Philippe Mexès

Philippe Mexès

Mexès playing for France at UEFA Euro 2012.
Personal information
Full name Philippe Samuel Mexès
Date of birth (1982-03-30) 30 March 1982
Place of birth Toulouse, France
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 1 1⁄2 in)
Playing position Centre back
Youth career
1987–1990 Toulouse-Mirail
1990–1997 Toulouse
1997–1999 Auxerre
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1999–2004 Auxerre 133 (7)
2004–2011 Roma 183 (11)
2011–2016 Milan 84 (6)
National team
2002–2012 France 29 (1)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 6 January 2016 (UTC).


Philippe Samuel Mexès (French pronunciation: ​[filip mɛksɛs]; born 30 March 1982) is a French professional footballer who last played for Milan as a centre back. He also formerly played for the French national team.

Club career

Auxerre

Mexès began his youth career at Auxerre, at age 12. He began training at Bastille, the youth team, where he quickly became one of the key players for youth squads in which he captained them to many cups. In the senior squad, he won the 2003 Coupe de France.

Roma

Mexès was signed to a four-year contract by Roma in June 2004.[1] Roma was later found guilty of misconduct, as AJ Auxerre, his previous club, did not agree to the transfer; it was solely the decision of the player. Mexès was suspended[2] but later the ban was temporarily lifted.[3] Mexès played his first Serie A match on 12 September 2004 against Fiorentina. In February 2005, the appeal on the six-week ban was rejected[4] and Mexès was suspended until April. The saga was eventually settled by Mexès, or Roma would have had to pay Auxerre €7 million.[5]

After a difficult first season with the capitoline club, Mexès began the 2005–06 campaign on the bench. Roma's transfer misconduct in the purchase of Mexès led to the club's being suspended in 2005 from signing players other than free agents,[6] but the ban temporarily lifted in August.[7] As the club did not sign anyone due to the ban, he became a key player for Luciano Spalletti's squad. Mexès played nine out of a possible ten games for Roma in UEFA Cup competition. He also played in the final of Coppa Italia 2005–06. The Giallorossi finished fifth in Serie A, initially qualifying only for the next year's UEFA Cup, but due to the 2006 Italian football scandal, Roma were awarded second, allowing Mexès to play for the first time in the Champions League.

As one of the key players of Roma, he formed a central defensive partnership with Cristian Chivu. The club reached the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals. The club faced Internazionale again at Coppa Italia 2006–07 Final. Mexès, partnering with Matteo Ferrari, Cristian Chivu, and Christian Panucci on defence, helped Roma to a 7–4 aggregate victory, including a 6–2 first leg win. The Giallorossi also finished second in Serie A with the third lowest goals conceded total.

Mexès signed a new five-year contract in which he would earn €4.5 million in the first year, increasing to €5 million by the last year, in gross annual salary (pre-taxed salary).[8] The Giallorossi reached the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals for the second straight year, but lost to eventual champions Manchester United for the second time in the same year. In Serie A, Roma narrowed an 11-point gap with Internazionale and eventually finished second behind Inter, three points back. At the 2008 Coppa Italia Final, Mexès scored the opening goal for Roma, and the Giallorossi went on to win 2–1, defending their title.

Mexès with Roma in 2010

With Mexès in defense, Roma qualified for the knockout stage of UEFA Champions League. Mexès missed the second leg against Arsenal and Roma lost in 6–7 penalty shootout. Roma's defense, however, conceded the fifth highest number of goals in the domestic league.

In Roma's first Europa League match on 30 July 2009, Mexès scored on a Francesco Totti free kick, giving Roma a draw. Although he received slightly less playing time with the arrival of Nicolás Burdisso on loan from Inter, Mexès contributed to a defense which helped Roma finish second in Serie A. In the latter part of 2010 he reclaimed his spot in the team.

On 3 April 2011, Mexès had to be substituted early in the second half in a Serie A match with Juventus because of an injury to his left knee.[9] After the match, it was revealed that he had cruciate ligament damage. Two days after the injury, he came through a successful operation.[10] In an interview after his operation, Mexès responded to speculation that he had played his last match for Roma. With his contract due to expire in June 2011, he hinted that he would be leaving, likely to sign with Milan.[11]

Milan

Mexès playing for Milan in 2011.

