Claude Makelele Bio Send To Friend  

Now firmly in veteran status, Makelele is entering the final years of a superb career.

Perhaps the finest holding midfielder of recent years, Makelele has made a career out of keeping it simple and protecting the back four.

His importance to Chelsea is shown that he is just about always the first name on their teamsheet when they play the big games in the Champions League; still the holy grail for Roman Abramovich.

Makelele joined Chelsea from Real Madrid for an undisclosed fee, around £16.6million, on transfer deadline day in September 2003.

It ended a battle to get the French international to Stamford Bridge after he had become disillusioned with life at the Bernabeu. Despite being one of their most important players, he earned just a fraction of wages of the likes of Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo.

The Democratic of Congo-born player moved to Epinay-sous-Sinart, France, with family in 1977. He began his career with Brest in 1990 before signing for Nantes in 1992.

Makelele enjoyed five successful seasons with Nantes - during which the club reached the semi-finals of the Champions League and won the French title.

In 1997, he moved to Marseille before Celta Vigo paid £1.7million for him in the summer of 1998. But Makelele missed out on the France squad for the 1998 World Cup.

Real Madrid then moved in for him two years later, sealing a £9million deal, and he enjoyed a glittering spell with the club.

With Real, he twice won the Spanish title, as well as the Champions League and the European Super Cup, and also played in the 2002 World Cup for his country.

Makelele made his Chelsea debut in a 4-2 win over London rivals Tottenham Hotspur and settled into life in the Premiership very quickly.

Makelele starred in 2004/05 under Jose Mourinho as Chelsea won the Premiership and the Carling Cup, and he signed a new contract at the end of the campaign.

Makelele picked up another Premiership medal in May 2006 and was then part of the France side which lost to Italy in the World Cup final. He bid farewell to the international scene after Euro 2008 after a pathetic showing from a poor France team.