by Matuidi, who echoed Benalouane's sentiments. Payet and Matuidi suddenly went face-to-face with the former player delivering a blow to Matuidi's head before the two were separated by referee Bruno Coue and teammates.[31] As a result of the incident, Payet was substituted out after 31 minutes and sanctioned by club president Roland Romeyer.[32] Payet apologized for the incident shortly after. On 6 October 2010, following both Payet and Matuidi's call up to the national team, Payet described the incident as "an argument that had no place" and that "the incident was explained and the two were on new ground". Matuidi described the altercation as a "lack of maturity" on both players part.[33]
After the summer, Payet put the past behind him and opened the2010–11 season by scoring seven goals in the first two months of domestic play. On 7 August 2010, he scored in the team's opening 3–1 defeat toParis Saint-Germain.[34] On 29 August 2010, Payet scored his first professionalhat-trick in a 3–1 victory overLens.[35] After the international break, he scored a double againstMontpellier.[36] On 25 September, Payet delivered a perfect free-kick goal in the team'sDerby du Rhône match againstLyon. The free-kick, described by local media as "superb and untouchable", was the only goal in the team's upset victory.[37][38] The win placed Saint-Étienne in first place for the week. For his performances, Payet was awarded theUNFP Player of the Month award for September. Due to his performances domestically and international, Payet drew interest from several clubs, notably English clubsChelsea andLiverpool.[39] In January 2011, he was linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain as the Parisian club looked to immediately replace the departedStéphane Sessègnon. Payet sought for the move, but Saint-Étienne refused. Ahead of the closure of the transfer window, a frustrated Payet failed to show up to training in an effort to force the transfer.[40] After returning to the team days later, Payet was demoted to the club's reserve team ahead of the team's league match against Montpellier on 5 February 2011.[41]
Payet returned to Saint-Étienne's line-up for the following match against Lyon on 12 February. In his last 14 matches of 2010–11, Payet scored five goals and also registered a further three assists.[42] He ended the season with 13 goals, making himLes Verts' top scorer.[43]
On 28 June 2011, Saint-Étienne managerChristophe Galtier confirmed that Payet was on the verge of signing with thedefending league championsLille after the player himself informed him the previous day.[44] Hours later, the move was confirmed by both Saint-Étienne and Lille.[45][46] Payet agreed to a four-year contract, while the transfer fee was priced at €9 million with future incentives to be included later.[47]
Payet ended his first season at Lille with six goals and six assists, starting in 23 of the team's 38 league matches.[42]
In hissecond season at theStade Pierre-Mauroy, after the sale ofEden Hazard to Chelsea, Payet established himself as a regular in Lille's attack, starting all but one of the team'sLigue 1 matches.[42] At the season's winter break, Payet was recognised by theLigue de Football Professionnel as the league's highest assist-maker, with 7 in the team's 19 matches.[50] He had also reached six goals at the halfway stage, having scored in each of Lille's three matches prior to the winter break.[42]
On 18 May 2013, Payet was named in theUNFP's Ligue 1 team of the season.[51] He ended the season as the league's joint-top assist-maker, alongsideMathieu Valbuena, with 12 goals created.[52] He also scored 12 league goals to register the second-highest scoring season of his career.[42]
On 27 June 2013, Marseille signed Payet for a fee in the region of €11 million. On his debut, he scored a brace within the first 15 minutes of the game, helping his side to a 3–1 victory overnewcomersGuingamp at theStade de Roudourou on 11 August.[53]
In hissecond and final season with Marseille, Payet made more successful through-balls than any other player, with the exception ofLionel Messi, inEuropean football's top five leagues. He made almost twice as many key passes as any other player, and made 17 assists in 36 league appearances, topping the Ligue 1 assist charts. Payet credited his excellent 2014–2015 Marseille season which transformed his career toMarcelo Bielsa, who was appointed the head coach of Marseille on a two-year contract in May 2014. "I clicked with him", he later toldL'Équipe. "He made me more mature and consistent. He put order into my game. I still have his advice in my head."[54][55] The key, according toJan Van Winckel (who was Bielsa's assistant during the 2014–2015 season), was giving him the pivotal No. 10 role and making him the focal point of attacks.[55]
"Bielsa was the first to recognise that Dimitri is a playmaker and not a winger. Dimitri is probably the best player in the world, together withAndrés Iniesta, with his back to the goal. He is so technically gifted and agile that it is almost impossible to get the ball from him. It is no coincidence that Dimi scored against Romania (at the Euro 2016 finals in France) when he was playing in a central role."
