He played mainly forLyon andBarcelona, totalling 18 trophies with both teams, including twoChampions Leagues with the latter. His later career was marred by a liver tumour, which resulted in atransplant.
Born inSaint-Genis-Laval, Lyon Metropolis to Martiniquais parents[3] Abidal started playing withAS Lyon Duchère, an amateur team in the suburbs. He started his professional career withAS Monaco FC,[4] making hisLigue 1 debut on 16 September 2000 in a 3–0 home win againstToulouse FC but only appearing in 22 league matches over the course of two full seasons.[5]
Abidal transferred to fellow top-division clubLille OSC for2002–03,[6] reuniting with former managerClaude Puel[4] and being first-choice during his spell. Subsequently, he returned to his native region and joinedOlympique Lyonnais.[6]
During his later years in France, where he won three consecutive national championships – of the seven the team won – Abidal's confidence was shown when Lyon playedManchester United and he was in charge of markingCristiano Ronaldo:"As a defender, my aim is to infuriate the opponent," he explained."I want him to be so sick of the sight of me that he has to move somewhere else on the pitch to get away."[7] His defensive teammates atL'OL includedFrançois Clerc,Grégory Coupet andAnthony Réveillère, as well asBrazilian internationalsCaçapa andCris.[8][9]
On 10 November 2004, Abidal scored the first goal of his career, in a 3–2 loss at former club Lille inthe second round of theCoupe de la Ligue. As a result of his exploit, his parents agreed to get married after a 35-year union.[10]
Abidal missed the first months of the2005–06 campaign after fracturing hismetatarsus in afriendly game withOnce Caldas.[11] He still managed to appear in 15 matches as Lyon won its fifth national championship in a row (the second with the player).[12]
On 29 June 2007, Abidal signed a four-year contract withFC Barcelona for €9 million, after repeatedly stating that he would not return to training with Lyon if he was not allowed to move.[13] He was given the number 22 jersey, as the number 20 he wore at Lyon was already taken byDeco; club presidentJoan Laporta also mentioned that his contract contained a €90 million release clause, and that Lyon would receive an extra €500,000 if Barcelona won theUEFA Champions League in any of the following four seasons.[14]
On 18 January 2012, Abidal scored his second goal for Barcelona, also in thedomestic cup, helping the visitors come from behind to win it 2–1 atReal Madrid (eventually 4–3 on aggregate).[23] He renewed his contract early into the following month, keeping him at theCamp Nou until 30 June 2013,[24] but on 30 May of that year it was announced that the club would not further extend it.[25][26]
On 15 March 2011, Barcelona announced that Abidal had been diagnosed with atumour in hisliver. He underwent surgery two days later.[27] Citing privacy concerns as wished by the player, the club did not release additional information in regards to his condition.[28] In response to the announcement, players and fans around the world dedicated well wishes to him on varioussocial networking service and sports websites.[29][30]
Before theirround-of-16 match in the Champions League, both Real Madrid and Lyon players took the pitch wearingÁnimo Abidal (Get Well Abidal) T-shirts, with the same message being displayed on theSantiago Bernabéu Stadium's scoreboards, in a show of support and solidarity.[31][32] During Barcelona's match withGetafe CF on 19 March 2011, the fans at the stadium clapped for the entire 22nd minute (Abidal's kit number).[33] On 28 May 2011, in theChampions League Final against Manchester United, he played the full 90 minutes of Barcelona's 3–1 triumph and, in a gesture to mark his recovery,Carles Puyol handed him hiscaptain's armband and allowed him to be the first to lift the trophy in front of 85,000 people atWembley Stadium in London.[34]
On 15 March 2012, it was announced that Abidal would have to undergo aliver transplant because of problems which were unresolved with the previous operation.[35] On 10 April he underwent surgery, with his cousin Gérard being the donor.[36] On the same day Barcelona beat Getafe 4–0, and the victory was dedicated to the player in the post-game press conference;[37][38] he later revealed that his friend and teammateDani Alves offered to donate part of his liver for the transplant, but he declined because it would have affected the latter's playing career.[39]
Abidal was released from hospital on 21 May 2012.[40] He returned to training in thePyrenees in October 2012[41] but, the following month, he stated that his priority was a return to full health rather than resuming his football career.[42]
On 18 December 2012, Abidal was given the green light to start training again,[43] and he returned to active training in January of the following year. On 19 March of the following year he played 65 minutes forFC Barcelona B in a practice match withFC Istres,[44] and on 6 April he returned to official play, replacingGerard Piqué for the last 20 minutes of a 5–0 home win againstRCD Mallorca.[45][46] Two weeks later, he played the full 90 minutes for the first time since his comeback, featuring in a 1–0 home success overLevante UD.[47]
On 8 July 2013, 33-year-old Abidal returned to Monaco after more than one decade, signing for one season with the option of a further one.[48] After helping the principality teamsecure a place in the Champions League inhis debut campaign, he agreed to a one-year contract extension.[49]
On 5 July 2014, two days after renewing his contract with Monaco, Abidal signed a two-year contract withOlympiacos. Despite being in the latter stages of his career, Abidal brought valuable experience and leadership to the team, helping solidify the defense during the early part of the 2014–15 Super League Greece season. He made nine league appearances for the club and also featured in UEFA Champions League matches.[50] On 19 December, however, he retired from the game for personal reasons.[51]
Again underRaymond Domenech, Abidal was first-choice during theEuro 2008qualifying campaign. In the final stages, he appeared against Italy as a centre-back, but conceded apenalty and was sent off in the first half of an eventual 2–0 loss and group stage exit.[61] He played againstUruguay andMexico in the2010 World Cup again as stopper,[62][63] opting out of the next game against host countrySouth Africa[64] as the French side again left the competition after only three matches.[65]
Considered one of the best defenders in the world at his peak, Abidal was a tactically intelligent and versatile defender, capable of featuring as a centre or left-back due to his positional sense and his ability to read the game. In his prime, he was also quick and strong which, along with his technical ability and distribution, allowed him to run up the wing to assist his team offensively as well as defensively.[66][67]
Abidal was raised in a Catholic family and converted to Islam in his 20s.[68][69] He married former gymnast Hayet Kebir in 2003, fathering children Méliana, Canélia, Leyna, Kenya and Edan.[70][71][72][73]
^"Le retour d'Eric Abidal" [The return of Eric Abidal] (in French). AS Monaco FC. 8 July 2013. Archived fromthe original on 8 July 2013. Retrieved10 July 2013.
