Frank Leboeuf Explained

Frank Leboeuf
Fullname:Franck Alain James Leboeuf[1]
Birth Date:22 January 1968[2]
Birth Place:Marseille, France
Height:1.83 m[3]
Position:Centre-back
Youthyears1:1984–1986
Youthyears2:1986–1987
Youthyears3:1987–1988
Years1:1988–1991
Caps1:69
Goals1:11
Years2:1991–1996
Caps2:189
Goals2:48
Years3:1996–2001
Clubs3:Chelsea
Caps3:144
Goals3:17
Years4:2001–2003
Caps4:51
Goals4:5
Years5:2003–2004
Caps5:17
Goals5:6
Years6:2004–2005
Caps6:10
Goals6:2
Years7:2006–2007
Clubs7:Hollywood United
Totalcaps:480
Totalgoals:89
Nationalyears1:1995–2002
Nationalcaps1:50
Nationalgoals1:4

Franck Alain James Leboeuf (born 22 January 1968), typically anglicised as Frank Leboeuf, is a French actor, sports commentator and former footballer who played as a centre-back. With the France national team, Leboeuf won the 1998 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2000 as well as a number of domestic trophies, most famously during his five years at Chelsea. Since the conclusion of his playing career, Leboeuf has transitioned to acting, appearing in stage, film productions and is a regular contributor at ESPN FC.

Club career

Leboeuf was born in Marseille[4] and raised in Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer. He was introduced to football by his father, a former Rennes coach,[5] who trained children in the sport.[6] After starting his career in 1986 in the lower divisions of the French leagues, Leboeuf moved to Laval in 1988. In 1991, he moved to Strasbourg and played there until 1996, when he made a switch to English club Chelsea for £2.5m.

He played over 200 games for the club and scored 24 goals, mainly from penalties and set pieces. With Chelsea, he won two FA Cups, one League Cup, one Cup Winners' Cup and one UEFA Super Cup. He left in 2001 for club Marseille, before finishing out his career in Qatar. Despite his numerous accolades, Leboeuf never won a first-division title in Europe or the UEFA Champions League.[7]

International career

For France, Leboeuf was capped 50 times, scoring four goals. His first two came on 6 September 1995 in a Euro 96 qualifier at home to Azerbaijan, contributing to a 10–0 win that remains France's record.[8] Although he was mainly a substitute in the 1998 World Cup (Played 3, Started 2, DNP 4),[9] he stepped in for red carded Laurent Blanc to play in the final, a 3–0 win against Brazil, a match in which he man-marked the highly rated striker Ronaldo.[10]

In a Euro 2000 qualifier on 9 June 1999, Leboeuf scored the only goal from the penalty spot with five minutes to go as world champions France struggled away to amateurs Andorra.[11] [12] He received a winner's medal at the finals in Belgium and the Netherlands, though Blanc and Marcel Desailly were the preferred defensive partnership, including in the final.[13] [14]

He scored a late winner against co-hosts South Korea on 26 May ahead of the 2002 FIFA World Cup (3–2).[15] Holders France were eliminated in the group stage in a shock, and he retired from the team.[16]

International goals

Scores and results list France's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Leboeuf goal.

List of international goals scored by Frank Leboeuf
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1 6 September 1995 Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps, Auxerre, France 5–0 UEFA Euro 1996 qualifying
2 8–0
3 9 June 1999 Estadi Olímpic de Montjuïc, Barcelona, Spain 1–0 1–0 UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying
4 26 May 2002 Suwon World Cup Stadium, Suwon, South Korea 3–2 3–2 Friendly

Style of play

A cultured centre-back, Leboeuf was noted for his intelligence, composure, and long range passing ability. He also had a powerful long range shot, and was a consistent penalty-taker throughout his career.[17] [18] He took 15 penalties in competitive games for Chelsea, missing just 2 times, and missing only 1 out of his 11 attempts from the spot in the Premier League.[19] [20]

Acting

In 2001, whilst still playing football for Chelsea, Leboeuf had made his first acting appearance in the film Taking Sides.[17]

Following his retirement from competitive football, Leboeuf spent two years living in Los Angeles. During this time he played for amateur team Hollywood United, alongside celebrity team-mates such as Vinnie Jones, Steve Jones and Anthony LaPaglia.[21] Leboeuf studied at the Lee Strasberg Institute in West Hollywood, keeping a low profile, and won his first acting work as a TV commentator, for a pay cheque totalling $100, which he keeps as a memento.[6]