On 26 June 2015, Payet joinedPremier League clubWest Ham United on a five-year contract, with the option for an extra 12 months. The transfer fee West Ham paid to Marseille was reported to be £10.7 million.[54][55] Payet had not intended to leave Marseille in the summer of 2015.[57] Rather, his sale was subject to Marseille's concern with financial stability after the sale of players such asFlorian Thauvin andGiannelli Imbula had stalled.[58] On 9 August, he made his Premier League debut againstArsenal at theEmirates Stadium and provided the free kick assist forCheikhou Kouyaté to head in the opening goal of a 2–0 win.[59] Six days later, he scored his first goal for the team, albeit in a 1–2 home defeat toLeicester City.[60] Payet scored twice againstNewcastle in a 2–0 win at theBoleyn Ground on 14 September.[61] On 9 November, he was ruled out with an injury for an estimated three months after damaging his ankle in a tough challenge fromEverton'sJames McCarthy in a 1–1 home draw on 7 November.[62] He scored his first goal from his return from injury in a 3–1 comeback win againstAFC Bournemouth on 12 January 2016, equalising with a curling hit free-kick that went in off the underside of the crossbar, which was praised by several pundits.[63] HisMan of the Match performance received astanding ovation fromWest Ham fans as he was substituted in the 78th minute forAlex Song.[64]
In February 2016, Payet signed a new five-and-a-half-year contract with West Ham that would pay him £125,000 a week, committing him to the club until the summer of 2021.[55][65] That March, Payet was named the Premier League Player of the Year at the 2016 London Football Awards.[66] On 13 March, he scored a free kick, described by some journalists as "sublime" and "spectacular", from 35 yards (32 m) as West Ham drew 1–1 atOld Trafford againstManchester United in anFA Cup quarter-final.[67][68]
Following an outstanding first season in English football, Payet was named Premier League Player of the Year at the London Football Awards in March[69] and shortlisted by the Premier League for the 2016PFA Players' Player of the Year Award.[70] In May 2016, Payet became the 38th recipient of theWest Ham United Player of the Year award.[71]
Following an impressive spell of performances atEuro 2016, West Ham United awarded Payet with a £1,000,000 loyalty bonus in an attempt to pry interest away from other clubs. Payet was criticised for accepting this after his departure of the club during the following winter transfer window.[72]
After the takeover by American businessmanFrank McCourt,[73] Marseille introduced their "OM Champions" Project, one that would be fueled by a new influx of talent.[74] This prompted the purchase ofMorgan Sanson andPatrice Evra.[75][76] However, both the coaching staff and the Marseille board had been keen on bringing Payet back to the club since the beginning of 2017 January transfer window.[77]
On 12 January 2017, West Ham United managerSlaven Bilić announced that Payet no longer wanted to play for the club.[78] He then did not feature at all in the matchday squad on 14 January, despite no reported injuries.[79] At theLondon Stadium on that matchday, a mural installed in tribute to Payet winning Player of the Year was guarded by security in order to "prevent it being vandalised".[80] Payet was subsequently the subject of two bids from his previous club Marseille which were both rejected by West Ham. They stated that they did not want to sell the player, but would prefer him to apologise to fans and continue playing for the club.[81] On 29 January, West Ham accepted an offer of £25 million from Marseille for the transfer of Payet, marking a club record sale for West Ham.[82] The day after Payet completed his move to Marseille, his mural at the London Stadium was removed and replaced with one to commemorateAndy Carroll'sbicycle kick goal againstCrystal Palace scored earlier in the month.[83]
Payet made his second Marseille debut in a2016–17 Coupe de France clash withLyon on 31 January 2017, appearing as a substitute in extra time at theStade Vélodrome as his new club won 2–1.[84] On 8 February, Payet scored his first goal since returning to OM in a 2–0 home victory overGuingamp.[85]
On 3 May 2018, Payet played in theEuropa League semi-finals away toRed Bull Salzburg as Marseille played out a 1–2 away loss but secured a 3–2 aggregate win to secure a place in the2018 UEFA Europa League Final.[86] During the Europa League Final againstAtlético Madrid, Payet suffered a hamstring injury and was substituted in the 32nd minute of the first half, leaving the field in tears. Marseille would go on to lose 3–0.[87]
