Philippe Mexès

Philippe Mexès (French pronunciation: ​[filip mɛksɛs]; born 30 March 1982) is a French former professional footballer who played as a centre back. He represented Auxerre, Roma and A.C. Milan at club level. At international level, he played for the France national team.

Philippe Mexès
Mexès lining up for France at UEFA Euro 2012
Personal information
Full name Philippe Mexès[1]
Date of birth (1982-03-30) 30 March 1982[2]
Place of birth Toulouse, France
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)[2]
Playing position(s) 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 A.C. Milan 86 (6)
Total 402 (24)
National team
1997–1998 France U16 7 (2)
1998–2000 France U18 8 (1)
2001–2002 France U21 5 (0)
2002–2012 France 29 (1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Club career

Auxerre

Mexès was born in Toulouse, Haute-Garonne.[2] He 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. With the senior squad, he won the 2003 Coupe de France.

Roma
Mexès with Roma in 2010

Mexès was signed to a four-year contract by Roma in June 2004.[3] 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,[4] but later the ban was temporarily lifted.[5] 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[6] and Mexès was suspended until April. The saga was eventually settled by Mexès, or Roma would have had to pay Auxerre €7 million.[7]

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,[8] but the ban temporarily lifted in August.[9] 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 competitions. He also played in the final of 2005–06 Coppa Italia. 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 UEFA Champions League.

As one of the key players of Roma, he formed a central defensive partnership with Cristian Chivu. The club reached the 2006–07 UEFA Champions League quarter-finals. The club faced Inter Milan again at 2006–07 Coppa Italia 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).[10] The Giallorossi reached the 2007–08 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 Inter 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.

With Mexès in defence, Roma qualified for the knockout stage of the 2008–09 UEFA Champions League. Mexès missed the second leg against Arsenal and Roma lost in 6–7 penalty shoot-out. Roma's defence, however, conceded the fifth highest number of goals in Serie A.

In Roma's first UEFA 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 defence, 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.[11] After the match, it was revealed that he had cruciate ligament damage. Two days after the injury, he came through a successful operation.[12] 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 A.C. Milan.[13]

A.C. Milan
Mexès playing for A.C. Milan in 2013

On 10 May 2011, Milan CEO Adriano Galliani announced that Mexès would play for Milan the following season, stating the completion of a transfer for Mexès.[14]

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, the youth team of Milan. 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 Cristián 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 Milan with a spectacular bicycle kick from 20 metres on 21 November 2012, in a 2012–13 UEFA Champions League group match against Anderlecht that was rated one of the best goals of the year.[15][16][17] 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.[18]

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.[19] In 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.[20]

On 25 May 2016, club owner Silvio Berlusconi announced his departure, along with those of Kevin-Prince Boateng and Mario Balotelli.[21] After leaving Milan, he did not find any club for over a year. In November 2017, he announced his retirement.[22]

International career
Mexès playing for France at UEFA Euro 2012

Mexès played for the under-18 and under-21 France national teams, as well as the senior team, where he was a squad member at the UEFA Euro 2012 competition.[23]

Personal life

Mexès and his ex-wife, Carla, have two children together. Their son, Enzo, was born on 1 June 2003, and their daughter, Eva, was born on 29 July 2007. His second daughter, Stella, with his current wife, Véronique, was born on 3 August 2012.[24]

Media

Mexès 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.[25]

Career statistics

Club
Source:[26][27]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Auxerre 1999–2000 Division 1 5010——60
2000–01 Division 1 320403[lower-alpha 1]0—390
2001–02 Division 1 30320——323
2002–03 Ligue 1 3414011[lower-alpha 2]0—491
2003–04 Ligue 1 323508[lower-alpha 3]1—454
Total 1337160221—1688
Roma 2004–05 Serie A 280613[lower-alpha 2]0—371
2005–06 Serie A 273709[lower-alpha 3]0—433
2006–07 Serie A 273607[lower-alpha 2]01[lower-alpha 4]0413
2007–08 Serie A 311419[lower-alpha 2]01[lower-alpha 4]0452
2008–09 Serie A 292206[lower-alpha 2]01[lower-alpha 4]0382
2009–10 Serie A 191419[lower-alpha 5]0—322
2010–11 Serie A 221306[lower-alpha 2]1—312
Total 183113234913026715
A.C. Milan 2011–12 Serie A 140306[lower-alpha 2]01[lower-alpha 4]0240
2012–13 Serie A 251106[lower-alpha 2]1—322
2013–14 Serie A 222207[lower-alpha 2]0—312
2014–15 Serie A 20200——202
2015–16 Serie A 5120——71
Total 86690191101147
Career total 402245639034054930
  1. Appearances in UEFA Intertoto Cup
  2. Appearances in UEFA Champions League
  3. Appearances in UEFA Cup
  4. Appearance in Supercoppa Italiana
  5. Appearances in UEFA Europa League

