Alou Diarra

At 42 years old, Alou Diarra has this physical status:

Alou Diarra (born 15 July 1981) is a French former professional footballer. He was a France international from 2004 until 2012. As of the 2022–23 season, he is the manager of Troyes' under-19 side in the Championnat National U19.

He primarily played as a defensive midfielder, but could also deputise as a centre-back if necessary. Diarra is described as a player who is "strong, athletic and very powerful" and possesses a "combative edge" similar to former French international Patrick Vieira. He is also known for his leadership ability and has served as captain of both Bordeaux domestically and France internationally.

Diarra began his career playing for clubs based in Seine-Saint-Denis, such as CSL Aulnay and hometown club FC Villepinte. In 1997, he joined Louhans-Cuiseaux and made his professional debut with the club in the 1999–2000 season while the club was playing in the second division. In 2000, Diarra was recruited by German club Bayern Munich. He spent two years playing on the club's reserve team, Bayern Munich II. In 2002, he was signed by compatriot Gérard Houllier as part of the manager's French Revolution to play for English club Liverpool. Diarra's stint at the club was deemed a disappointment as he spent both years at the club on loan in France playing for Le Havre, Bastia, and Lens.

After a successful 2004–05 season with Lens, Diarra made a permanent return to France joining the club from Liverpool on a permanent deal. He spent two seasons at the club amassing over 70 appearances before signing with the then five-time defending champions Lyon. At Lyon, Diarra struggled for playing time and left the club to join Bordeaux after one year. He did earn a winner's medal as a result of the club winning the 2006–07 Ligue 1 title. With Bordeaux, Diarra was ever-present within the team under manager Laurent Blanc. He was a prominent figure on the Bordeaux team that won the league and league cup double in the 2008–09 season. Diarra has also won two Trophée des champions while playing for the club.

Diarra is also a France international. Prior to playing at senior level, he played at under-20 and under-21 level. With the under-20 team, Diarra played on the team that participated in the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship. He made his senior international debut in October 2004 in a friendly match against the Republic of Ireland. Diarra has participated in both the 2006 and 2010 editions of the FIFA World Cup. In the 2006 competition, he appeared in a group stage match against Togo and the final match against Italy as a substitute. In the 2010 edition, Diarra captained France for the first time in the team's final group stage match against South Africa.

Personal life

Diarra was born in the commune of Villepinte in the department of Seine-Saint-Denis to Malian parents. He has three younger brothers and one sister. One of his brothers, Zanké, is also a footballer and currently plays for French club Quevilly in the Championnat National, the third division of French football. He had previously played for the reserve team of professional club Paris Saint-Germain, but was released in 2010. Another brother, Idrissa, assists in running a social networking site that helps amateur footballers find a club. Diarra and his siblings were raised in the neighborhood of Rose des Vents located in the nearby commune of Aulnay-sous-Bois, where his parents still reside. He is currently married and has two children. On 28 May 2010, ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Diarra departed the national team's training camp to be beside his wife as she gave birth to his second child.

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Club career

Diarra began his football career with CSL Aulnay, a hometown club. Diarra, who spent six years in Aulnay, has returned to his hometown to join FC Villepinte. He struggled to capture the attention of professional clubs while attending clubs regularly in order to gain trials. Diarra was eventually refused many opportunities, most notably by Le Mans and, according to his brother, the struggle made the elder Diarra "very excited to succeed."

In 1997, Diarra was signed to an amateur contract by professional club CS Louhans-Cuiseaux, the second level of French football, and was drafted into the club's youth academy. In the 1998–99 season, Diarra was recruited to the club's reserve team and spent two seasons in the club's reserve team. He was called up to the senior team by boss Philippe Hinschberger in the second half of the 1999–2000 season. Diarra's debut in a 2–1 loss to Toulouse on April 15, 2000, netting a yellow card. He made his first professional appearance in the team's 3–2 loss to Niort two weeks later. Diarra received his first red card of his career in his last game against Le Mans after losing 21-0. Louhans-Cuiseaux completed the campaign in last place and was promoted to the semi-professional Championnat National, France's third division. Louhans-Cuiseaux continued to tie down Diarra on a long-term contract and offered the player a trainee contract until the season's end. Diarra refused the offer and was later offered a free transfer to any club.

