Pierre-Alain Frau

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Pierre-Alain Frau

| image = Pierre Alain Frau contre Valence.jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Frau in 2009

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1980|4|15|df=y}}

| birth_place = Montbéliard, France

| height = 1.75 m

| position = Striker, winger

| currentclub =

| years1 = 1997–2004 | clubs1 = Sochaux | caps1 = 207 | goals1 = 75

| years2 = 2004–2006 | clubs2 = Lyon | caps2 = 51 | goals2 = 9

| years3 = 2005–2006 | clubs3 = → Lens (loan) | caps3 = 24 | goals3 = 6

| years4 = 2006–2008 | clubs4 = Paris Saint-Germain | caps4 = 49 | goals4 = 7

| years5 = 2008–2011 | clubs5 = Lille | caps5 = 119 | goals5 = 29

| years6 = 2011–2012 | clubs6 = Caen | caps6 = 32 | goals6 = 6

| years7 = 2012–2013 | clubs7 = Al-Wakrah | caps7 = 20 | goals7 = 5

| years8 = 2013–2014 | clubs8 = Sochaux | caps8 = 7 | goals8 = 0

| totalcaps = 509

| totalgoals = 137

| nationalyears1 = 2001–2002

| nationalteam1 = France U21

| nationalcaps1 = 8

| nationalgoals1 = 3

| manageryears1 = 2023 | managerclubs1 = Sochaux

| medaltemplates = {{Medal|Sport|Men's football}}

{{medal|Country|{{fb|FRA}}}}

}}

Pierre-Alain Frau (born 15 April 1980) is a French former professional footballer. He played as a striker or winger for Sochaux (two spells), Lyon, Lens, Paris Saint-Germain, Lille, and Caen in France and for Al-Wakrah.

Career

Nicknamed PAF after his initials, Frau was born on 15 April 1980 in Montbéliard, France, where he became a young find of his hometown club FC Sochaux-Montbéliard, and it was there he got his first opportunity to play in the France national league.

After completing what would have been a prospective move to Lyon from Montbéliard, he found his playing time in the 2004–05 season hampered by the presence of other established frontmen like Sylvain Wiltord, Nilmar and later, John Carew. Realising that it was a World Cup year with a slim chance to catch the attention of national coach Raymond Domenech, Frau secured a half-season loan to RC Lens, but failed to make the cut to the final France squad. Frau was called up to the senior France squad by Raymond Domenech in August 2004 but did not make it off the bench.{{cite news|title=Zidane quits French national team|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2004/SPORT/football/08/12/zidane.retirement/|accessdate=20 October 2016|publisher=cnn.com|date=12 August 2004}} For the following season, RC Lens wanted to keep him in Lens, but Frau preferred a move to Paris Saint-Germain. The transfer fee was not disclosed, but Olympique Lyonnais priced the striker at £4 million.