Dimitri Payet was long considered a major motive before finally announcing his arrival as a great attacking player in Marcelo Bielsa’s Marseille. Not only did he become the top assist maker in the French league, but he also recorded numbers rivaling only the great Lionel Messi. His performances in the physically demanding and fast-paced Premier League with West Ham have shown he is a truly exceptional player. However, his acrimonious departure from West Ham ruined his legacy with the club’s loyal supporters. They even removed his mural from outside the floor. But he won fans with Marseille with his silky and elegant style of play.

Born name

Dimitri Payet

nickname

Dimitri

Sun sign

Aries

Place of birth

Saint Pierre, Reunion, France

nationality

training

Dimitri Payet polished his football skills at Le Havre youth academy .

occupation

Professional soccer player

family

• Vater – Alain Payet
• Mutter – Michelle Payet
• Siblings – unknown

Manager

unknown

Position

Attacking midfielder, winger

Shirt Number

31, 33 – FC Nantes

7 – AS Saint-Etienne, LOSC Lille

12 – AS Saint Etienne, France National Team

17 – Olympique Marseille, France National Team

27 – West Ham United

10, 11 – Olympique Marseille

8, 10, 24 – France national team

To build

Athletic

Height

5 feet 9 inches or 175 cm

weight

76 kg or 167.5 lbs

girlfriend/spouse

Dimitri Payet dated –

1. Ludivine Lacrone (2007 – Present) – Dimitri Payet started dating Ludivine Lacrone in 2007. He was playing for Nantes at the time. Over the course of their relationship, she has given birth to three sons – Noa, Milan and Pharell. Noa is the eldest while Pharell is the youngest. Ludivine and the kids are often seen cheering for Payet during his professional and international matches. It has also been claimed he decided to campaign for a tough departure from West Ham because his wife was homesick and embroiled in a family feud.

race/ethnicity

multiracial

hair colour

Schwarz

eye color

dark brown

sexual orientation

Just

distinguishing features

Stocky physique

brand promotion

Dimitri Payet has a personal endorsement deal with Nike . Due to the endorsement deal, he has to wear Nike shoes for his professional matches.

Known for

After great performances for Olympique de Marseille and West Ham United. He managed to establish himself as a good playmaker while playing for both prestigious clubs.

First football game

In December 2005, Dimitri Payet made his first professional appearance with Nantes in a league game against Bordeaux. He came on as a substitute in the goalless draw.

In August 2013 he made his first appearance for Olympique de Marseille in a league match against Guingamp. In the first 15 minutes of the game he scored two goals, his team won 3-1.

In August 2015, Payet made his first start for West Ham United in a league game against Arsenal. He helped in England’s surprise 2-0 win over their London counterpart.

In October 2010, he made his first international appearance as Laurent Blanc, sending him as a substitute for Karim Benzema in the 86th minute of the European Championship qualifier against Romania. He provided an assist in Yoann Gourcuff’s 2-0 win.

Strengthen

• pass
• Vision
• Technical ability
• Crossing
• set pieces
• key cards
• through bullets

concentration

• defensive work
• concentration
• Strength
• mobility

First TV show

In 2016, he made his first TV show appearance on the sports series, Téléfoot .

Dimitri Payet Facts

1. In January 2006, he scored his first professional goal in a 4–1 win over Metz in Nantes. He was substituted and scored a goal within 2 minutes of moving in.
2. He signed his first professional contract in the summer of 2006 when he signed a three-year contract with Nantes. Before the 2006/2007 season, he was officially integrated into the senior national team and handed the number 31.
3. In his first full season with Nantes, he scored 4 goals in 30 league games. However, he could not help avoid relegation.
4. Wanting to stay in the French top flight, he decided to submit the transfer request. He eventually settled on Saint-Étienne and Nantes received a €4m transfer fee for the player.
5. In his debut season at Saint-Étienne, he struggled to perform for the club, failing to score or provide an assist in his 31 appearances. His best performances came in his final and fourth seasons with the French club as he scored 13 goals in 33 games.
6. In recognition of his great performances for the 2012/13 season, he was named to the UNFP’s Ligue 1 side. He had 12 assists, making him the league’s co-top assist alongside Mathieu Valbuena, and also scored 12 goals.
7. In June 2013 he was bought by Olympique de Marseille for a transfer fee of 11 million euros.
8. In the summer of 2014, Marseille made Marcelo Bielsa their new head coach. And Bielsa completely changed Payet’s game when he ripped him apart and made him the team’s playmaker. He finished the season with 17 assists and completed the second successful run after Lionel Messi.
9. In June 2015, he was sold by Marseille to West Ham United against his will. The club struggled for financial stability and the £10.7million transfer fee solved their financial woes. Eventually, Bielsa resigned as coach in August.
10. In August 2016, he scored his first goal for West Ham United in his side’s 2–1 loss to Leicester City. He then scored a brace in a 2-0 win over Newcastle in September.
11. In recognition of his great performances, WestHam offered him a new five and a half year contract in February 2016. The new contract extended his stay at the club until 2021 and increased his salary to £125,000 a week.
12. In February 2016 he was declared Premier League Player of the Year at the London Football Awards. He was also named West Ham United Player of the Year at the annual Club Awards event in May.
13. He sealed a return to Marseille in January 2017, paying £25million to the English club. West Ham had previously rejected two offers from the French side but Payet went on strike to force the transfer.
14. In the 2016 UEFA Euro final, he executed a poor Cristiano Ronaldo was injured in the 25th minute and the Portuguese star retired. Payet was widely condemned on social media for his foul play.
15. He suffered an injury while participating in the UEFA Europa League final against Atlético Madrid in May 2018 and was substituted in the 31st minute. In his absence, Marseille lost 3-0, with some fans pointing out that it was retribution from heaven for his tackle against Ronaldo at Euro 2016.
16. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.