Leboeuf acted in several theatre plays in France,[17] including starring alongside Jean-Francois Garreaud in L'intrus in 2010 and a role in the play Avec Ma Belle Mère et Moi.[6] In 2014, Leboeuf played a French Resistance fighter in the World War II film Allies[22] [17] and a doctor in the Stephen Hawking biopic The Theory of Everything.[23]

Other media

Leboeuf works as a sports commentator and analyst for RMC and ESPN in the United States and he writes a column for Chelsea News in the UK.[24] [5] [6] In 2010, he was a contestant on the reality television show Koh-Lanta in the Koh-Lanta, le choc des héros special series.[25] He was forced to depart the show after two episodes due to a back injury he had suffered in a car accident shortly before the series commenced.[26] In 2014, Leboeuf made an appearance in the television comedy series Nos Chers Voisins[6] [27] and began writing a column for Téléfoot.[28]

In 2019, Leboeuf competed on the first season of Mask Singer, the French version of the global franchise Masked Singer, disguised as a peacock.[29]

Personal life

Leboeuf is married to actress Chrislaure Nollet[17] [30] and has two children, Jade and Hugo, from his first marriage to Beatrice.[31] His amateur sporting hobbies include tennis, swimming and boxing.[6]

Franck Leboeuf is the cousin of the hotelier Philippe Leboeuf.[32]

Following the 1998 World Cup, he was appointed a Knight of the Legion of Honour in 1998.[1]

Honours

Strasbourg

1995[34]

Chelsea

1996–97,[35] 1999–2000[35]

1997–98[35]

2000[36]

1997–98[35]

1998[37]

Al-Sadd

2003–04[38]

Al-Wakrah

2004–05[39]

France

1998[40]

2000[41]

2001[42]

Orders

1998[1]

