A nimble, energetic left-back with sound positional sense and excellent passing ability, Gaël Clichy has had an international career checked by the presence of Patrice Evra and Éric Abidal. However, his claims for a place in France's UEFA EURO 2012 team were boosted by an impressive title-winning season at Manchester City FC.

• Born in Toulouse, Clichy started out in the French third tier with AS Cannes, the club that launched the careers of Zinédine Zidane and Patrick Vieira, before joining Arsenal FC shortly after his 18th birthday.

• Made 12 league appearances in his first season, 2003/04, becoming the youngest player to earn a Premier League winners' medal as the Gunners went through the whole campaign undefeated.

• Remained as deputy left-back to Ashley Cole over the next two seasons but both were injured for most of 2005/06 as Arsenal reached the UEFA Champions League final, for which Clichy was a non-playing substitute.

• Became first-choice left-back after Cole's move to Chelsea FC, making 27 Premier League appearances in 2006/07 and all 38 in 2007/08; also figured prominently in the UEFA Champions League as Arsenal won through to the quarter-finals in 2007/08 and 2009/10 and the semi-finals in 2008/09.

• A French youth and Under-21 international, the full-back received his first senior cap on 10 September 2008 in an important FIFA World Cup qualifier at home to Serbia.

• Made one further appearance in the campaign − against Austria in October 2009 − as well as a solitary outing at the finals in Les Bleus' last group game, but was a regular for the start of UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying.

• Ended his eight-year stay at Arsenal with a move to Manchester City in July 2011 and made 28 appearances as the Citizens won the English top flight for the first time since 1968.

UEFA honours
UEFA Champions League: runner-up 2006