After the club saw him play one match with Louhans-Cuiseaux during the summer of 2000, Diarra was signed by German club Bayern Munich. He was instantly drafted into Bayern Munich II, the club's reserve team, on the (then) third level of German football, upon his arrival at the club. Diarra was a regular member of the team, alongside Owen Hargreaves, Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger, and Zvjezdan Misimovi. In his first season with the reserve team, he played in 28 games, scoring four goals. In the first league match of the season against VfR Mannheim in a 4–2 loss, Diarra's presence in the team was immediate. His offensive style of play also began to develop during the campaign, with nine of them originating in the team's first 17 games. Ultimately, the season was a success for Diarra, owing in large part to player Steven Benning's promotion to the senior team for the 2001–02 season. He had been given the number 30 shirt.

Diarra started the 2001–02 season by making the bench in several of the team's league matches in August and September, but then lost out on the team's championships. He was cut from the club's reserve squad and appeared in four games before being promoted to the senior team for the 2001 Intercontinental Cup showdown with Boca Juniors. Diarra made the bench for the game but did not appear as Bayern defeated the match due to a extra time penalty from Samuel Kuffour. Diarra's win was his first major award of his career. He returned to the reserve team and then sustained an injury that required a lengthy absence. Shemann Gerland, the team's current manager, rejoined the team in March 2002 and made nine more appearances. Following the season, Diarra was offered a new three-year contract with the club, but the club turned down due to his limited playing time. Despite his rocky time with Bayern, which included failing to make an appearance with the club's senior team in 2009, Diarra said, "I have such fond memories of my time in Bayern." Bayern's general manager Uli Hoeneß said Diarra's ascension to prominence as a footballer is "one of the world's seven wonders." "I would have been surprised by Diarra's revival," Hoeneß said, "If anyone had told me [he will return for a UEFA Champions League match] five years ago and made a bet with me, I would have lost a fortune." Bayern have recovered more than €800,000 as a result of Diarra's future transfers after Diarra left the club in 2002 due to FIFA compensation regulations.

Liverpool revealed an interest in signing Diarra under new manager Gérard Houllier's direction, who had likened the player to Patrick Vieira on July 3, 2002. Liverpool also competed with Italian club Juventus and several French clubs. Liverpool revealed on July 9th that the club had signed the player from Bayern Munich. During the club's pre-season, Diarra agreed to a five-year contract and made his club debut against Le Havre. The match against Le Havre was played on a loan, and Diarra was on the verge of a loan transfer to the same club. The loan was approved on August 1st.

Diarra made his Le Havre debut on August 17, 2002, when Strasbourg remained as a replacement. He was a regular starter for the majority of the fall season, but after the winter break, he began mainly as a substitute. Diarra's labour controversies with Louhans-Cuiseaux came into prominence in September 2002 after the player's former club announced that he had been barred from playing in France for three years due to moving abroad without Louhans-Cuiseaux receiving a trainer's compensation. Louhans-Cuiseaux revealed the situation to FIFA, but Diarra, who had been allowed to continue his career with Le Havre, was ruled in favor of Diarra. In a 2–1 loss to Laval in the Coupe de France on January 25, 2003, Diarra scored his first professional goal, beating them 2–1 for his first goal. He had 28 total appearances in the campaign.

"I'm an optimist and I'm hoping to win my place in Anfield next season," Diarra said in the 2003 off-season. However, Houllier reported in July 2003 that Diarra will remain on loan in France, this time with Corsican club Bastia. Diarra was brought as a starter by boss Gérard Gili on his arrival in the club, and he paid immediate dividends in back-to-back weeks against Guingamp and a 4–1 loss to Auxerre in September. In Bastia's dramatic 4–1 victory over Marseille on March 7, he scored a goal on Saturday. Diarra also finished the year with 38 total appearances and four goals. After the season, Diarra returned to Liverpool for pre-season training, but not under his manager Houllier's direction, but under Spanish coach Rafael Bentez. As a result, he was on track to complete his third season as a result of a loan transfer. His non-inclusion on the club's roster for the North America tour was inevitable, and he was loaned to Lens on July 27, 2004.

