Where are they now Mikel Arteta's debut XI?
We recently did a first and last game illustration of Mikel Arteta's career now we look at what happened to the Arsenal managers former teammates on his debut against AC Milan.
GK Lionel Létizi - In goals that night in Milan was a man who played four times for France. Lionel Létizi the former Metz goalkeeper joined PSG at the start of the season and would go onto play 147 times for Paris. He left in the summer of 2006 to join Scottish giants Rangers, Létizi had a horrible time in Glasgow only making 7 appearances for the Gers before joining and retiring at his boyhood club OGC Nice.
Létizi now works as a coach for OGC Nice’s academy players.
LB Didier Domi - Left-back Didier Domi had just returned to Paris for his second stint with the club after leaving to join Newcastle United. Domi struggled for game time he played for Leeds United, Espanyol and made the most appearances in his career for Greek side Olympiacos before a short stint with MLS side New England Revolution.
Didier currently works as a pundit for BeIN sports in Qatar.
CB Frédéric Déhu - Another who just joined Arteta’s debut year after leaving FC Barcelona to return home to France for more playing time. Déhu played 118 times for Le PSG before leaving to join Marseille in 2004, then to Spain retiring with Levante in the 2006-2007 season.
Déhu currently makes some media appearances talking about French football.
CB Aliou Cissé - Partnering Déhu was Senegalese international Cissé who made one of his 43 appearances for PSG on this night. The Senegalese captain led his country to the quarter-final of the 2002 World Cup. Aliou played for the likes of Birmingham and Portsmouth in the Premier League before retiring back in France with Nimes.
Cissé is now the manager of the Senegalese national team.
RB Bernard Mendy - Lifelong Paris Saint-Germain fan Mendy lived his dream playing for Paris 189 times before leaving to become a journeyman of the game. Playing for the likes of Hull City, OB in Denmark and AEL Limassol in Cyprus.
Mendy is the Assistant Manager of PSG’s women’s team.
LM Édouard Cissé - Left Midfield in the San Siro was occupied by Édouard Cissé who was on the Parisians books from 1997-2007. Spending loans at Rennes, West Ham and Champions League finalists AS Monaco before switching permanently to Besiktas of Turkey.
Cissé works in the media discussing PSG and French football.
CM Pierre Ducrocq - Partnering Mikel in Milan was Pierre Ducrocq who made 104 appearances for PSG, his most notable time after Paris was with Le Havre. Pierre retired after a herniated disc whilst playing in Greece for Kavala.
Ducrocq is now a football agent with the company Kemari who boast clients such as Thomas Lemar of Atletico Madrid.
RM Sylvain Distin - On the right of Arteta was English Premier League legend Sylvain Distin. 23-year-old Distin played his only season at PSG before a loan move to Newcastle and a permanent switch in 2002 to Manchester City. Distin also played for Portsmouth, Everton and finally retiring in 2016 at Bournemouth, winning a sole FA Cup with Pompey. Sylvain holds the record for most appearances for a non-British outfield player with 469 Premier League outings.
Distin is now enjoying retirement and makes sporadic media appearances discussing the Premier League.
CAM Ali Benarbia - Ali Benarbia played one of his 42 PSG games on this valentines night against AC Milan. The Algerian would later play for Manchester City before finishing his career in Qatar.
Benarbia is currently a presenter for Al-Jazeera Sports in Qatar.
CF Nicolas Anelka - most football fans will be aware of Nicolas Anelka a divisive individual to say the least and never too far from controversy, but Anelka was an incredibly talented player and his career spanned 13 clubs.
Anelka recently had his own Netflix documentary produced, he was player-manager for Shanghai Shenhua in China & Mumbai City FC in India. Anelka now works as a youth coach for French club Lille.