Patrick Vieira is a former football player and presently a manager. The 46-year-old Frenchman is regarded as one of the most decorated midfielders of all-time having achieved success with his national team and club.
His active years will be fondly remembered in the shirt of Arsenal’s title-winning campaign in 2004 where he led the team to a glorious triumph as a gladiator and captain.
Under his leadership as a captain, Arsenal didn’t lose a single league game as they went on a 48-match winning streak that has since given them the name ‘The Invincible Team’.
Who Is Patrick Vieira
Vieira is a former French footballer who was born on June 23, 1976, in Daker, Senegal. He played as a defensive midfielder for his club and national team and is currently working as a coach.
Vieira along with his family moved from Senegal to Dreux, France, when he was just eight years old. While in France he began his career with Cannes at the age of 17 and he made 49 appearances during the 1994-95 season in which he scored two goals.
His height stands at 6ft 4 inches and he is a Muslim by religion having come from a Muslim background in Senegal.
He made his international debut for France in 1997 in a game against the Netherlands and was also listed in the French squad that won the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France.
Vieira’s Personal Information
- Nation: France
- Position: Defensive-midfielder
- Height: 192 cm
- International Caps: 107
- Career Duration: 1994-2011
- Career Goals: 53
- Major Clubs: Arsenal, Inter Milan, Juventus
- World Cup & Euros Participation: 1998, 2000, 2002, 2006
Vieira’s Net-worth
Before he was sacked by Crystal Palace his contract is meant to expire in 2024, having signed a three-year deal with the Eagles with a basic salary of £4million and £70,000 weekly wages.
As of March 2023, Patrick Vieira is reportedly worth $37million in net worth. The Frenchman is reported to have garnered the money from his career as a footballer and manager.
Vieira’s Wife & Family
The former Crystal Palace boss has been married to his wife Cheryl Plaza who is from Trinidad and Tobago since 2005.
The couple first met each other in 1998 during Vieira’s early days at Arsenal at the age of 24 when Cheryl was working as a treasurer in London before she decided to abandon her job to be with the World Cup winner.
While the Frenchman is known to be a private person in terms of exposing his family to the media or social media, it is reported that the couple has a daughter together named Cheries.
Club & International Career
Vieira began his club career with Cannes during his teenage year in the 1994-95 Ligue 1 season, making 49 appearances for them in which he scored two goals.
After an impressive campaign with the French outfit, he moved to the Italian giant AC Milan where he just played two games and was used as a reserve in other matches.
The year 1996 proved to be a turnaround season for the Frenchman when he joined Arsenal for £3.5million, an amount referred to as a bargain considering the kind of talent he possessed.
His first game for the Gunners was against Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium and right from that game, he went on to become one of Arsenal’s most iconic players due to his impact and leadership skill.
After a successful spell at Arsenal, he was transferred to Juventus in 2005 in a deal worth £13.75 million but he couldn’t replicate the kind of form he showed at Arsenal with the Old Lady due to injury.
While his performances started to decline he was shipped to Inter Milan, where he also failed to make an impact with players like Thiago Motta holding tight to the midfield position he loves to play from.
In 2010 Vieira thought of returning to England, as such he was signed by Manchester City alongside his former teammates Kolo Toure at Arsenal.
Before he finally bid farewell to the beautiful game, he played a couple of games for Citizens with his brilliant performance against Burnley still very fresh in the heart of City’s fans.
At the International level, he won the 1998 FIFA World Cup and Euro 2000 with the French national team being one of the team most important players on the team then.
Coaching Career & Stats
In 2015 he began his coaching career as the head coach of New York City FC when he agreed to sign as the highest-paid coach in Major League Soccer (MLS).
Four years after he left the MLS to pitch his tent with Ligue 1 side Nice in 2018, before his appointment as Crystal Palace manager signing a four-year contract worth £4million.
While is Palace team was going through a torrid time in terms of results on the pitch, Vieira was relieved of his duties last week after a 12-match winless run in all competitions stretching back to December with the Eagles in 12th position on the Premier League table.
Achievements
At Arsenal, he won 9 trophies which include 3 Premier League titles, 3 FA Cups, and 3 Community Shields with the Gunners under the tutelage of Arsene Wenger.
While at Inter Milan he won 4 Serie A and 2 Supercoppa Italiana in 2006 and 2008. At Manchester City, he only won the FA Cup with the Citizens in 2010-11
He was also selected in the UEFA Football Championship Team of the Tournament in 2000 having won the European Championship, he also made it into the 2004 FIFA World Cup All-star Team in 2006 and the English Football Hall of Fame in 2014 an honor which shows how great a player he was.
Article updated 2 months ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
