Top facts about Mickaël Landreau, Nantes legendary goalkeeper

Mickal Vincent André-Marie Landreau (born 14 May 1979) is a former goalkeeper and professional football manager in France.

Mickaël Landreau’s age

is 42. Here, you can find the most important facts about Mickaël Landreau, ex-Nantes star.

Between 1996 and 2014, Landreau made 618 appearances in Ligue 1 for Nantes,

, Lille, and Bastia. In 2001, he won the league with Nantes, and in 2011, he won it with Lille.

The first fact about Mickaël Landreau is that he was a long-serving France international, although he was only ever used as a backup. He was a member of their Confederations Cup-winning sides in 2001 and 2003, as well as the 2006 World Cup runner-up and previous tournament call-ups.

Landreau was named assistant manager to Réginald Ray at Championnat National Club Paris FC in August 2016.

In May 2017, he signed a four-year deal with Lorient, who had just been demoted from Ligue 1. He left that job in May 2019, halfway through the contract, having finished sixth and thus missed out on the promotion goal.

Top facts about Mickaël Landreau:

His professional goalkeeping career lasted from 1996 to 2014. He was trained at

, where he won the French championship in 2001 and the Coupe de France in 1999 and 2000. He then joined Paris SG before moving on to LOSC Lille, where he won the Coupe de France in 2011.

In December 2012, he terminated his contract with Lille and joined SC Bastia, where he finished his career in 2014. With 618 games played in the first division French championship, he has held the record for most games played, previously held by Jean-Luc Ettori, since December 4, 2013.

Mickaël Landreau early life

Landreau, who was born in Machecoul, received his education at the Nantes Atlantique "Centre of Excellence" at La Jonelière.

Mickal Landreau is the youngest of four children born to a carpenter father and a municipal employee mother. Speaking about

Mickaël Landreau’s childhood

, it should be mentioned that he grew up in the Loire-Atlantique 1 town of Arthon-en-Retz, near Pornic. There is no information available about

Mickaël Landreau’s parents

.

Mickaël Landreau personal life

Between 2002 and 2006, Mickael Landreau was married to tennis player Anne-Gaelle Sidot. He married Virginie Joal, a former Star Academy contestant (season 4) known as Lennie Marshall, in June 2009. He is now divorced.

Mickael Landreau became the father of a son, Mattia, on May 14, 2015. Sandro, the family's second son, joined them in August 2018. He married Vanessa Custiel on August 8, 2020, at the town hall of Le Pecq.

Mickaël Landreau professional career

Mickael Landreau spent his most significant amount of time with Nantes, playing with the club from 1996 to 2006. After leaving the club he played for PSG, Lille, and Bastia.

Mickaël Landreau club career

On October 2, 1996, he played his debut professional match for Nantes, a 0–0 draw against

, in which he saved a penalty from Ubomr Moravk.

Nantes

An important fact about Mickaël Landreau is that he has been a staple in the Nantes starting lineup since 1996, putting forth consistently strong performances. Landreau was promoted to captain when he was 19 years old. At the 1997 FIFA World Young Championship, he was chosen to represent France's youth national team.

He didn't skip an obligatory meeting for the following ten years, scored his 300th point in July 2005, and was a key supporter for his club throughout their victories around the turn of the century.

Nantes were elected 2001 Ligue 1 champions for the first time since 1995, after winning two straight Coupe de France titles in 1999 and 2000 (captained in the 2000 final). When Nantes won Ligue 1, Landreau signed a new deal that would keep him at the club until 2006.

Landreau's impressive performance at Nantes garnered attention from teams like as

, Monaco, Roma, Juventus, Marseille, Manchester United, and Celtic.

A notable

fact about Mickaël Landreau

is that he underwent a surgery on his articular disk on October 11, 2003, which was a major injury during his football career.

Landreau made his comeback on November 22, 2003, with a 3–1 victory against Bastia in his (first career match). Landreau made multiple saves in the 2004 French Cup semi-final, but to no effect, as the team was unable to score and was eliminated from the tournament.

The match versus Sochaux-Montbéliard in the Coupe de la Ligue final ended 1–1 and went to a penalty shootout. Teddy Richert stopped Landreau's eighth penalty shot, which he took in a panenka manner.

Nantes were on the verge of losing the game when Pascal Delhommeau botched a penalty kick, enabling Benoît Pedretti to score the game-winner. Landreau remarked after the game that he had "no remorse" about missing the penalty in that fashion.