On 10 August 2018, during Marseille's 4–0 victory overToulouse, Payet scored the first two goals of the2018–19 Ligue 1 season, the second of which was a converted penalty awarded usingvideo assistant refereeing (VAR) technology; the first usage of VAR in French football.[88]
Payet warming-up with Marseille in 2022
Payet and the Marseille squad were involved in an altercation with the opposing crowd inNice on 22 August 2021. After being struck by what appeared to be a plastic bottle thrown by a fan, Payet threw the bottle back into the crowd. Nice fans then invaded the pitch, causing some fans and players to assault each other, resulting in Payet and two other players being injured.[89][90] In November 2021, a match between Lyon and Marseille was abandoned after a water bottle thrown by a fan hit Payet on the head as he was preparing to take a corner kick.[91]
On 21 July 2023, Marseille presidentPablo Longoria and Dimitri Payet announced during a press conference a mutual agreement to depart as a free agent.[92]
On 17 August 2023, Payet joinedBrazilian Série A sideVasco da Gama on a two-year contract.[93] On 3 September, he made his debut on a 1–1 away draw againstBahia.[94] He regularly appeared on lineups thereafter, scoring his first goal on 18 October againstFortaleza, securing the 1–0 win inSão Januário and pushing Vasco out of the relegation zone. He was awarded Man of the Match prize for his performance.[95] On 12 November, Payet scored a free-kick on extra-time to secure a 2–1 league victory at home toAmérica Mineiro.[96]
On 9 June 2025, the club announced that his contract had been terminated by mutual consent.[97]
Payet was called up to thesenior national team for the first time byLaurent Blanc for theEuro 2012 qualifying matches againstRomania andLuxembourg. He made his debut in the former on 9 October 2010, coming on as a substitute forKarim Benzema in the 86th minute and assistedYoann Gourcuff's goal to make it 2–0.[98] Three days later, he came on for the last 30 minutes against Luxembourg and again assisted Gourcuff for a goal.[99]
Payet scored his first goal on 7 June 2015, coming on for Mathieu Valbuena in the 73rd minute to net France's third goal 16 minutes later, in a 4–3 home friendly defeat byBelgium.[100] Six days later, Payet was substituted at half-time in a 1–0 away friendly defeat byAlbania.[55] Having been absent from the French squad since then, Payet was recalled in March 2016 for a squad to play theNetherlands andRussia.[101] His performance on 25 March in a 3–2 win against the Netherlands inAmsterdam was praised by managerDidier Deschamps. Payet hit thepost with a second-half shot and created six chances, more than double any other player. He also had the most touches of any player, with 89.[102] Four days later, with his first touch after replacingAntoine Griezmann, he scored a 30-yard free kick against Russia and later assistedKingsley Coman to confirm a 4–2 win.[103]
In May 2016, Payet was named in the France squad forEuro 2016.[104] He was named the Man of the Match for scoring a goal, laying on anassist, creating eight scoring chances and delivering 13 crosses in theopening match of Euro 2016, on 10 June, a 2–1 win for France against Romania. In that match,Olivier Giroud headed Payet's cross into the goal in the 57th minute and Payet scored France's second goal in the 89th minute — a curling and powerful left-footed shot into the top corner from 2 metres (2.2 yd) outside the penalty box.[105]In France's second group match against Albania on 15 June, Payet was again named the Man of the Match for creating six scoring chances for his teammates and supplying 17 crosses. In that match, Payet scored the second goal for France in a 2–0 win, the goal coming in the 96th minute.[106][107][108] On 3 July, he scored and assisted in a 5–2 quarter-final win overIceland at theStade de France, as the hosts advanced to the semi-finals of the tournament.[109] In thefinal of the tournament on 10 July, Payet was involved in a collision withCristiano Ronaldo while attempting to challenge him for the ball, which resulted in an injury to the Portuguese forward and forced him off after 25 minutes of play. Payet was later substituted andPortugal eventually won the match 1–0 in extra time to lift the trophy.[110]
Payet sustained an injury during the2018 UEFA Europa League final, which resulted in him missing out on France's ultimately victorious2018 FIFA World Cup squad.[111] Payet was not personally informed about his omission by managerDidier Deschamps; according to his mother, he "found out watching on television like everyone else, with the family".[112]
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