‘I Was a Ballon d’Or Nominee

Every year, some of the biggest names in world football are nominated for the Ballon d’Or. Many maintain their status as sporting superstars, but some do fade into obscurity. This has been the case for former France international Yoann Gourcuff, who was nominated for the 2009 award.

Gourcuff’s form with Rennes earned him a move to AC Milan, but he never seemed entirely happy at San Siro, and in 2008, was loaned back to France with Bordeaux. In his first season, Gourcuff went down an absolute storm at Bordeaux, who won Ligue One, breaking Lyon’s run of seven titles in a row.

However, his best form ultimately faded as he failed to live up to expectations. Having retired in 2020, he now lives a very different life.

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Gourcuff was Tipped as the New Zidane

The Frenchman had a wonderful first season with Bordeaux

Gourcuff’s performances in the navy of Bordeaux earned him the French Player of the Year award in the 2008/09 season, with the midfielder scoring 12 league goals in 37 appearances. Under the management of Laurent Blanc, the club won their last consecutive 11 league games.

With his quick feet and eye for goal, it is easy to see why Gourcuff was compared to Zidane, but in the end, it was Lionel Messi who won the 2009 Ballon d’Or. The Argentine finished some way clear of Cristiano Ronaldo in second place, and his Barcelona teammate, Xavi, in third position.

Gourcuff did receive nominations, finishing in twentieth place, above Frank Lampard, John Terry, David Villa and Yaya Toure. While his career may not have hit the heights his undisputed talent suggested, he still left his mark on the game. That said, it would appear he is more at peace out of the spotlight in retirement.

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Gourcuff proud to be a stay at home Dad

There are still nagging doubts about whether or not Gourcuff did fulfil his potential. While he did win 32 caps, he didn’t light up an international tournament. While he was selected for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, it was not a happy time for him, receiving a red card after only 26 minutes into the group game with the tournament hosts South Africa.

The Frenchman was alleged to have leaned in with his arm during a challenge with an opponent. To make matters worse, France went on to lose the game 2-1 and were eliminated from the tournament. It was not a good time for the midfielder, with much criticism coming his way, with the then national team manager Raymond Domenech writing of the incident in his autobiography: “I’d have really liked to give him a slap, with his air of the little honest boy, the poor little unfortunate upon whom everyone wishes ill.”

While Gourcuff is at peace now, he is clear on his love of the game while he was a player, even if what came with it wasn’t his cup of tea:

“I liked the game, the training sessions, the matches. But all that was around it, and which was taking more and more importance, and the exposure, I didn’t like it. It was not me.”

Today, Gourcuff lives in Brittany with his family, enjoying life out of the spotlight, in the region he grew up in during the late 1980s and early 1990s:

“I have no problem saying that I am a stay-at-home dad. The days are busy, but seeing my children grow up every day is a privilege.”

Gourcuff still continued to enjoy sport after retiring from football, rekindling his love of tennis and playing on the amateur circuit, gaining a tennis license in 2019, enabling him to play competitively, which isn’t as big a jump in sporting endeavours as it might be imagined. The Frenchman was a talented teenage tennis player. In the late 1990s, he even played in the same tennis tournament as the great Rafael Nadal. Although he wasn’t to win the Ballon d’Or, Bordeaux fans have very happy memories of Gourcuff.

Stats via Transfermarkt.