Landreau's contract at Nantes was scheduled to expire at the conclusion of the 2005–06 Ligue 1 season, but Nantes was prepared to give Landreau, Mauro Cetto, and Jérémy Toulalan new contracts.

He held a press conference to announce that he will be leaving FC Nantes after thirteen years to pursue new challenges with a more significant club.

Just before the conclusion of the 2005–2006 season, he stated his decision to quit his first club.

and A.C. Milan were among the clubs interested in signing him after his contract ended.

On the 6th of May 2006, during his last match at Stade de la Beaujoire, he was honored by the supporters, who praised his thirteen years of commitment and love to the club. Nantes was demoted to Ligue 2 for the first time since 1963 the season after he left.

Paris Saint-Germain

A notable fact about Mickaël Landreau is that he subsequently signed a four-year deal with Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer on May 15, 2006. Landreau believes that relocating to Paris will result in a call-up from France.

Landreau established himself as a first-choice goalkeeper at Paris Saint-Germain, pushing out Jérôme Alonzo and Nicolas Cousin.

He became a popular favorite as well. Landreau made his PSG debut on August 5, 2006, in a 3–2 defeat to Lorient. Landreau made all 38 appearances of his PSG career in the 2006–07, 2007–08, and 2008–09 seasons.

He praised the supporters for his time at PSG on his last appearance against AS Monaco, which ended in a 0–0 tie and his last clean sheet, and they gave him a rare standing ovation.

Landreau had been linked with a transfer away from the club when Grégory Coupet remained anxious to play overseas at PSG, who may replace him as a first-choice goalkeeper once the 2007–08 season concluded.

Charles Villeneuve, on the other hand, indicated he had not guaranteed Landreau's position in the team for next season and hinted at an interest in Coupet, but Sebastien Bazin (head of PSG's primary owners Colony Capital) assured Landreau would not be leaving the club.

Landreau is said to be on his way to

to take over as Iker Casillas' backup. Coupet later joined Paris Saint-Germain, casting uncertainty on Landreau's future.

Lille

Lille OSC submitted a €2 million (£1.7 million) approach for Landreau after the 2009–10 season, hoping to replace experienced goalkeeper Grégory Malicki, who left Lille on a free transfer to join Dijon and was Lille's first choice goalkeeper in the 2008–09 season. The relocation was agreed upon and executed.

He suffered a major setback five days after joining Lille when he tore his cruciate ligaments during a training session, sidelining him for about six months.

Ludovic Butelle earned increased playing time during Landreau's injury hiatus and played roughly 10 games before Landreau returned, after which he became the first-choice goalkeeper.

A notable

fact about Mickaël Landreau

is that he returned to the bench in the Europa League against Genoa (3–0) on October 22, 2009, and made his league debut for Lille in a 2–0 victory over Grenoble on October 30, 2009.

Landreau was a member of the Lille team that won Ligue 1 for the third time in club history and the first time since 1954 in the 2010–11 season. He created history by being the first player to represent three teams in the Trophée des Champions.

During a Champions League encounter against

on November 7, 2012, he conceded six goals. After a tense relationship with general manager Frederic Paquet, Landreau departed Lille by mutual agreement in December 2012 as the team's only first-choice goalkeeper.

Landreau said during the press conference that "The most important thing is to reach your full potential on the field. I couldn't do it any longer. When you're having a bad day, a year and a half is a long way to go "Both physically and psychologically, he left the club.

Bastia

Landreau signed a six-month contract with the Corsican club SC Bastia on December 23, 2012. He revealed that he had turned down a move to Inter Milan after moving to Bastia.

When he began against AC Ajaccio on December 4, 2013, Landreau set a new record for the most appearances by a player in Ligue 1 or Division 1 (French football's top division).

It was Landreau's 603rd match in Ligue 1. When he featured in the SC Bastia-Evian TG match three days earlier, he equaled the previous record of 602 Ligue 1 or Division 1 appearances set by former AS Monaco goalkeeper Jean-Luc Ettori.

Mickaël Landreau international career

Landreau was a member of the France team that won the FIFA Confederations Cup in 2001, which was held in South Korea and Japan. On 3 June, in his only appearance of the tournament, he made his debut in a 4–0 win over Mexico in the final group game.

He did not play again until the 2003 edition, when he was a member of the team's 5–0 victory against

at the Stade de France at the same stage.