Notes and References

  1. 25 July 1998 . Décret du 24 juillet 1998 portant nomination à titre exceptionnel . Decree of 24 July 1998 appointing on an exceptional basis . Official Journal of the French Republic . 1998 . 170 . PREX9801916D . 2 January 2021 . fr.
  2. Web site: Frank Leboeuf . ESPN . 21 February 2020.
  3. Web site: Frank Leboeuf: Overview . Premier League . 21 February 2020.
  4. FFF Statistics
  5. News: Fisher. Stewart. Frankly, Leboeuf does give a damn. 19 November 2014. Herald Scotland. Herald & Times Group. Newsquest. 13 September 2011.
  6. Web site: Kahl. Val. Frank Leboeuf. Welcome Magazine. 18 November 2014. fr. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20141129050938/http://welcomemagazine.fr/frank-leboeuf/. 29 November 2014.
  7. Web site: "Confirmed your agenda against Cristiano" - Fans react furiously as video of former Chelsea star Frank Leboeuf trolling Cristiano Ronaldo emerges . 29 March 2023 . Sportskeeda.
  8. News: Faure . Mathieu . Le jour où la France en a collé 10 à l'Azerbaïdjan . 22 January 2021 . So Foot . 6 September 2015 . fr.
  9. Web site: Frank Leboeuf in the World Cups . The Soccer World Cups.com.
  10. News: Bennett . Roger . World Cup Moments: Frank Leboeuf . 22 January 2021 . ESPN FC . 21 May 2014.
  11. News: Andorra rank underachievers . 22 January 2021 . The Irish Times . 28 March 2001.
  12. News: Quand Frank Leboeuf sauvait les Bleus contre Andorre, en 1999 . 22 January 2021 . L'Équipe . 11 June 2019 . fr.
  13. News: Leboeuf gets frank with Zizou . 22 January 2021 . BBC Sport . 26 June 2000.
  14. News: France win Euro 2000 . 22 January 2021 . BBC Sport . 2 July 2000.
  15. News: Leboeuf sinks brave Koreans . 22 January 2021 . BBC Sport . 26 May 2002.
  16. News: Leboeuf delays retirement . 22 January 2021 . BBC Sport . 29 June 2002.
  17. News: Whelan. David. An Interview with Frank Leboeuf. 17 November 2014. Vice. VICE Media LLC. 17 November 2014.
  18. Web site: Frank Leboeuf . www.chelseafc.com . en-gb . 24 June 2024 .
  19. Web site: Spot on: Chelsea’s Premier League penalty kings . www.chelseafc.com . 24 June 2024 . en-gb.
  20. Web site: The Best Penalty Takers in the Premier League . The Opta Analyst . Furniss . Matt . en . 8 May 2024 . 24 June 2024 .
  21. News: Philip. Robert. Frank Leboeuf ready to act on the ball. 18 November 2014. The Daily Telegraph. 5 March 2008.
  22. News: Walsh. Aly. Former Chelsea star Frank Leboeuf shooting feature film. 18 November 2014. Derby Telegraph. 6 September 2013. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20141129033315/http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/Chelsea-star-Frank-Leboeuf-shooting-feature-film/story-19761871-detail/story.html. 29 November 2014.
  23. Web site: Meffre. Benjamin. Bande-annonce : Frank Leboeuf est chirurgien dans "The Theory of Everything". Ozap.com. PureMédias. 18 November 2014. fr. 15 August 2014.
  24. Web site: Leboeuf . Frank . January 2023 . Frank Leboeuf Author Page . Chelsea News.
  25. News: Koh-Lanta, le choc des héros : Frank Leboeuf... le gagnant ?. 18 November 2014. Le Parisien. Éditions Philippe Amaury. 30 March 2010. fr. 29 November 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141129023314/http://www.leparisien.fr/actualite-people-medias/koh-lanta-le-choc-des-heros-frank-leboeuf-le-gagnant-30-03-2010-868378.php. dead.
  26. Web site: Thomas. Julien. Frank Leboeuf (Koh-Lanta) : "Je suis déçu". Tele-Loisirs. 18 November 2014. fr. 5 April 2010. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20141129033631/http://koh-lanta.programme-tv.net/koh-lanta-le-choc-des-heros/news/8712-frank-leboeuf-koh-lanta-je-suis-decu-video/. 29 November 2014.
  27. Web site: Laetitia Milot en bikini, Frank Leboeuf très agressif dans 'Nos Chers voisins' !. Pure People. PureMédias. 18 November 2014. fr. 23 June 2014.
  28. News: Lesdos. Marianne. Frank Lebœuf: en pleine lucarne. 18 November 2014. Gala. Prisma Média. fr.
  29. News: Franck Leboeuf, le Paon de "Mask Singer", a joué dans le biopic de Stephen Hawking, nommé aux Oscars. 22 January 2021 . Huffington Post . 13 December 2019.
  30. Web site: Nathalie Garçon fête le lancement de "Garde-Robes". Paris Match. Hachette Filipacchi Médias. 18 November 2014. ...et de Franck Leboeuf, venu aux côtés de sa compagne, l'actrice Chrislaure Nollet. 14 October 2014. fr.
  31. News: Stammers. Steve. Leboeuf ready to answer fans' prayers. 19 November 2014. ESPN Soccernet Euro 2000. ESPN. 9 June 2000. https://web.archive.org/web/20141119071615/http://www.espnfc.com/euro2000/news/20000609fraleboeuf.html. 19 November 2014.
  32. Web site: Philippe Leboeuf, meilleur hôtelier du monde . 12 November 2018 .
  33. Web site: Frank Leboeuf. L'Équipe. Éditions Philippe Amaury. 4 September 2014.
  34. Web site: 1995: Bordeaux lay down Intertoto gauntlet. UEFA.com Archive. UEFA. 19 November 2014. 1 August 1995. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130731054558/http://en.archive.uefa.com/competitions/intertotocup/history/season=1995/intro.html. 31 July 2013.
  35. Web site: Frank Leboeuf. Chelsea F.C.. 4 September 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20111210143119/http://www.chelseafc.com/page/Legends_Details/0%2C%2C10268~2382489%2C00.html. 10 December 2011. dead.
  36. Web site: Keane sees red as Chelsea triumph. BBC Sport. BBC. 18 November 2014. 13 August 2000.
  37. Web site: 1998: Poyet strikes late for Chelsea. UEFA.com. UEFA. 4 September 2014.
  38. News: Falla. Laurent. Franck Leboeuf : "Les Qataris sont des businessmen avant tout". 19 November 2014. Metro News. Metro International. 12 December 2011. fr. https://web.archive.org/web/20140907064557/http://www.metronews.fr/sport/franck-leboeuf-les-qataris-sont-des-businessmen-avant-tout/pkll!gkaDZquL@bGj@61cuS3JOA/. 7 September 2014. dead.
  39. News: Nilmar sounds warning as Sheikh Jassim Cup begins. 19 November 2014. Gulf Times. Gulf Publishing and Printing Company. 19 July 2013.
  40. Web site: Match Report. https://web.archive.org/web/20131221151811/http://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/worldcup/france1998/matches/round=1027/match=8788/index.html. dead. 21 December 2013. FIFA.com. FIFA. 19 November 2014.
  41. News: France 2 - 1 Italy. 19 November 2014. The Guardian. 2 July 2000.
  42. News: Classy France outplay Japan. 19 November 2014. BBC Sport Online. BBC. 10 June 2001. https://web.archive.org/web/20141119011216/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/1379790.stm. 19 November 2014.

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