International
Source:[28]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
France 200220
200330
200410
200720
200830
200920
201060
201131
201270
Total291

International goals
France score listed first, score column indicates score after each Mexès goal.[28]
International goals by date, venue, opponent, score, result and competition
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetitionRef.
125 March 2011Stade Josy Barthel, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg Luxembourg1–02–0UEFA Euro 2012 qualification[29]

Honours

Auxerre

Roma

A.C. Milan

France U18

  • UEFA European Under-18 Championship: 2000

France

Individual

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References
  1. "Comunicato Ufficiale N. 225" [Official Press Release No. 225] (PDF) (in Italian). Lega Serie A. 10 May 2015. p. 5. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  2. "Philippe Mexès". L'Équipe (in French). Paris. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  3. "Approvazione Situazione Mensile al 31 maggio 2004" (PDF) (in Italian). A.S. Roma. 30 June 2004. Archived from the original (in PDF) on 10 August 2011. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
  4. "Mexes move gets go-ahead". UEFA. 2 September 2004. Retrieved 17 August 2009.
  5. "Mexes cleared for Roma return". UEFA. 10 September 2004. Retrieved 17 August 2009.
  6. "Mexes ban confirmed". UEFA. 16 February 2005. Retrieved 17 August 2009.
  7. "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. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 July 2011. Retrieved 19 November 2010.
  8. "Roma face block on transfers". UEFA. 1 July 2005. Retrieved 17 August 2009.
  9. "Roma receive transfer reprieve". UEFA. 8 August 2005. Retrieved 17 August 2009.
  10. "PROLUNGATO IL CONTRATTO PER LE PRESTAZIONI SPORTIVE DEL CALCIATORE PHILIPPE MEXES" (in PDF) (in Italian). A.S. Roma. 8 June 2007. Retrieved 29 July 2010.
  11. Mexès out for five to six months. UEFA. 4 April 2011. Retrieved 4 May 2011.
  12. Roma's Mexes has knee operation. FIFA. 5 April 2011. Retrieved 4 May 2011.
  13. French duo hint at Roma exits. FIFA. 6 April 2011. Retrieved 4 May 2011.
  14. Breaking News Show – Philippe Mexès to join Milan. A.C. Milan.
  15. "Anything Zlatan Ibrahimovic can do... Philippe Mexes' brilliant overhead-kick seals last 16 place for Milan". The Daily Telegraph. London. 22 November 2012. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
  16. "Mexes: I was lucky". ESPN Soccernet. 22 November 2012. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
  17. "Philippe Mexès' overhead kick seals Milan qualification at Anderlecht". The Guardian. London. 22 November 2012. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
  18. "AC Milan secure Champions League spot beating Siena 2–1".
  19. "Philippe Mexes signs AC Milan contract extension". ESPN FC. 8 July 2015. Retrieved 12 July 2015.
  20. "FIFA Ballon d'Or 2015 Philippe Mexes". FIFA. 6 November 2015. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
  21. "AC Milan departures". football-italia.com. 17 June 2016. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
  22. "Sans club depuis juin 2016, Philippe Mexès annonce sa retraite". Eurosport. 14 November 2017. Retrieved 14 November 2017.
  23. "Euro 2012: France team profile". BBC Sport. 9 May 2012. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
  24. "forzaphilippemexes.com". Archived from the original on 21 November 2008. Retrieved 28 August 2008.
  25. Adriano Della Corte (29 July 2011). "FIFA 12: Giampaolo Pazzini sulla boxart italiana" (in Italian). Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  26. Mexes Bio, Stats, News. ESPN Soccernet. Retrieved 4 May 2011.
  27. Philippe Mexes Player Profile. UEFA. Retrieved 4 May 2011.
  28. "Mexès, Philippe". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmerman. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  29. "France work hard for win in Luxembourg". UEFA. 25 March 2011. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
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