Dimitri Payet

Dimitri Payet (born 29 March 1987) is a French professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Campeonato Brasileiro Série A club Vasco da Gama.

A set-piece specialist known for his accurate, bending free kicks, he primarily plays as an attacking midfielder, and is described as a player who is "blessed with terrific technique and dribbling skills".

Payet was born on the French island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean, where he began his career playing for local clubs Saint-Philippe and Saint-Pierroise.

In 1999, he moved to metropolitan France, joining Le Havre.

Payet spent four years at the club before returning home to spend two years playing for AS Excelsior in the Réunion Premier League.

The accusations ultimately led to his departure in 2003 as Payet returned to Réunion to sign with AS Excelsior.

In 2005, he joined FC Nantes and, after a successful 2006–07 season, joined AS Saint-Étienne on a four-year contract.

He spent only a year and a half at Excelsior playing in the Réunion Premier League before being signed in January 2005 by Nantes who sought to give the player another opportunity to prove himself on the mainland.

Payet signed a two-year amateur deal with the club; however, Nantes were given the option of terminating the contract after six months.

Upon his arrival at Nantes, Payet was placed in the club's reserve team in the Championnat de France Amateur, the fourth level of football in France.

In the 2005–06 season, Payet quickly established himself as one of the best players on the reserve team.

He impressed with the team in 22 matches scoring six goals and was described by the club's reserve team coach Stéphane Moreau as a "talented player despite his natural indifference".

His influential play with the team resulted in the player being called up to the senior team in December 2005 by manager Serge Le Dizet.

Payet made his professional debut on 19 December in a league match against Bordeaux appearing as a substitute in a 0–0 draw.

After the winter break, Payet remained with the senior team and scored his first professional goal in a 4–1 win over Metz.

The midfielder appeared as a substitute in the match and had been on the field for no more than two minutes before netting the goal.

After appearing in a league match against Toulouse on 4 February, Payet was relegated back to the reserve team for the rest of the season.

Ahead of the 2006–07 season, Payet signed a three-year professional contract with Nantes.

He was officially promoted to the senior team and assigned the number 31 shirt by Le Dizet.

After appearing as a substitute in the first two matches of the season, Payet made his first professional start on 9 September 2006 in a league match against Lille.

In the match, he scored the equalizing goal in a 1–1 draw.

Two weeks later, Payet started again and scored the opening goal in a 2–1 win against Marseille.

Payet, subsequently, appeared as a starter for the rest of the campaign.

He scored his only other goal during the season in a 1–1 draw with Sedan.

From 2007 to 2008, he represented his country at under-21 level, making eleven appearances and scoring four goals.

With Saint-Étienne, Payet played in European competition for the first time after featuring in the 2008–09 edition of the UEFA Europa League.

In the 2010–11 season, he won the UNFP Player of the Month award for September after scoring three goals and helping Saint-Étienne reach first place in the league table.

In 2010, he was called up to the senior team by manager Laurent Blanc for the first time.

Payet made his international debut on 9 October 2010 in a UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying match against Romania, appearing as a substitute.

Following the season, in June 2011, Payet joined the defending champions Lille signing a four-year contract.

He had two years there and a further two at Olympique de Marseille before moving abroad to join West Ham United.

He was a member of the French squad that reached the final of UEFA Euro 2016, being named afterward by UEFA in the Team of the Tournament.

Payet was born in Saint-Pierre on the island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean and began his career at local club AS Saint-Philippe.

While at the club as a youth, he was described by coaches as "a kid who stood out from his comrades" and, after three years of development training, moved to one of the best clubs on the island, JS Saint-Pierroise.

After only a year at Saint-Pierroise, Payet was signed by professional club Le Havre in metropolitan France, with whom his club shared a mutual partnership.

Le Havre also recruited former Saint-Pierroise players Florent Sinama Pongolle and Guillaume Hoarau during this period.

While at Le Havre, Payet endured a tumultuous four years.

While training at the club, he was accused of having a difficult character and displaying a lack of motivation.

In 2017 he moved back to France to join his old team, Marseille before leaving the club by mutual agreement in July 2023, joining Brazilian side Vasco da Gama a month later.

Payet is a French international.