Clubs: LOSC Lille Métropole, AJ Auxerre, Olympique de Marseille

UEFA honours
UEFA European Under-18 Championship: winner 2000

• Cheyrou signed for Lille as a youth and was later joined there by his elder brother Bruno; made his senior debut − in the second division − on 6 February 2000 against SC Bastia, aged 18, and won the UEFA European Under-18 title in Germany with France.

• Achieved promotion to Ligue 1 in his first season with Lille and remained at the club until 2004, making 98 top-flight appearances.

• Moved on to Auxerre, where he spent the next three seasons and played another 98 Ligue 1 matches; he also appeared regularly in European competition and helped his side win the 2005 Coupe de France.

• Followed in the footsteps of brother Bruno when he joined Marseille in 2007; proved an instant hit at Stade Vélodrome, earning a place in the Ligue 1 Team of the Season in each of his first three campaigns.

• Scored five goals in 32 appearances as Marseille won the French championship in 2009/10, finding the net in away draws at Olympique Lyonnais (5-5) and defending champions FC Girondins de Bordeaux (1-1); made his 300th Ligue 1 appearance in the opening game of 2010/11.