Mathieu Bodmer

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Mathieu Bodmer

| image = Bodmer (Lille vs PSG).png

| caption = Bodmer with Paris Saint-Germain in 2010

| full_name = Mathieu Alain Daniel Bodmer{{cite web |url=https://www.bdfutbol.com/en/j/j82473.html |title=Bodmer: Career path |website=BDFutbol |access-date=15 April 2025}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1982|11|22|df=y}}{{cite news |url=https://www.lequipe.fr/Football/FootballFicheJoueur5000000000000000000010668.html |title=Mathieu Bodmer |newspaper=L'Équipe |location=Paris |access-date=15 April 2025 |language=fr}}

| birth_place = Évreux, Eure, France

| height = 1.90 m

| position = Midfielder

| currentclub = Le Havre (sporting director)

| youthyears1 = 1997–1998

| youthclubs1 = Évreux FC

| youthyears2 = 1998–2000

| youthclubs2 = Caen

| years1 = 2000–2003

| clubs1 = Caen

| caps1 = 80

| goals1 = 4

| years2 = 2003–2007

| clubs2 = Lille

| caps2 = 135

| goals2 = 18

| years3 = 2007–2010

| clubs3 = Lyon

| caps3 = 68

| goals3 = 7

| years4 = 2010–2013

| clubs4 = Paris Saint-Germain

| caps4 = 63

| goals4 = 6

| years5 = 2013

| clubs5 = → Saint-Étienne (loan)

| caps5 = 14

| goals5 = 2

| years6 = 2013–2017

| clubs6 = Nice

| caps6 = 80

| goals6 = 5

| years7 = 2017

| clubs7 = Guingamp

| caps7 = 10

| goals7 = 0

| years8 = 2017–2020

| clubs8 = Amiens

| caps8 = 48

| goals8 = 3

| totalcaps = 498

| totalgoals = 45

| nationalyears1 = 2002

| nationalteam1 = France U21

| nationalcaps1 = 1

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalyears2 = 2008

| nationalteam2 = France B

| nationalcaps2 = 1

| nationalgoals2 = 0

}}

Mathieu Alain Daniel Bodmer (born 22 November 1982) is a French former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.{{Soccerway|2058}}{{cite web|title=Bodmer retires|work=Ligue1 |url=https://www.ligue1.com/Articles/NEWS/2020/06/24/bodmer-retires|accessdate=26 June 2020}} A former French youth international, he is known for his technique, playmaking skills and striking ability.{{cite web|title=Joueur - Mathieu BODMER|url=https://www.fff.fr/equipes-de-france/tous-les-joueurs/fiche-joueur/163-mathieu-bodmer|accessdate=26 June 2020}}

Club career

=Early career=

Bodmer began his professional career at Évreux AC (now Évreux FC) at the age of 14. In 1998, he moved to Stade Malherbe Caen, a club in the second division of French football, where he made his debut in 2000. He played in 24 matches that season and by the end of the 2002–03 season, he had played in 79 matches for the club, scoring a total of four goals. His hard-working performances helped Caen keep a mid-table position in the league. Following the season, he joined first division club Lille OSC for €1 million.{{citation needed|date=April 2025}}

=Lille=

The 2003–04 season served as an auspicious introduction to top league football, where Bodmer played against the likes of Michael Essien. He earned 33 appearances for the first-team in his debut season, scoring two goals; however, in the 2004–05 season, Lille enjoyed an impressive second-place finish giving them a place in the UEFA Champions League. They were considered minnows in that competition{{Citation needed|date=April 2008}}, but Bodmer, as a holding midfielder, helped Lille achieve a draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford.{{citation needed|date=April 2025}}

His impressive performances earned the interest of Arsène Wenger, manager of Arsenal, who had considered buying him in the spring of 2005,[https://web.archive.org/web/20060111093040/http://www.uefa.com/competitions/UCL/Players/Player=57407/index.html UEFA official website] but he was rebuffed by Lille president Michel Seydoux. Periodically, he was linked with other big-name clubs, including Manchester United.[http://home.skysports.com/list.asp?hlid=374131&CPID=24&clid=&lid=&title=Bodmer+still+unsure+of+future Sky Sports – "Bodmer still unsure of future"]{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} He did sign a contract extension at Lille in December 2005, extending his stay at the club until 2011. Despite signing a new contract, Bodmar does admit that he had interests playing in The Premiership in the future.{{cite news|title=Bodmer confirms Prem desire|url=http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11667/2395063/|publisher=Sky Sports|date=10 November 2005}} In the 2006–07 Champions League at the group stage, Bodmer provided two assists for Peter Odemwingie and Kader Keïta to score in a 2–0 win over the seven times UEFA Champion League winner A.C. Milan on 6 December 2006.{{citation needed|date=April 2025}}

