How many people exist, not to mention professional football players who, after a serious illness, can return to their usual lives and just continue to work, be an excellent family man and soul of the company? There are not so many such people, unfortunately of the whole society, but the French player Eric Abidal is a vivid example of this. Defender in the line, former player of the Catalan “Barcelona”, the French “Monaco” and an excellent family man who has three beautiful daughters. Readers are presented with his biography.
Eric Abidal Childhood and youth
Eric Silvine Abidal was born in a rather large city of the Republic of France - in Lyon, in 1979. The formation of a young football player began in his hometown, but much to the regret of the Lyon Academy, which could not consider the talent of the little boy Eric, he played in the Lyon-Ducher academy. While still very young, he not only reliably closed both flanks of defense and productively connected on the edge to the attack, but he could also play in the central zone, completely “eating” the attackers of the enemy.
The beginning of a gaming gaming career
As a professional player, Eric made his debut in 2000, in a team of one of the rivals FC of his hometown of Lyon, “Monaco”. 2 not very successful seasons, Abidal spent for the team of a small principality in the south of France, having played 22 matches during this time, but managed to check himself out one day. In 2002, the young Frenchman joined the Lille team, which he also left after 2 seasons, but the performance in this club can be called more than successful. After spending as many as 62 matches and being the main football player, “Lille”, Eric Abidal returned to his hometown, the team that dominated France - “Olympic Lyon”. He spent 3 phenomenal seasons for the “French lions”, as they were then called thanks to the animal depicted on the club’s emblem. He managed to become the main white-blue footballer, and from that moment began the era of the ascension of star Eric Abidal.
Finest hour
After France, Eric received a proposal that he simply could not refuse in his right mind. The Catalan “Barcelona” itself invited the promising Frenchman to sign a contract with them, which Abidal did without hesitation. 15 million euros was paid to Olympic Lyon for this transfer, and at that time it was a huge amount of money, and not every club could afford to throw out such an amount for the purchase of a football player, especially the representative of the defensive line (as a rule, they are much cheaper than midfielders and forwards). Time in “Barcelona” can be called the very climax that comes in the career of every player. Could Eric Abidal imagine 7-8 years ago that he would regularly play as part of a grand European caliber and go out to the applause of 90,000 fans at Camp Nou? The answer is obvious. From 2007 to 2013, for the whole 6 years, the Frenchman surrendered his soul and body to the Catalan grand and spent 125 matches as part of the blue-garnet, but the disease seriously crippled him ...
Eric Abidal: Disease
In 2011, all the players went through a seemingly simple formality - a medical examination. For Abidal, that day was somewhat fatal, during an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity , an inoperable tumor of the liver - cancer, was revealed. Only a transplant could help in this case. Fortunately for Abidal himself and his relatives, the donor did not have to search for too long, they volunteered to be Eric's cousin. Thanks to the support of relatives and the Catalan club, which completely took upon itself the financing of the treatment of Abidal, the transplant was successful and the liver “took root”. More than once in support of the French defender in T-shirts with the phrases: “Everything will be fine, Abidal” players from different teams took to the field, and even the archenemy of Barcelona, ​​Real Madrid, supported Eric, because it’s not just one family’s grief, but millions fans who had the opportunity to watch their favorite game.
After the barrier in the form of cancer was passed, Abidal passed a very difficult rehabilitation course, however, thanks to an unusual desire, he still managed to return to the field, but already as part of the club, where he played many years ago - “Monaco”. He failed to gain a foothold there, and therefore the option with the Piraeus Olympiacos did not look so bad, after all, the team plays in the Champions League. Well, one can only guess how much more this strong-willed footballer, Eric Abidal, will be able to perform at a high level.