Diarra was brought on by coach Jol Muller to help with the team's transition from Bastia as a starter. Diarra's season was a huge success for the team, as he was the only player to start every league match in which he played for the team. He was also a captain for the majority of the season. His regular appearances culminated in his call-up to the senior national team. In a 1-1 draw with Ajaccio, Diarra scored his first goal of the season. In the first minute of the game, he scored the goal. In the team's 2–0 win over Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes on February 6, 2005, Diarra scored the opener. With 37 appearances and two goals, he finished the season. Diarra also has 11 yellow cards.

After establishing himself as a top player in France and an international during the 2004–05 season, Bentez claimed that Diarra still had a future at Liverpool, saying, "I believe it's still early days for him," said the player, but it's encouraging news for us to see a young player doing so well. We'll be reminding everybody that if he continues to play well for his club and is a member of the national team. However, Diarra confessed in April 2005 that he planned to remain with Lens for the long run. Liverpool granted his request after Lens reached an agreement on a transfer fee that was ostensibly €3.2 million after the season ended. Diarra had no first-team appearances and only one club appearance in a pre-season friendly, ending his Liverpool career.

Diarra remained a starter at Lens but also maintained his consistency by playing in a career-high 44 games, scoring two goals and giving four assists. In a 2–1 away victory over Nancy and a 2–2 draw with Nice, he scored both goals. For the first time in his career, Diarra played in the UEFA Cup's 2005-06 season. In a UEFA Intertoto Cup second round tie against Polish side Lech Pozna, he made his European debut on July 3, 2005. After Lens reached the Round of 32, the club was defeated 3–1 on aggregate by Italian outfit Udinese, Diarra eventually played in ten games in the club's European campaign.

Following the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Diarra was linked with a transfer to Lyon, where he may reunite with former coach Gérard Houllier. Following Diarra's nameake's resignation, Mahamadou's departure, who moved to Real Madrid for a fee of €26 million, the change came to fruition on August 23, 2006. The transfer fee was €6.25 million, and Diarra was given the number 18 shirt. Diarra failed to make a mark at the club, with Houllier opting for the younger Jérémy Toulalan and Tiago Mendes as his starting defensive midfielder and box-to-box midfielder. In the team's 3–1 home victory over Lorient on September 16, he made his club debut late in the season. In the club's final UEFA Champions League group stage match against Romanian side Steaua București on December 6, 2006, Diarra scored his first goal for the club. The match came to a 1-1 draw. In the Coupe de la Ligue quarterfinals, he scored his second goal in the team's 3–1 victory over Nancy.

Following the winter break, Diarra suffered with a thigh injury and didn't appear for the team for nearly three months. He returned to the team in a 3–1 victory over Derby du Rhône rivals Saint-Étienne, who had been on the sideline in March 2007. During the season, Diarra lodged twice with regard to playing time, which culminated in Houllier equivocally questioning Diarra's ego. Houllier pulled Diarra from the squad to face Valenciennes the following day, then ordered him to play for the club's reserve team in the Champions de France amateur competition, the fourth level of French football. Diarra refused the orders, and Houllier said he was allegedly threatening not to play him for the remainder of the season. The Diarra's boss later said that they should offer an apology to him and the team. The defensive midfielder did not budge and, as a result, missed the team's next four league matches as well as the 2007 Coupe de la Ligue Final. In a 3–1 victory over Le Mans on April 28, Diarra returned to the team for the entire match. Lyon were crowned champions for the sixth straight season, with him repeating this feat in three of the team's last five games. Diarra's first league goal for the club, which resulted in a 3–0 victory over his former club Lens, was included in one of those three matches.