=Lyon=

File:Mathieu bodmer.jpg

On 14 June 2007, Lyon officially announced that they would be unveiling Kader Keïta and Bodmer to the media, the pair having already passed their medicals at the Stade Gerland.{{Cite web |url=http://www.olweb.fr/index.php?lng=fr&a=33651&pid=101002 |title=Présentation de Bodmer et Keïta samedi matin |access-date=15 June 2007 |archive-date=24 May 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240524095815/https://www.webcitation.org/5hNmjPy5V?url=http://www.olweb.fr/index.php%3Flng=fr |url-status=dead }} On 16 June 2007, Lyon confirmed the signing of Bodmer from Lille for a €6.5 million fee. Bodmer was given the number 5 shirt, previously worn by Caçapa.{{Cite web |url=http://www.olweb.fr/index.php?lng=fr&a=33651&pid=101002 |title=Bodmer et Keïta signent pour 4 ans |access-date=15 June 2007 |archive-date=24 May 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240524095815/https://www.webcitation.org/5hNmjPy5V?url=http://www.olweb.fr/index.php%3Flng=fr |url-status=dead }}[https://www.lequipe.fr/Football/breves2007/20070616_123125Dev.html Foot – L1 – Lyon – Keïta et Bodmer ont signé] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110518185709/http://www.lequipe.fr/Football/breves2007/20070616_123125Dev.html |date=18 May 2011 }} Bodmer made his Ligue 1 debut for Lyon in Lyon's second match day loss to Toulouse. He played the full 90 minutes. Bodmer scored his first goal on 29 August 2007 against Sochaux in Lyon's 2–1 win. It was the game-winning goal.{{citation needed|date=April 2025}}

In February 2008, he scored two goals in one league game for the first time of his career against Sochaux, in a 4–2 victory. Exactly one month later, he shone against Lyon's direct competitor for the league title, Bordeaux, again netting two goals in another 4–2 win. The second of those goals was particularly spectacular. Chesting down an aerial pass, Bodmer chipped the ball over his opponent Souleymane Diawara and again controlled it on his chest before firing acrobatically past goalkeeper Ulrich Ramé. Former Marseille midfielder Franck Sauzée, commenting the game as a TV pundit for Canal+, praised Bodmer for his technique and elegance.

In his successful first season in Lyon, the former Lille midfielder was part of a team that conquered a Ligue 1-Coupe de France double for the first time in the club's history. Unfortunately, it would turn out to be Bodmer's best season with the club. In the summer of 2008, Claude Puel, his former coach in Lille, was appointed as the new club manager. Puel did not fancy deploying his former protégé in midfield and preferred playing him in defence, where he was less efficient. After leaving the club, Bodmer admitted that the relationship between Puel and him was a tense one, and had been so ever since their days in Lille.{{citation needed|date=April 2025}}

To make matters worse, between 2008 and 2010, Bodmer was plagued by injuries, another factor that made him unable to reproduce the fine form he had displayed in his first season with Les Gônes. Thus, he made just 31 league appearances during the 2008–09 and 2009–10 seasons, less than the 37 he had managed in 2007–08. During those two seasons, Lyon failed to win any silverware. In the 2009–10 Champions League quarter final, Bodmer provided his first assist for Lyon in the Champions League to allow striker Lisandro López to score the first goal in the game against French side Bordeaux in the 3–1 win and also played in the second leg which they lost 1–0. Lyon managed to win 3–2 on aggregate to go through to the semi-final the first time after three previous quarter-final appearances in the Champions League. Unfortunately, Lyon didn't reach to the final after losing to Bayern Munich.{{citation needed|date=April 2025}}

