Claude Makélélé Sinda

Claude Makélélé Sinda, born on February 18, 1973, is a football manager and former professional player known for his role as a defensive midfielder. Regarded as one of the greatest defensive midfielders of all time, Makélélé has left an indelible mark on the game. He is credited with redefining the defensive midfield role in English football, and the position is colloquially known as the "Makélélé Role" in homage to his influence.

Playing Career:

Early Career:

Makélélé, born in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo), moved to Savigny-le-Temple, a suburb of Paris, at the age of four. His father, André-Joseph Makélélé, was also a football player. At the age of 15, Makélélé joined Sporting Melun-Dammarie 77, and at 16, he joined the training center of Brest-Armorique in Brittany. His breakthrough came when he was recruited by FC Nantes in December 1991, starting his professional career.

Celta Vigo:

After playing for Nantes and winning the French championship in 1995, Makélélé moved to Celta Vigo, where he spent two successful seasons. Celta achieved historic victories in the UEFA Cup during his time there.

Real Madrid:

In 2000, Makélélé joined Real Madrid, becoming an essential part of the team under manager Vicente del Bosque. He won two La Liga championships, the UEFA Champions League, the Supercopa de España, the UEFA Super Cup, and the Intercontinental Cup. Despite his contributions, Makélélé was relatively underpaid compared to other teammates.
Makélélé's departure from Real Madrid in 2003 to Chelsea was met with skepticism from the club's president, Florentino Pérez. However, Makélélé's importance was later acknowledged by former teammates and other football figures.

Chelsea:

Makélélé signed for Chelsea in the summer of 2003 for £16.8 million. Under the management of José Mourinho, he played a crucial role in Chelsea's successful 2004–05 season, winning both the FA Premier League and the League Cup. Mourinho declared him Chelsea's "Player of the Year."
Makélélé continued to contribute significantly to Chelsea, winning additional titles, including the FA Community Shield and the Premier League during the 2005–06 season. He played a key role in Chelsea's run to the 2008 UEFA Champions League Final.

Paris Saint-Germain:

In 2008, Makélélé returned to French football by joining Paris Saint-Germain. He won the Coupe de France with PSG in the 2009–10 season and retired at the end of the campaign. He briefly retracted his retirement statement in June but eventually retired.

International Career:

Makélélé represented France for 13 years, being part of the squad that reached the final of the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He also participated in the 2002 FIFA World Cup, two UEFA European Championships, and the 1996 Summer Olympics. Despite initially retiring from international football in 2004, he was persuaded to come out of retirement in 2005 to help France qualify for the 2006 World Cup.

Style of Play:

Regarded as one of the best defensive midfielders, Makélélé revolutionized the role in the Premier League. Known for his combative and hard-working style, he played in front of the back-line, acting as a defensive foil for his teammates. His skills included aggressive tackling, reading the game, breaking down plays, marking opponents, and timing his challenges. Additionally, Makélélé showcased his ability to dictate the tempo with short, efficient passing, linking defense with attack effectively.

Managerial Career:

After retiring from playing, Makélélé ventured into coaching and technical staff roles. He managed Bastia but was sacked in 2014. He had coaching stints at Paris Saint-Germain, Swansea City, and Eupen. In 2019, he returned to Chelsea as a youth coach and technical mentor. However, in September 2023, he left his coaching role at Chelsea by mutual decision.
Claude Makélélé's impact on the pitch and in coaching demonstrates his enduring influence on the sport, particularly in the defensive midfield role.

In the spring of 2004, Claude Makélélé began dating French model Noémie Lenoir. Their relationship resulted in the birth of a son named Kelyan, born on 24 January 2005. However, the couple eventually split in early 2009. Despite rumors and widespread reports suggesting that Lenoir was married to Makélélé, she clarified their former relationship in a blog post in 2009. Lenoir stated, "I'm not and have never been married. I do have a son. I have a wonderful baby's father and have a great relationship with him, however I've been single for some time now."

In May 2010, a significant event occurred when Noémie Lenoir attempted to commit suicide outside Makélélé's Paris home by ingesting a lethal amount of drugs and alcohol. Reports following the suicide attempt suggested a connection to Makélélé ending the relationship and moving on with his then-pregnant fiancée, an assertion he vehemently denied. Noémie Lenoir has been open about her long battle with substance abuse and subsequently checked into rehab for treatment.

References;

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