Despite being the third-choice goalkeeper behind Fabien Barthez and Grégory Coupet and unused in both competitions, Landreau wore France's number one shirt during UEFA Euro 2004 and the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

Coupet started half of the 12 matches in UEFA Euro 2008 qualification, but he was left out of the final tournament in Austria and Switzerland, where he was replaced by Sébastien Frey and Steve Mandanda.

In September 2012, newly hired manager

returned Landreau to the French national team for forthcoming 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against Finland on September 7 and Belarus on September 11. It was his first call-up to the national team since November 2007.

He finished third in the finals in Brazil, behind Hugo Lloris and Stéphane Ruffier. He retired from club and international football at the age of 35 after the tournament to spend more time with his family.

Mickaël Landreau quotes

About buying Nantes, he has said, “There are two distinct but complementary aspects. On the one hand, there is the search for a shareholding in which I will invest myself, and on the other, there is the operational reflection on the club project.”

“I am a subscriber to the Collectif Nantais because it makes sense to me, but I am also personally involved in meetings with business leaders to explain the project's sporting vision.”

“It's worth noting that Philippe was the one who first contacted me. I explained to him how I saw the club's operations in the short and medium term.”

“This level of performance cannot be compared to that of twenty years ago, let alone forty. As a result, we began working together on the FC Nantes Company right away, learning about the club's unique characteristics as well as the latest developments in professional football.”

“Today, my role is to imagine what the club should look like in the future, to reflect on the structure and organizational dimension that will be implemented, and to mobilize skills in strategic areas. It is not only the appearance of the game and the pitch that is important.”

“The sports project must be integrated into the club's project as part of a co-construction strategy. There must be a value alignment capable of providing overall consistency to all aspects involved... but we are well aware that economic constraints must also be considered.”

“If we were given the opportunity to take over the management of the club tomorrow, we would obviously have to consider its history as well as the current employees. We will arrive with firm convictions, but there will inevitably be a period of delay.”

“We are well aware that FC Nantes employees have grown accustomed to a particular mode of governance in this area. It is obvious that these same people in a different mode of management would have a different mode of operation.”

He has said that pattcipating in this important project will have some influence on his personal life, too: “Humanly, it is not possible to canvass companies and individuals who will invest their savings to feed this project without personally investing myself.

I'm planning my entire life to be able to live in Nantes soon. Today, I live in Paris because my professional work with Canal + is more convenient there.”

“I've already turned down coaching positions in order to focus on this project. I have a contract with Canal for the next two years as a service provider, but I only have 40 dates per year, which allows me to spend time with my family, which is very important to both me and FC Nantes.”

“I am obligated to match my actions to my words, as I have always done in the past. FC Nantes helped shape me into the man I am today, and this moral commitment will last at least the next two years. Obviously, I hope that the transfer of power within the club will be completed in a shorter period of time.”

He has once said that FC Nantes can reclaim its former glory: “To believe this is to shoot oneself in the foot right from the start. FC Nantes will not revert to its former self. We must all collaborate to write a story. What matters is that we do not lose sight of where we came from. I couldn't be like my father.”

“I am very proud of his career because he began working as a carpenter at the age of 14 and continued to practice for 40 years. They each have a unique life story.

The club will not be the same, but it must respect its DNA, namely the primacy of formation and style of play. Individual marking and playing Auxerroise in 4/3/3 are not possible. We must adhere to the fundamentals of FC Nantes.”

“If we get the chance to take over the club, we know it will be one of the most difficult challenges we've ever faced. The project raises a lot of expectations, which will be difficult to meet in the short term. I have carefully considered both the risk and the difficulties.”

“We will work hard to succeed because there are no other options. There were less flamboyant generations in Nantes prior to having perhaps the most spectacular team in 1995. There was also a very dangerous environment. In any case, I don't want to sell something that isn't going to happen.”

“It will take some time. Using

as an example, we can calculate the amount of time that must be invested in order to succeed. We truly want to build with all of FC Nantes's supporters. They can be found all over the place, not just in Nantes.”

“Nantes has always been welcoming to visitors from all over the world. I recall an Argentinian securing behind the defense and a Romanian scoring goals up front in 2001.

Antoine Kombouaré and Christian Karembeu were also members of FC Nantes. And then there was Loc Amisse, a Nantes native. The club's richness stems from its diversity. We need to be able to take wealth from anywhere.”

About FC Nantes supporters, he has said, “There are two or three things to consider. First and foremost, we oppose all forms of violence. I don't believe it's the right message, and I don't believe it'll help us. I state unequivocally: claiming things is a possibility, but don't go any further.”