=Paris Saint-Germain=

On 30 June 2010, Paris Saint-Germain signed the French midfielder to a three-year deal from Ligue 1 rival Olympique Lyonnais for €2.5 million plus €1.5 million variableshttp://www.actusnewswire.com/documents/ACTUS-0-3728-OL-DDR-OL-GB-2009-2010-version-definitive.pdf OL GROUPE Reference Document 2009-2010 and becoming PSG first signing of the summer. Bodmer thus joined the club he had supported as a boy. Ironically, he would go on to score his first goal for his new colours against his former club, in a Coupe de la Ligue fixture.{{citation needed|date=April 2025}}

Bodmer made his debut in a Paris Saint-Germain shirt as PSG won 2–1 against Saint-Étienne on 8 August 2010. Bodmer scored his first goal for PSG in a 3–1 victory over Brest on 5 December 2010. Bodmer enjoyed a solid first season in the French capital. He was often deployed by his new coach Antoine Kombouaré in his favourite position: attacking midfielder behind the striker(s). In this position, he managed to showcase his skills and scored 10 goals in 42 appearances, all competitions included. This tally included a beautiful individual effort against former club and champions elect Lille at the Parc des Princes in May 2011. For the first time since 2007–08, Bodmer managed to make more than 20 league appearances in one season, being called to action during 28 league games in all.{{citation needed|date=April 2025}}

File:Mathieu Bodmer.jpg

In his second season, Paris Saint-Germain change it ownership with the arrival of Qatar Investment Authority and Leonardo Araújo. Bodmer scored the only goal in the game with a 1–0 win over Saint-Étienne on 21 December 2011, putting PSG in the top of the table. Bodmer still continued to player under coach Kombouaré despite new signing until on 30 December 2011 Kombouaré was sacked and was replaced by Carlo Ancelotti. Under Ancelotti, Bodmer was a regular starter and was appointed vice-captain (taking over from Ceará. Bodmer became captain in occasion while Mamadou Sakho was absent.{{cite news|title=Bodmer, une carte à jouer|url=http://www2.lequipe.fr/redirect-v6/homes/Football/breves2012/20120113_231730_bodmer-une-carte-a-jouer.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217114952/http://www2.lequipe.fr/redirect-v6/homes/Football/breves2012/20120113_231730_bodmer-une-carte-a-jouer.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 February 2012|publisher=L'Equipe|language=French|date=14 January 2012|accessdate=19 July 2012}}{{cite news|title=PSG: Mathieu Bodmer est désigné vice-capitaine par Ancelotti|url=http://www.chronofoot.com/psg/psg-mathieu-bodmer-est-designe-vice-capitaine-par-ancelotti_art24660.html|publisher=Chronofoot|language=French|date=13 January 2012|accessdate=19 July 2012}} In the Europa League, Bodmer scored two goals against Red Bull Salzburg and Athletic Bilbao respectively but Paris Saint-Germain were eliminated from the group stage. In 2012, Bodmer revealed he wants Paris Saint-Germain to offer him a new long-term deal or he will leave in the summer as his contract set to end in June 2013 and worried about what his future could be if he lets his contract run down.{{cite news|title=Bodmer issues PSG ultimatum|url=http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/12691/7528266/Bodmer-issues-PSG-ultimatum|publisher=Sky Sports|date=17 February 2012|accessdate=15 April 2012}} Later in the season, PSG was second place in table behind Montpellier.{{citation needed|date=April 2025}}

=Saint-Étienne (loan)=

The following season, Bodmer featured less often at PSG behind midfielders Blaise Matuidi and Thiago Motta, and made fewer appearances for PSG. On the last day of the transfer window, Bodmer joined Saint-Étienne on loan for the rest of the season.{{cite news|title=Official: Bodmer joins Saint-Etienne on loan from PSG|url=http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2892/transfer-zone/2013/02/01/3717419/official-bodmer-joins-saint-etienne-on-loan-from-psg|publisher=Goal.com|date=1 February 2013|accessdate=6 February 2013}} Bodmer scored his first goal, on 9 February 2013, in a 4–1 win over Montpellier, and it was his first goal in two years.{{cite news|title=St-Étienne win to boost European hopes|url=http://www.uefa.com/memberassociations/association=fra/news/newsid=1917058.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130213060837/http://www.uefa.com/memberassociations/association=fra/news/newsid=1917058.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=13 February 2013|publisher=UEFA|date=9 February 2012|access-date=11 February 2013}}

