 Armand in 2016 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | (1980-08-01)1 August 1980 (age 45)[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Saint-Étienne, France | ||
| Height | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)[1] | ||
| Position | Left-back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1996–1999 | Saint-Étienne | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1999–2000 | Clermont | 28 | (1) |
| 2000–2004 | Nantes | 118 | (7) |
| 2004–2013 | Paris Saint-Germain | 285 | (10) |
| 2013–2017 | Rennes | 103 | (2) |
| Total | 534 | (20) | |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Sylvain Armand (born 1 August 1980) is a French former professionalfootballer who played as aleft-back forRennes,Paris Saint-Germain,Nantes, andClermont.
Born inSaint-Étienne, Loire,[1] Armand started playing youth team football forAS Saint-Étienne in 1994. He wasn't retained for the club's senior squad and thus moved toClermont Foot in 1999, where he received his professional debut.[citation needed]
In 2000, having impressed with his performances in Clermont, he switched to top-flight clubFC Nantes. He staged his first appearance inDivision 1 during the match betweenAJ Auxerre inNantes (2–2) 9 September 2000.[2] In a fairytale ending, he won the 2001 Division1 1 championship in his veryfirst season with the "Canaris". He also scored as Nantes won the2001 Trophée des Champions.[3] The following three seasons were much less successful. He is also the author of a memorable goal in theUEFA Champions League againstLazio in2001–02,[4] following a lonely run on the left flank.[citation needed]
In 2004, Armand and Nantes teammateMario Yepes both moved toParis Saint-Germain for approximately $5 million.[5] After a very difficult season for PSG, Armand took part in thevictory of PSG in theCoupe de France in the April 2006 final againstOlympique de Marseille. He was then voted best player in the Paris squad for the2006–07 season following an impressive season, including a very important goal againstRC Lens. At the start of the2006–07 season, Armand signed a two-year extension with the club, keeping him at the club until 2010.[6]
In2007–08, Armand lost his starting spot status for a game againstValenciennes FC in favour of youngsterMamadou Sakho, who also became the youngest captain in the history of the PSG at the age of 17. Armand then gradually regained his best form, game after game. He provided two consecutive assists, both toAmara Diané, against Lens inLigue 1 (3–0) then against Valenciennes in theCoupe de la Ligue (4–0) three days later. Rarely injured and suspended, he missed only eight domestic league games between 2004 and 2008, all the while playing in different positions on the pitch, including left-back, centre-back, defensive midfield, and left midfield.[citation needed]
With PSG, Armand won the 2006 and 2010Coupe de France and the 2008Coupe de la Ligue. The club's league performances were much less satisfactory, with a series of mid-and low-table finishes between 2004 and 2008. Even in the club's worst seasons, between 2006 and 2008, Armand established himself as a reliable performer and remained loyal to Paris Saint-Germain in spite of interest from other French clubs. During this barren spell, he formed an efficient partnership on the left flank withJérôme Rothen, and they were a major revelation in an otherwise disappointing Parisian side. In July 2009, Armand signed a three-year contract, keeping him at the club until 2012.[7][8]
After the arrival of new coachAntoine Kombouaré in 2009, Armand was deployed in positions other than left-back, playing in central defence and even as a defensive midfielder when needed. On 17 April 2011, he reached a new landmark when he participated in his 319th game for PSG, thus overtaking legendary goalkeeperBernard Lama's record. In September 2011, Armand signed a one-year extension with the club, lasting until 2013.[9]
AfterCarlo Ancelotti replaced the sacked Antoine Kombouaré, Armand struggled to remain a regular starter, especially after the influx of new players brought in by the club's wealthy new Qatari owners, led byNasser Al-Khelaifi.Although he thought about leaving the team at the end of the season,[10] he chose to remain with PSG for the2012–13 season in the hope of finally winning the French championship.[citation needed] Armand made his 400th appearance for the club inLe Classique against Marseille, as PSG won 2–0.[11]
On 12 May 2013, two games before the end of the season, PSG secured their third Ligue 1 champions title, 19 years after their last championship win and nine years after Armand's arrival in the club. Armand then quoted:
"We really wanted to win tonight to celebrate the title and we did that. Tonight we are truly champions, here with our supporters. I've been waiting for nine years for this title. I am honoured, and also proud. It also a very emotional night because, for the last week, we have been waiting to say thank-you to all our supporters, who have been here with us through thick and thin. Tonight was the crowning moment, the reward for all the hard work it took to win the championship for Paris and it is exceptional."[12]
In the last game of the season, againstFC Lorient, Armand was given the captaincy armband in his last PSG appearance as part of a farewell gesture.[13] At the time of his departure, Armand was the club's longest-serving player and he has been given the nickname "Mr. PSG."[14]
On 3 June 2013, Armand joinedRennes on a free transfer, signing a contract with the club lasting until 2015.[15] Armand was previously linked with a move back toFC Nantes.[16] On 1 July, Armand was officially presented by the club.[17]
On 14 January 2017, Armand announced he would end his career at the end of the season.[18]
In July 2017, following his retirement as a player, Armand was appointed deputy ofRennes' director of recruitment Jean-Luc Buisine.[19]
| Club | Season | League | Coupe de France | Coupe de la Ligue | Continental | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Clermont | 1999–2000[1] | Championnat National | 28 | 1 | — | — | — | 28 | 1 | |||
| Nantes Atlantique | 2000–01[1] | Division 1 | 23 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6[a] | 1 | 35 | 3 |
| 2001–02[1] | 30 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11[b] | 1 | 42 | 3 | ||
| 2002–03[1] | Ligue 1 | 30 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — | 35 | 2 | ||
| 2003–04[1] | 35 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 44 | 3 | |||
| Total | 118 | 7 | 12 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 17 | 2 | 156 | 11 | ||
| Paris Saint-Germain | 2004–05[1] | Ligue 1 | 37 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6[b] | 0 | 47 | 1 |
| 2005–06[1] | 35 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 43 | 1 | |||
| 2006–07[1] | 37 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8[a] | 0 | 51 | 2 | ||
| 2007–08[1] | 35 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 0 | — | 46 | 3 | |||
| 2008–09[1] | 35 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 11[a] | 0 | 53 | 0 | ||
| 2009–10[1] | 33 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 38 | 2 | |||
| 2010–11[1] | 33 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6[c] | 0 | 45 | 2 | ||
| 2011–12[1] | 22 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5[c] | 0 | 31 | 1 | ||
| 2012–13[1] | 18 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2[b] | 0 | 23 | 0 | ||
| Total | 285 | 10 | 35 | 2 | 19 | 0 | 38 | 0 | 377 | 12 | ||
| Rennes | 2013–14[1] | Ligue 1 | 32 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 39 | 0 | |
| 2014–15[1] | 36 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | — | 42 | 4 | |||
| 2015–16[1] | 34 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 37 | 2 | |||
| 2016–17[1] | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | |||
| Total | 103 | 2 | 11 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 121 | 6 | ||
| Career total | 534 | 20 | 58 | 5 | 35 | 3 | 55 | 2 | 682 | 30 | ||
Nantes
Paris Saint-Germain
