Karembeu

Christian Karembeu

Karembeu in 2014.
Personal information
Full name	Christian Lali Karembeu
Date of birth	(1970-12-03) 3 December 1970 (age 46)
Place of birth	Lifou, New Caledonia
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Playing position	Midfielder / Sweeper
Club information
Current team	Olympiacos (Strategic Advisor)
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1990–1995	Nantes	130	(5)
1995–1997	Sampdoria	62	(6)
1997–2000	Real Madrid	51	(1)
2000–2001	Middlesbrough	33	(4)
2001–2004	Olympiacos	88	(5)
2004–2005	Servette	23	(2)
2005–2006	Bastia	7	(0)
Total		414	(23)
National team
1992–2002	France	53	(1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

Christian Karembeu (French pronunciation: ​[kʁistjɑ̃ karɑ̃bø]; born 3 December 1970 in Lifou, New Caledonia) is a retired French international footballer and the current Strategic Advisor of Olympiacos F.C.. He is also part of a Paris-based consortium to expand the A-League with a Pacific Island team.

Karembeu was born on 3 December 1970 in Lifou, New Caledonia, a French overseas territory in the Pacific Islands. At the age of 17, he moved to France on a scholarship to study and play football.

During his career Karembeu played for Nantes (1990–95), Sampdoria (1995–97), Real Madrid (1997–2000), Middlesbrough (2000–01), Olympiakos (2001–04), Servette Genève (2004–05), Bastia (2005–06). With Real Madrid, he won the Champions League in 1998 and 2000, starting in the former but remaining on the bench for the latter. He also played for the Real Madrid Veterans against Barcelona in Qatar, on 13 November 2012. He last played midfield for Bastia in the French Ligue 1. He announced his retirement on 13 October 2006, although he added that he would "be having a kickabout from time to time". He also took part in a friendly competition for Kettering Town FC with Gianfranco Zola, Les Ferdinand and Gus Poyet.