“Because I believe that at this time, we should not give grain to grind. This is the most crucial point. Today, something is happening in Nantes at the level of the supporters, and everyone is paying attention to it, so let's write something about it.”

“The second thing is to maintain your independence, whether it's with independents or fan groups. Gather around the club's project, but keep your story, your soul, to yourself. Don't throw it away because it's what makes us all rich.”

“I believe we can find common ground by focusing on what brings us together. However, expecting ultras to have the same essence as Allerz Nantes Canaris is unrealistic.

They'll never be the same, and they shouldn't be! On the other hand, what I admire about what is going on today is that everyone comes together, without any obligation, to talk about a common project.”

“This approach is fantastic in my opinion. What we're doing isn't political in any way. I find it healthy, and I can only be overjoyed to see what is happening and being created. Each being decides what he wants to put in place, and he does it with what he feels deep within him, his story. He has come to deliver something.”

Some more facts about Mickaël Landreau:

From 2001 to 2007, Mickaël Landreau was selected eleven times for the French national team, and he was a World Cup finalist in 2006, as well as a Confederations Cup winner in 2001 and 2003.

He was also named to the squads for Euro 2004 and the 2014 World Cup. He coached FC Lorient, a Ligue 2 club, from May 2017 to May 2019.

An important

fact about Mickaël Landreau

is that he made his professional debut against SC Bastia on October 2, 1996, at the age of 17 years and 141 days. He was decisive in stopping a penalty shot by Slovak Lubomir Moravcik.

At the age of 19, the young goalkeeper quickly established himself as a starting goalkeeper and was named captain of the first team. He was also a key member of the team that won the French championship in 2001 and the Coupe de France in 1999 and 2000.

On October 11, 2003, he underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus, his first serious injury of his career.

On April 17, 2004, during the Coupe de la Ligue against Sochaux, he attempts a panenka during the penalty shootout, but Teddy Richert stops him. This goal shot could have given his team the victory, but FC Nantes will eventually lose the final two.

On July 30, 2005, during the Ligue 1 match between Nantes and RC Lens, he celebrated his 300th league match at the age of twenty-six.

Just before the end of the 2005–06 season, he announced his intention to leave his training club. On May 6, 2006, during his final match at the Stade de la Beaujoire, he receives a tribute from the fans who honor his attachment and loyalty to the club for thirteen years.

On May 15, 2006, Mickael Landreau signed a four-year contract with Paris Saint-Germain. His first two seasons at PSG were just as difficult as his last two in Nantes, with PSG fighting to stay in the top flight until the very end of the season. Paris Saint-Germain, on the other hand, won the Coupe de la Ligue in 2008.

On February 14, 2009, he played his hundredth Ligue 1 match in a row for Paris, and he eventually played in all league matches during his three seasons in Paris.

A notable fact about Mickaël Landreau is that he signed a three-year contract with LOSC Lille on June 29, 2009. On July 3, he suffered a rupture of the cruciate ligaments in his right knee.

After being out for six months and being treated at the Salpêtrière hospital, he returned to the bench on October 22 in the Europa League against Genoa (3-0) and quickly made an impression during his first official match on October 31, 2009 against Grenoble.

Mickael Landreau's two-year contract was extended in February 2011 and he is now under contract with the northern club until June 2014.

On the 23rd day of the season, February 13, 2011, he played his 500th Ligue 1 match against

(2-0 victory).

In 2011, his league performance earned him the title of best Ligue 1 goalkeeper at the UNFP 6 trophies, while LOSC Lille won the league and cup double.

On July 27, 2011, he became the first player in Champions Trophy history to represent three different clubs.

With poor performances since the start of the season, his position as LOSC Lille's starting goalkeeper is becoming increasingly precarious.

An important fact about Mickaël Landreau is that he is accused, in particular, of being frequently to blame for the goals his team has conceded since the season began.

On December 5, 2012, his replacement, Steeve Elana, is installed in the northern cages for Lille's final Champions League match of the season (0-1 defeat against Valence CF). However, this was already the case in the previous Champions League match against BATE Borisov.

The newspaper L'Équipe announces on December 6, 2012, that LOSC Lille and Mickal Landreau are terminating the latter's contract after his relations with Rudi Garcia and his assistants deteriorated over time in exchange for three months' salary, namely 360,000 euros gross.

Mickael Landreau signed a six-month contract with SC Bastia on December 23, 2012, with the option of an additional year if he remains in Ligue 1.