Diarra, who played for another club in 2006-07, was linked to English clubs Manchester City and Portsmouth. Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas announced in July 2007 that the club had accepted a bid from Portsmouth worth £5 million. However, Aulas later revealed that Diarra refused to leave France and rejoin Bordeaux, while Bordeaux stayed. Bordeaux announced the signing of Diarra on July 20th, following a week of talks. The midfielder had been signed to a four-year deal, and the transfer fee was €7.75 million. Diarra said his top reason for joining Bordeaux over Portsmouth was because Bordeaux "want to play for the first positions in Ligue 1, and I am attracted to it." Diarra was signed as a replacement for Rio Mavuba's departed city who migrated to Spain. Laurent Blanc's arrival to the club coincided with the introduction of former footballer Laurent Blanc as coach.

In a 1–0 league victory over his former club Lens receiving a yellow card, Diarra was given the number 4 shirt and made his competitive debut for the club on August 4th. In the club's 1–0 victory over Metz on August 29, he scored his first goal for the club. Diarra appeared in all 36 league games he played in for the entire season. He established strong midfield collaborations with box-to-box midfielders Alejandro Alonso and Fernando Menegazzo, who gave Diarra the opportunity to move the ball and defmantle incoming threats from the opposition. In Bordeaux's 4–3 victory over Derby de la Garonne rivals Toulouse on December 2, Diarra scored a goal.

During the season, Diarra was also involved in European competition with Bordeaux. During the club's UEFA Cup campaign, he appeared in four games. Bordeaux was eliminated by Belgian club Anderlecht on a 3–2 aggregate scoreline in the Round of 32. Bordeaux reached the quarter-finals of the Coupe de France. In all four matches that were played, Diarra appeared in all four matches, including 120 minutes in back-to-back rounds. He scored two more goals for the team, both of which came in the league's victories over Metz and Rennes. Bordeaux finished second in second place on the season, four points behind champions Lyon. It was the closest tie Lyon had faced since 2003-2004, when the club defeated Paris Saint-Germain by three points. Diarra had 44 total appearances and four goals on the season.

Diarra remained a starter in Bordeaux's 2008-09 season, but the arrival of the influential Yoann Gourcuff elevated Bordeaux. In the 2008 Trophée des Champions, he was part of Bordeaux's 5–4 victory on penalties. Bordeaux seized momentum by going undefeated in eight of its nine opening league matches. Diarra's first red card for the club, which culminated in a 1–0 victory over Grenoble after he received two yellow cards. Both infractions were caught within five minutes. Diarra's second team goal in Bordeaux's 4–3 victory over Monaco at the Stade Louis II on December 21, 2008. With 40 minutes to go in the match, Bordeaux had trailed 3–0. Bordeaux took the competition in the Coupe de la Ligue. Diarra was forced to miss the final match due to injuries, but she did participate in the semi-final match, a 3–0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain, which culminated in Bordeaux qualifying for the final. Diarra played in all six group stage matches in the 2008–09 edition of the UEFA Champions League, winning a goal against England club Chelsea in a 1–1 draw. Bordeaux was disqualified in the Round of 32 for the second time in the club's second straight season, despite the club's third-place finish in its group.

Diarra's only goal in Bordeaux's 1–0 victory over title rivals Lyon at the Stade de Gerland on April 19, 2009. The win helped the club create a distance between itself and Lyon. Bordeaux, later, went on a six-match winning streak to close out the season, with the club winning their sixth title and its first since 1999. Bordeaux also won its second double as a result of its league cup triumph. Diarra made a season-best 45 appearances and three goals.

