A skilful, energetic left-sided midfielder who has enjoyed sustained club success with both Olympique Lyonnais and, for the past five years, Chelsea FC, Florent Malouda is the most experienced international in Laurent Blanc's squad and made nine starts in UEFA EURO 2012 qualification, scoring three goals.

• Born in French Guiana, Malouda played lower-league football for LB Châteauroux before joining Ligue 1 outfit EA Guingamp, where he would play alongside Didier Drogba, in 2000; signed in 2003 by Lyon, where he won four consecutive titles.

• First capped by France in November 2004; left out of the 2006 FIFA World Cup opener against Switzerland but started every subsequent match and earned the penalty with which Zinédine Zidane opened scoring in the final against Italy.

• Voted French footballer of the year in 2007; subsequently became the third holder of the prize in four years to leave Ligue 1 for Chelsea − after Drogba and Michael Essien.

• Scored on his Chelsea debut against Manchester United FC in the 2007 FA Community Shield and, despite initially struggling to settle, ended the season in the starting XI for the 2008 UEFA Champions League final; came off the bench in the 2012 showpiece against FC Bayern München.

• Found top form in the second half of 2008/09 under temporary coach Guus Hiddink, winning the FA Cup and signing a two-year contract extension; earned his 50th international cap in the second leg of the FIFA 2010 World Cup qualifying play-off against the Republic of Ireland.

• On target 15 times in all competitions in 2009/10 as Chelsea won the Premier League and FA Cup and top scored for the Blues the following campaign with 13 top-flight goals.

UEFA honours
UEFA Champions League: runner-up 2008, winner 2012