 Fanni in 2010 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Rod Dodji Fanni[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1981-12-06)6 December 1981 (age 44)[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Martigues,[2] Bouches-du-Rhône, France | ||
| Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)[2] | ||
| Position | Centre-back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1999–2000 | Martigues | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2000–2002 | Martigues | 63 | (1) |
| 2002–2005 | Lens | 39 | (0) |
| 2004–2005 | →Châteauroux (loan) | 34 | (1) |
| 2005–2007 | Nice | 57 | (0) |
| 2007–2011 | Rennes | 114 | (2) |
| 2011–2015 | Marseille | 127 | (5) |
| 2015–2016 | Al-Arabi SC | 15 | (1) |
| 2016 | →Charlton Athletic (loan) | 14 | (0) |
| 2016–2018 | Marseille | 43 | (1) |
| 2018–2020 | Montreal Impact | 43 | (1) |
| International career | |||
| 2008–2010 | France | 5 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Rod Dodji Fanni (born 6 December 1981) is a former Frenchfootballer who last played as acentre-back forMontreal Impact inMajor League Soccer. He made five appearances for theFrance national team between 2008 and 2010.
Fanni began his career withFC Martigues, playing in bothLigue 2 and theChampionnat National. He joinedRC Lens in 2002 where he made his debut inLigue 1, as well as both theUEFA Champions League and theUEFA Cup. He played the entire2004–05 season on loan atChâteauroux in Ligue 2.[citation needed]
In June 2005, he joinedNice but left after only two seasons to sign a four-year contract withRennes, where he was viewed as a replacement for Dutch defenderMario Melchiot, who had departed forPremier League clubWigan Athletic. Fanni was named in theLigue 1 Team of the Year for the2008–09 season. He expressed desire to play in thePremier League and was strongly linked with a move toNewcastle United before signing for Rennes.[3] He was also linked withEverton[4] andWest Ham United[5] prior to signing a one-year contract extension with Rennes in November 2009, which kept Fanni tied toLes Rouges et Noirs until June 2012.[citation needed]
In December 2010, Marseille successfully acquired the services of Fanni.[6]
In 2015 Fanni left Marseille after his contract ended. On 11 July 2015 Qatari sideAl-Arabi SC signed Fanni on a free transfer.[7]
On 1 February 2016, Fanni signed forCharlton Athletic on loan until the end of season.[8]
On 31 August 2016, Fanni returned toMarseille.[9] In February 2018, Marseille announced it had agreed to terminate Fanni's contract at the end of January. Fanni had not made an appearance in the first half of the 2017–18 season.[10]
In early March 2018,Montreal Impact announced the signing of Fanni on a contract until June with the option of a further season, pending international transfer certification and a medical.[11][12]
Fanni made his debut for theFrance national team againstTunisia on 14 October 2008 in a 3–1 victory. Despite stiff competition from players such asBacary Sagna andFrançois Clerc, Fanni was named regularly inRaymond Domenech's squad as second choice right-back behind Sagna.[citation needed]
Fanni's family originates from Benin. He began his football career whilst pursuing his studies, earning aBEP (French secondary school diploma) and then going on to study for abachelor's degree in Industrial Science and Technology.[citation needed]
Marseille
Individual
