Youri Djorkaeff

Youri Raffi Djorkaeff (born 9 March 1968) is a former French international footballer who played as an attacking midfielder or as a forward. With the French national team, Djorkaeff won the 1998 FIFA World Cup and Euro 2000. He is the son of former player Jean Djorkaeff. He currently runs the Youri Djorkaeff Foundation.

Djorkaeff was born to Kalmyk-Polish father Jean Djorkaeff and an Armenian mother Mary Ohanian in Lyon.

He started his career in 1984 with French club Grenoble, before moving to RC Strasbourg in 1989, AS Monaco in 1990, and then Paris Saint-Germain in 1995. In 1994, Djorkaeff led Division 1 in goals with 20.

In 1996, he signed with Italian giants Internazionale and in 1999, he transferred to Germany and Kaiserslautern. Djorkaeff turned many heads when signing with English club Bolton Wanderers in 2002, but added a lot of class to the team during his three seasons there, resulting in the creation of an international "dream-team" alongside the tricky Nigerian Jay-Jay Okocha, and former Real Madrid midfielder Iván Campo. He then transferred to Blackburn Rovers but left the club after playing in only three games. Djorkaeff then signed with the MetroStars of Major League Soccer in February 2005, turning down higher paid offers from other countries. He became the first French player to play in MLS and ended the season as the team's MVP with ten goals and seven assists in league play.

Djorkaeff announced from the beginning that he would hang-up his boots at the end of 2006 season, and played for the re-branded New York Red Bulls. On 1 July 2006, he was spotted in the crowd with French fans at the FIFA World Cup quarter-final match between France and Brazil after telling Red Bulls officials he left the club to attend to "an unexpected, serious family matter in France." Upon his return, he revealed that the purpose of his departure was to be with his sick mother and downplayed watching the World Cup match.

He retired from football on 29 October 2006.

Cups and medals

Djorkaeff won the Cup Winners' Cup with Paris Saint-Germain in 1996 and the UEFA Cup with Internazionale in 1998. He accumulated 82 caps and scored 28 goals for France. Other than the two major tournament (the 1998 FIFA World Cup and the UEFA Euro 2000), Djorkaeff also played for his country in UEFA Euro 1996 and the 2002 FIFA World Cup.

Djorkaeff has a wife, Sophie, and three children: Sacha, Oan and Angelica. Djorkaeff released a singing single called "Vivre dans Ta Lumière", translated to "Living in Your Light" from French. His younger brother, Micha Djorkaeff, was also a professional football player.

On 15 November 2012 Djorkaeff hosted Phone-a-thon for Armenian charity held in Europe. The Phoneathon benefits the construction of community centers in villages throughout Nagorno Karabakh and comprehensive agricultural development in Armenia's Tavush Region. In addition, a part of the proceeds will be dedicated to providing urgent aid to the Syrian-Armenian community.

Djorkaeff currently runs the Youri Djorkaeff Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to providing soccer programs in New York City.

Club

Monaco

• Coupe de France: 1990–91

Paris Saint-Germain

• Trophée des champions: 1995
• UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1995–96

Internazionale

• UEFA Cup: 1997–98

Bolton Wanderers

• 2004 League Cup (runners-up) 2004

France

• FIFA World Cup: 1998
• UEFA European Championship: 2000

Individual

• French Division 1: Top Scorer 1993-94
• UEFA Euro: Team of the Tournament 1996
• Golden Pirate: 1997
• FIFA XI: 1997
• Légion d'Honneur : 1998

• Inter.it staff, inter(a t)inter.it (17 November 2006). "F.C. Internazionale Milano". Inter.it. Retrieved 9 February 2015. 
• FIFA XI´s Matches - Full Info
• "France honors World Cup winners – Government gives Legion of Honor to players, coaches". CNN/SI. 1 September 1998. Retrieved 20 July 2006. 
• "Décret du 24 juillet 1998 portant nomination à titre exceptionnel". JORF (in French). 1998 (170her): 11376. 25 July 1998. PREX9801916D. Retrieved 10 March 2009. 

Club

International