Blanc tipped Diarra as his replacement for the armband ahead of the 2009–10 season, following captain Ulrich Ramé's departure as the starting goalkeeper. In a 2–0 victory over Guingamp, he began his silverware with Bordeaux on July 25, 2009. In a 3–0 victory over Nice, Diarra scored his first goal of the season. During the first two months of the campaign, Diarra was a fixture in the starting lineup, but he suffered with injuries from January to March. He missed the first leg of the team's Round of 16 tie with Greek club Olympiacos. Diarra returned to the team in the second leg, but after being suspended from the match in the second half due to two yellow card infractions, she was barred from the team for the second leg. Diarra would have missed the first leg of the team's quarter-final match against league rivals Lyon due to the ejection. On aggregate, Bordeaux lost the tie 3–2 on aggregate. Diarra returned to league action on March 13th, 2010 and spent the remainder of the season without missing just one game. Bordeaux suffered a dip in form in the spring season, resulting in Bordeaux's inability to defend or qualify for European competition due to injuries to Gourcuff and Marouane Chamakh's demise.

Diarra was heavily associated with a move to Marseille, France, prior to the 2010–11 season. Didier Deschamps, Marseille's manager, announced on July 14 that the club was in talks with both Diarra and Bordeaux for a swap. A week later, Bordeaux president Triaud said that Marseille had failed to fulfill the player's €7.75 million release clause, and that Diarra was unlikely to leave the club. Despite Marseille's continuing optimism that a deal would go through, a settlement was declared dead on July 30. Diarra later stated that he was content to stay in Bordeaux and see the remainder of his deal. In victories over Paris Saint-Germain and Lyon, the defensive midfielder began his new campaign by scoring two goals in the first six matches of the season.

Diarra was involved in a contentious controversy on October 16, 2010 that culminated in the player's suspension from playing league football for six matches. After receiving a yellow card from referee Wilfriend Bien in the team's 1–0 victory over Auxerre, Diarra responded by pushing the referee with both hands. He was immediately shown a red card and was suspended from the match. After walking off the field, Diarra turned back, walked across Bien and apologized for the confrontation. Diarra apologised again for the incident after the match. Laurent Blanc, Diarra's former coach, said he regretted it immediately as soon as he realized what he did, and he was aided by his new coach. Diarra had been banned for three matches until the Ligue de Football Professionnel's in November, but his suspension was reduced to six matches. Diarra returned to the team on Friday, but only in the first half of the team's 1–1 draw with Lille.

Diarra completed his long-anticipated change from Bordeaux to Marseille, agreeing to a three-year deal on July 4, 2011. The transfer fee was undisclosed, but it is estimated that it will be in the region of €5 million.

Diarra moved back to England in 2012 to join West Ham United on a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee. Diarra, who joined West Ham United, was delighted to join the club and was looking forward to play in the Premier League. In order to minimize the wage bill, chairman Vincent Labrune said he had been sold in order to minimize the wage bill.

In a 3–0 away loss to Swansea City that came as a 69th-minute replacement for Mohamed Diamé, Diarra made his West Ham debut on August 25th. Diarra's first team opportunities were limited shortly after he sustained a thigh strain during training in September. Diarra had a request to leave the club and chastised Sam Allardyce for refusing to inform his [Allardyce] team pick in January. Diarra also said that his stay at West Ham United has been a waste of time.

After the change, Diarra said he was tricked after his "well-known" agent lied to him to join West Ham United. After finishing Euro 2012, Diarra chastised West Ham United for his pre-season training schedule. Despite Diarra's remarks, the 2013–14 season saw him return to West Ham. He was hurt in his second game of the season, a League Cup match against Cheltenham Town, after 34 minutes, breaking his anterior cruciate ligament. Due to his injury, he was expected to miss the entire season. Diarra returned to action in 2013 in a 2–1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in the League Cup on December 18, 2013. On September 9, he left West Ham on a mutual decision to end his unsatisfaction with his term of one-year service.

Diarra joined Rennes on loan until the end of season on January 31, 2013 (the transfer deadline). Diarra made his debut on Monday, arriving as a replacement and assisting with debutant Axel Ngando, who scored his first goal for the club in a draw with Lorient, a few days after returning to France. After manager Frédéric Antonetti's media mocked him, Diarra made twelve appearances before returning to West Ham United, saying "he has not been able to give all that he could give" to him.

Diarra signed a two-one deal with Charlton Athletic on February 23, 2015, his first goal in a 2–1 loss to Millwall. He later signed a contract extension until the summer of 2016, with the option of an additional year. Diarra's Charlton deal was terminated by mutual consent and on account of his family's return to France.