On the 20th day of the championship, he made his debut for the Corsican club in a trip to the Stade de Reims. The Corsicans won for the second time this season on the outside, this time by a score of two to one, with Mickael Landreau making several crucial saves.

In July 2013, he announced a one-year contract extension with the Bastia club, hoping to break Jean-Luc Ettori's record for the most L1 matches played (602 matches). He also hopes to cap off his career with a match (SC Bastia-FC Nantes), as he began in 1996.

On December 1, 2013, on the 15th day, he played his 602nd Ligue 1 match against Evian, equaling the record of Jean-Luc Ettori, who came to take part in his warm-up before the match for the occasion. For the first time, he was named captain of Sporting Bastia (2-0).

On December 13, during the Corsican derby on the 16th day of the championship against Ajaccio (1-1), he broke the record for the most Ligue 1 matches played with 603.

In the final match of the 2013-2014 season on May 11, 2014, he announced the end of his football career. This final game will be played against his training club, FC Nantes.

The game ends in a stalemate. Just like his debut against SC Bastia in the same Armand-Cesari stadium where he was born in broad daylight. On this occasion, it makes room for the 150 Nantes fans who made the trip.

An important fact about Mickaël Landreau is that he debuted in the blue jersey in 1994, at the age of 15, for the France under-16 team. He was later selected in all age categories and won the Toulon Tournament with France's under-20 team in 1997.

Between 1997 and 2002, he had 43 meetings with the hopes, making him the record holder for the most appearances in this category. He remembers his first selection in A, a 4-0 victory over Mexico in the Confederations Cup on June 3, 2001.

This was Landreau's first trophy with the Blues, and he repeated the feat two years later in the 2003 Confederations Cup. During this competition, he honored his second selection, the June 22, 2003 victory over New Zealand (5-0).

He was then one of twenty-three players chosen by Jacques Santini to play in Euro 2004, and then by Raymond Domenech to play in the 2006 World Cup as the third goalkeeper behind Fabien Barthez and Grégory Coupet.

Mickael Landreau has been unbeaten in the blue jersey for more than seven games (693 minutes), conceding his first goal only in his eighth cap, against Scotland (0-1 loss) at the Parc des Princes. On November 16, 2007, he will make his eleventh and final selection against

(draw 2-2).

He was pre-selected in the list of thirty players called to play in Euro 2008, but he did not make the final list.

On May 11, 2010, he was named to Raymond Domenech's list of thirty players to compete in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, but he was not among the twenty-three players chosen.

Later, Mickael Landreau explains that the coach had informed him in advance of his choice of Cédric Carrasso as the World Cup's number three goalkeeper.

Landreau, who has not been called up to the national team in more than two years, is among the players named by Didier Deschamps to play the first two matches of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers against Finland and Belarus on September 7 and September 11, 2012.

He then became the third goalkeeper for France, being replaced by Stephane Ruffier in the event of a package.

A few days after receiving an honorary UNFP trophy and announcing that he would retire at the end of the season, he was called up to Didier Deschamps' squad of twenty-three players to compete in the Cup. Brazil will host the 2014 World Cup.

The French reach the competition's quarter-finals before being eliminated by the Germans by a goal to nil. During his selections, Mickael Landreau only allowed three goals in eleven starts.

An important fact about Mickaël Landreau is that he obtained various coaching diplomas from the FFF while still active (initiator, senior animator, state certificate of sports educator first degree in 2003, second degree in 2010).

During his time at LOSC, he trained at the University of Lille-Faculty II's of Sports Sciences and Physical Education, where he validated his acquired knowledge through experience.

He holds a "STAPS master's degree, specialty training and optimization of sports performance, option training, and physical, nutritional, and mental preparations".

A few months after retiring from competition, he pursued the General Business Management program at the Paris-Europe Business School in order to change context and get out of the middle a little bit.

A notable fact about Mickaël Landreau is that he joined the staff of Paris FC, then relegated to National, for the 2016-2017 season as part of his preparation for the professional football coach patent.

Mickaël Landreau social media

Regarding

Mickaël Landreau social media

, it should be mentioned that he does not have any pages on any social media platforms.

Mickaël Landreau body measurements

Speaking about

Mickaël Landreau body measurements

, it should be mentioned that he is 184cm and 80kg.

Mickaël Landreau net worth and salary

Mickael Landreau's net worth

is estimated to be around $60 million, according to Wikipedia, Forbes, and Business Insider.

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