On 10 May 2011, Milan CEO Adriano Galliani announced, "Philippe Mexès will play for Milan next season," stating the completion of a transfer for Mexès.[12]

Mexès was handed the squad number 5, the same number he had at Roma. He played his first unofficial match for the club in their Primavera (youth team). He played only 45 minutes as the game was intended as to aid his recovery from his long term knee injury. On 26 October 2011 he made his debut in Serie A with Milan, in the home match won 4–1 against Parma. He made 24 appearances for Milan in his debut season, and was the club's third choice central defender behind starting duo Alessandro Nesta and Thiago Silva.

The next season both Nesta and Silva had left the club while Villareal's Zapata had been brought in. Mexès and Zapata became Milan's first choice central defensive duo and conceded just 12 goals in the second half of the 2012-13 Serie A season. Mexès scored his first goal for A.C. Milan with a spectacular bicycle kick from 20 metres on 21 November 2012 in a 2012–2013 Champions League group match against RSC Anderlecht that was rated one of the best goals of the year.[13][14][15] Mexès scored his first goal for Milan in Serie A on 20 May 2013, in the last minutes of the game, giving Milan a third-place finish in the league and their qualifications for next year's champions league.[16]

Mexès scored his first goal of the 2013-14 season in a 3-1 home win against Cagliari, scoring the second goal of the match in the 30th minute of play. He remained a key part of Milan's back four during the season. In a Serie A match against Juventus, Mexès received a second bookable offence late on in the game for a punch on Juventus' Giorgio Chiellini, a punch which subsequently earned him a four match suspension. Mexès has been Milan's standout performer so far this season as the Rossoneri have proved very disappointing in the league, standing at 6th, 12 points off leaders Juventus. Inzaghi also has acknowledged Mexès, along fellow countrymen Rami and Ménez, as his team's main offensive threat, ahead of the likes of Torres and El Shaarawy.

On 8 July 2015, Milan announced Mexès had signed a contract extension to keep him at the club until 2016.[17] On 6 November 2015 Mexès was nominated for the FIFA Puskás Award for his goal in an International Champions Cup friendly match against Inter, a well struck volley from the edge of the area, on 25 July.[18]

On 25 May 2016, club owner Silvio Berlusconi announced his departure, along with those of Kevin-Prince Boateng and Mario Balotelli.[19]

International career

Mexès playing for France at UEFA Euro 2012

He played for the Under-18 and Under-21 French national football teams, as well as the senior team, where he was a squad member at the UEFA Euro 2012 competition.[20]

International goals

Scores and results list France's goal tally first.
Goal Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 25 March 2011 Stade Josy Barthel, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg  Luxembourg 1–0 2–0 Euro 2012 qualifying[21]

Honours

Club

Auxerre
Roma
Milan

International

Individual

Career statistics

Club
As of 6 January 2016 [22][23]
Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Auxerre 1999–2000 Ligue 15010——60
2000–01 320403[lower-alpha 1]0—390
2001–02 30320–—323
2002–03 3414011[lower-alpha 2]0—491
2003–04 323508[lower-alpha 3]1—454
Total 1337160221—1688
Roma 2004–05 Serie A280613[lower-alpha 2]0—371
2005–06 273709[lower-alpha 3]0—433
2006–07 273607[lower-alpha 2]01[lower-alpha 4]0413
2007–08 311419[lower-alpha 2]01[lower-alpha 4]0452
2008–09 292206[lower-alpha 2]01[lower-alpha 4]0382
2009–10 191419[lower-alpha 3]0—322
2010–11 221306[lower-alpha 2]1—312
Total 183113234913026715
Milan 2011–12 Serie A140306[lower-alpha 2]01[lower-alpha 4]0240
2012–13 251106[lower-alpha 2]1—322
2013–14 222207[lower-alpha 2]0—312
2014–15 20200—202
2015–16 5120—71
Total 86690191101147
Career total 402245639034054930
  1. ↑ Appearances in UEFA Intertoto Cup
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Appearances in UEFA Champions League
  3. 1 2 3 Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  4. 1 2 3 4 Appearances in Italian Supercup
International
As of 11 October 2012.[24]
France national team
YearAppsGoals
200220
200330
200410
200500
200600
200720
200830
200920
201060
201131
201270
Total291