After winning the 2015–16 Ligue 2 crown on a one-season basis, Diarra joined AS Nancy on September 1st, which was promoted to Ligue 1 after winning the 2015–16 Ligue 2 title on a one-year contract. In a 2–1 home loss to Paris Saint-Germain in a Ligue 1 match, Diarra scored Nancy's only goal after heading in Benoît Pedretti's free kick from the right in the 55th minute. It was his first Ligue 1 goal since scoring one for Olympique de Marseille in early 2012. At the end of the season, he left the club.

International career

Diarra, a former French youth international, has gained caps at under-20 and under-21 levels. Coach Raymond Domenech called him up for his first international youth call up in 2001 by helping him prepare for the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship. In the first group stage match, Diarra participated, beating Iran 5–0. Diarra was forced to leave early in the match against Iran in the 30th minute due to an injury. The injury was deemed serious, and Diarra skipped the remainder of the tournament. France was ultimately disqualified from the quarter-finals, losing 3–1 to a Javier Saviola-led Argentina. In a 1–0 victory over Egypt in April 2002, Diarra's only other confirmed appearance with the under-20 team was on a 1–0 win over Egypt.

In August 2002, Diarra was given his first call up to the under-21 squad for a friendly match against Cyprus. He made his debut in the match as France cruised to a 1–0 win. While France attempted to qualify for both the 2004 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship and the 2004 Summer Olympics, Diarra was active within the squad. France failed to qualify for both competitions, resulting in Diarra's youth career's coming to an end. He played in ten competitive matches for the team and scored his first goal in a 3–1 UEFA U21 tournament qualification victory over Israel. In December 2003, Diarra was called up to the Mali national team to compete in the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations. In order to continue his career with his home country France, Diarra turned down the opportunity to represent the country of his parents.

For the first time by Domenech, Diarra was selected to the senior national team in a friendly match against Bosnia and Herzegovina on August 13, 2004. He did not make his match debut in the tournament, but he was admitted to the team again in October for the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against the Republic of Ireland and Cyprus. In a 0–0 draw, Diarra's debut in the match against Ireland as a substitute for Olivier Dacourt. Following France's qualification for the tournament, he spent a considerable time with the team in World Cup qualification, mainly as a replacement for either Patrick Vieira or Claude Makélélé, and after France's qualification for the tournament, he was selected to the team to compete in the competition. Diarra participated in two matches during the tournament. In Vieira's last group stage match against Togo, he appeared as a replacement and repeated this in the team's final match against Italy. In a penalty shootout, France lost the final 5–3 results, something Diarra did not partake in.

Diarra was out of the national team for nearly two years after playing in a friendly match against Greece in November 2006, partly due to his inability to play time in Lyon. He missed UEFA Euro 2008, as a result, but he was not drafted into the competition's preliminary squad. Diarra, who recovered his form at Bordeaux, has joined the team and appeared in seven 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches. He was later selected to compete in his second consecutive FIFA World Cup. France suffered a turbulent campaign after the players went on strike in reaction to France's displeasure over the expulsion of striker Nicolas Anelka from the team. Diarra was awarded captaincy for the first time in his international career, despite the team's humiliating of South Africa.

Diarra was one of several players retained by new coach Laurent Blanc, his former boss. After missing the 2010 friendly due to injury, he rejoined the team in September, winning by a score in 2–0 victories over Bosnia and Herzegovina and Romania. In both games, Diarra was captain. In a 1–0 victory over Brazil on February 9, he captained the team for the fifth time in his career. Despite that Blanc has yet to announce a permanent captain, Diarra has been named the most likely to land the armband by several French news outlets.

Coaching career

Diarra was hired as an assistant coach for the club's under-19 team in 2018. He served as an assistant for the reserve team and then as a coach for the club's senior team, Franck Haise, in 2020. In 2022, Diarra left Lens and became the manager of the under-19 team of the Championnat National U19, Troyes.

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