Four times a Premier League champion with Manchester United FC, Patrice Evra is universally regarded as one of the best left-backs in the game. Technically gifted and quick, the Senegalese-born player will be hoping to make amends for Les Bleus at UEFA EURO 2012 after a forgettable 2010 FIFA World Cup.

• Evra was raised in the suburbs of Paris but left Paris Saint-Germain FC's youth academy for an unconventional start to his career in Italy as a winger with Marsala Calcio.

• Returned to France after a brief stint in Serie B with AC Monza, joining OGC Nice; moved on to AS Monaco FC, where he quickly established himself in Didier Deschamps' progressive side, starting all 13 matches of a debut European campaign which ended in defeat by FC Porto in the 2004 UEFA Champions League final.

• Made his debut for France in Raymond Domenech's first game in charge – against Bosnia and Herzegovina – but there was no place for him at the 2006 FIFA World Cup; eventually broke through at UEFA EURO 2008 and held his place in 2010 World Cup qualifying, going on to captain his country in two fixtures at the finals.

• Joined Manchester United in January 2006, five days after Nemanja Vidić; had a mixed start to life in England but was outstanding in the club's hat-trick of Premier League titles from 2006-09.

• Made ten starts in the 2007/08 UEFA Champions League, including the final, as United won the trophy at Chelsea FC's expense in Moscow; was a losing finalist versus FC Barcelona in Rome a year later and again in 2011.

• Missed only a handful of games in 2010/11 as United won a record 19th English league title.

UEFA honours
UEFA Champions League: winner 2008; runner-up 2004, 2009, 2011
UEFA.com users' Team of the Year: 2009