=Nice=

On 11 September 2013, Paris Saint-Germain announced that Bodmer was allowed to leave the club,{{Cite web | url=http://www.psg.fr/fr/Actus/101001/Breve/63349/Mathieu-Bodmer-quitte-Paris | title=PSG.FR - Site officiel du Paris Saint-Germain | work=Paris Saint-Germain - PSG | date=21 June 2023 }} he subsequently joined fellow Ligue 1 side OGC Nice, he was given the number 24 shirt.{{Cite web | url=http://www.ogcnice.com/fr/actualite/18015/mathieu-bodmer-est-nicois | title=Mathieu Bodmer est niçois }} Bodmer debuted on 15 September 2013, against Lille OSC, winning 2–0.{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2013/09/15/france/ligue-1/lille-olympique-sporting-club-metropole/olympique-gymnaste-club-de-nice-cote-dazur/1479090/ |title=Lille vs. Nice 0 - 2 (9/15/13) |date=15 September 2013}}

After club captain Didier Digard left for Real Betis on a free transfer at the end of the 2014–15 season, Mendy was named captain.{{cite web |url=http://www.realbetisbalompie.es/en/noticias/last-news/4931/el-real-betis-firma-didier-digard-para-las-tres-pr/ |title=Real Betis signs Didier Digard for the next three seasons |date=8 July 2015 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160817161043/http://www.realbetisbalompie.es/en/noticias/last-news/4931/el-real-betis-firma-didier-digard-para-las-tres-pr/ |archivedate=17 August 2016 |df=dmy-all }}

Bodmer was released by Nice on 9 January 2017. The club were unable to guarantee Bodmer the game time he wanted in the second half of the 2016–17 Ligue 1 season and this led to the pair agreeing to a mutual termination.{{cite web|url=http://www.ogcnice.com/en/news/28957/le-gym-and-bodmer-decide-to-go-separate-ways |title=LE GYM AND BODMER DECIDE TO GO SEPARATE WAYS |work=OGC Nice |date= 9 January 2017}}

International career

Bodmer was called up to the senior France team in March 2008{{cite news|title=France call up 4 new caps|url=http://www.news24.com/xArchive/Sport/Soccer/France-call-up-4-new-caps-20080320|accessdate=31 August 2015|publisher=news24.com|date=20 March 2008}} but was ultimately never capped at that level.{{citation needed|date=April 2025}}

Later career

Between 2009-2013, Bodmer served as president of amateur French club Évreux FC 27, located in his hometown. Due to his good commitment as a president of Évreux FC, Bodmer was awarded a Social engagement and citizen of the professional player.{{cite news|title=Le palmarès de la 4ème édition des Trophées|url=http://www.fff.fr/presentationfff/fondation/541699_le-palmares-de-la-4eme-edition-des-trophees|publisher=FFD|language=French|date=28 April 2012|accessdate=19 July 2012|archive-date=20 August 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120820210117/http://www.fff.fr/presentationfff/fondation/541699_le-palmares-de-la-4eme-edition-des-trophees|url-status=dead}}

After his retirement in 2020, Bodmer worked as a pundit for Amazon Prime Video and RMC. In June 2022, Bodmer was hired as sporting director for Ligue 2 club Le Havre AC.[http://www.hac-foot.com/actualite/hac-un-nouvel-elan-sportif.html HAC, un nouvel élan sportif], hac-foot.com, 20 June 2022

Personal life

Bodmer is the father of the professional footballer Mathéo Bodmer.{{cite web|title=Mathéo Bodmer veut tracer son propre sillon|url=https://actu.fr/normandie/caen_14118/football-matheo-bodmer-veut-tracer-son-propre-sillon_42473680.html|date=11 June 2021|access-date=14 September 2021}}

Honours

Lille

UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2004{{Cite web |url=http://www.uefa.com/competitions/IntertotoCup/FixturesResults/Round%3D1960/Match%3D79337/Report%3DMS.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041011164314/http://www.uefa.com/competitions/IntertotoCup/FixturesResults/Round%3D1960/Match%3D79337/Report%3DMS.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 October 2004 |title=Leiria 0-2 Lille (Aggregate: 0-2)|publisher=UEFA |access-date=15 June 2020}}

Lyon