Personal life

Mexès and his ex-wife, Carla, have two children together. Their son, Enzo, born on 1 June 2003 and daughter, Eva, born on 29 July 2007. His second daughter, Stella, with current wife, Véronique, was born on 3 August 2012.[25] Mexès's family was originally named Mexis and was a family from Labovo who lived in Albania for many years and then settled in France.[26]

Media

Mexes features in EA Sports' FIFA video game series; he was on the cover of the Italian edition of FIFA 12, alongside Giampaolo Pazzini, and global cover star Wayne Rooney.[27]

Notes and references

  1. ↑ "Approvazione Situazione Mensile al 31 maggio 2004" (in PDF). AS Roma (in Italian). 30 June 2004. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
  2. ↑ "Mexes move gets go-ahead". UEFA.com. 2 September 2004. Retrieved 17 August 2009.
  3. ↑ "Mexes cleared for Roma return". UEFA.com. 10 September 2004. Retrieved 17 August 2009.
  4. ↑ "Mexes ban confirmed". UEFA.com. 16 February 2005. Retrieved 17 August 2009.
  5. ↑ "Arbitrages TAS 2005/A/902 Philippe Mexès & AS Roma c. AJ Auxerre & TAS 2005/A/903 AJ Auxerre c. Philippe Mexès & AS Roma, sentence du 5 décembre 2005" (PDF) (in French). CAS. 5 December 2005. Retrieved 19 November 2010.
  6. ↑ "Roma face block on transfers". UEFA.com. 1 July 2005. Retrieved 17 August 2009.
  7. ↑ "Roma receive transfer reprieve". UEFA.com. 8 August 2005. Retrieved 17 August 2009.
  8. ↑ "PROLUNGATO IL CONTRATTO PER LE PRESTAZIONI SPORTIVE DEL CALCIATORE PHILIPPE MEXES" (in PDF). AS Roma (in Italian). 8 June 2007. Retrieved 29 July 2010.
  9. ↑ Mexès out for five to six months, from UEFA.com, 4 April 2011. Retrieved 4 May 2011.
  10. ↑ Roma's Mexes has knee operation from FIFA.com, 5 April 2011. Retrieved 4 May 2011.
  11. ↑ French duo hint at Roma exits from FIFA.com, 6 April 2011. Retrieved 4 May 2011.
  12. ↑ Breaking News Show – Philippe Mexès to join Milan. A.C. Milan.
  13. ↑ "Anything Zlatan Ibrahimovic can do... Philippe Mexes' brilliant overhead-kick seals last 16 place for Milan". Daily Telegraph. 22 November 2012. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
  14. ↑ "Mexes: I was lucky". ESPN Soccernet. 22 November 2012. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
  15. ↑ "Philippe Mexès' overhead kick seals Milan qualification at Anderlecht". Guardian UK. 22 November 2012. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
  16. ↑ "AC Milan secure Champions League spot beating Siena 2-1".
  17. ↑ "Philippe Mexes signs AC Milan contract extension". espnfc.com. 8 July 2015. Retrieved 12 July 2015.
  18. ↑ "FIFA Ballon d'Or 2015 Philippe Mexes". 6 November 2015. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
  19. ↑ "AC Milan departures". football-italia.com. 17 June 2016. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
  20. ↑ "Euro 2012: France team profile". BBC. 9 May 2012. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
  21. ↑ "France work hard for win in Luxembourg". UEFA. 25 March 2011. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
  22. ↑ Mexes Bio, Stats, News from ESPN Soccernet. Retrieved 4 May 2011.
  23. ↑ Philippe Mexes Player Profile from UEFA. Retrieved 4 May 2011.
  24. ↑ "Mexès, Philippe". National Football Teams. Retrieved 29 February 2012.
  25. ↑ forzaphilippemexes.com
  26. ↑ Yannis Magos. Έλληνες στη Γαλλία = Hellion. p. 121. AC Milan's Mexès is a member of a family from Labovo, originally named Mexis, who traveled in France from their town in Albania
  27. ↑ Adriano Della Corte (29 July 2011). "FIFA 12: Giampaolo Pazzini sulla boxart italiana" (in Italian). Retrieved 25 April 2015.
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