1. Overview
Anthony Guy Marie Réveillère (born 10 November 1979) is a French former professional footballer who primarily played as a right-back. He spent the majority of his professional career with Rennes and Lyon, accumulating 426 matches and five goals in Ligue 1 over 16 seasons. With Lyon, he secured 12 major titles, including five consecutive national championships. Réveillère earned 20 caps for the French national team, representing his country at the 2010 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2012. After retiring from playing, he transitioned into roles such as a sporting director and a consultant.
2. Early life and background
Anthony Réveillère's formative years were spent developing his football skills through various youth academies before he embarked on his professional career.
2.1. Early life
Anthony Guy Marie Réveillère was born on 10 November 1979 in Doué-la-Fontaine, a commune located in the Maine-et-Loire department of France.
2.2. Youth career
Réveillère began his youth football journey at SO Vihiers, where he played from 1985 to 1992. He then moved to the youth system of Angers SCO, staying there from 1992 to 1996. His final step in youth development was with Stade Rennais FC, which he joined in 1996 and remained with until 1998, when he made his professional debut.
3. Club career
Réveillère's professional club career spanned over 17 years, primarily in France's top flight, with significant spells at Rennes and Lyon, followed by brief periods in Italy and England.
3.1. Rennes
Réveillère completed his football formation at Stade Rennais FC. He made his Ligue 1 debut for the club on 3 February 1998, in a goalless away draw against SC Bastia. He remained with Rennes for six years, consistently playing in the top division. During his time at Rennes, he made 140 appearances and scored two goals. In January 2003, he was loaned to Valencia CF in La Liga.
3.2. Valencia CF (loan)
In January 2003, Réveillère joined Spanish club Valencia CF on a half-year loan deal, which included an option for a permanent transfer valued at 5.00 M EUR. During his brief spell in Spain, he featured in 18 matches, scoring one goal. However, due to the club's financial constraints, the permanent transfer option was not exercised, leading to his return to France in the summer of 2003.
3.3. Lyon
Réveillère transferred to Olympique Lyonnais in the summer of 2003, signing a five-year contract on 7 July, for an estimated transfer fee ranging from 4.80 M EUR to 5.50 M EUR. His move to Lyon reunited him with coach Paul Le Guen, who had previously managed him at Rennes. In his inaugural season (2003-04), he scored one goal in 31 appearances, contributing to Lyon's first of five consecutive Ligue 1 championships. He quickly established himself as a key player, displacing Éric Deflandre. He later faced intense competition for his position from François Clerc.
Réveillère's tenure at Lyon was marked by consistent performance, though he suffered a significant anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury on 22 November 2008 during a match against Paris Saint-Germain. Initially, the injury was expected to end his season, and surgery was scheduled for 8 January 2009. However, an MRI scan three days prior revealed signs of healing, prompting Réveillère to cancel the surgery after consulting with his surgeon. This decision was met with skepticism from the club's medical staff and coach Claude Puel, but Réveillère signed an agreement to refund three months of his salary if the injury recurred. He made a remarkable return to action on 12 April 2009, playing the full 90 minutes against AS Monaco, with his second match following a month later against FC Nantes. This decision to forgo surgery later became a point of contention when he failed a medical during a potential trade for Milan Biševac in August 2012.
Throughout his time with Lyon, Réveillère participated in 77 UEFA Champions League matches, scoring two goals. He was a crucial part of the team that famously eliminated Real Madrid in the 2009-10 UEFA Champions League season. He played the full 90 minutes in both legs of the quarter-final against Bordeaux in the same tournament, where Lyon reached the semi-finals, their best-ever performance in the competition. Over his ten years at Lyon, he contributed to the club winning 12 major titles, including five Ligue 1 titles, two Coupe de France trophies, and six Trophée des Champions. He was also part of the team that finished as runner-up in the Coupe de la Ligue in 2011-12 and the Ligue 1 in 2009-10.
Réveillère left Lyon at the end of the 2012-13 season after his contract expired. While some reports suggested he was released due to a generational shift, the club stated that he had rejected their offer of a two-year contract extension until 2015.
3.4. Napoli
As a free agent, Réveillère joined Italian club S.S.C. Napoli on 8 November 2013, signing a contract for six months with an option for an additional year. His move to Napoli allowed him to reunite with coach Rafael Benítez, under whom he had played at Valencia. He made his Serie A debut on 19 January 2014, playing the full 90 minutes in a 2-2 draw against Bologna. Initially, he played as a left-back, but after the arrival of Faouzi Ghoulam in the winter transfer window, he found his playing time reduced. Opportunities at his preferred right-back position were also limited due to the presence of Henrique. He concluded his only season with Napoli having made 18 appearances across all competitions, and he departed the club in May 2014.
3.5. Sunderland AFC
On 23 October 2014, Réveillère signed a one-year deal with Premier League club Sunderland. He played 16 matches for the club. On 9 November 2015, he officially announced his retirement from professional football, citing a lack of new offers and a desire to prioritize spending time with his children.
4. International career
Anthony Réveillère represented France at various youth levels before making his debut for the senior national team, participating in major international tournaments.
4.1. France youth teams
Réveillère's international career began at the youth level, where he played for several French national teams. He was part of the U-17 team from 1995 to 1996, making 20 appearances and scoring one goal. He then progressed to the U-18 team (1996-1997), playing six matches. From 1999 to 2002, he was a member of the U-21 team, earning 24 caps and scoring one goal. He also made one appearance for the France B team in 2007.
4.2. France national team
Réveillère earned his first senior cap for the French national team on 11 October 2003, in a 3-0 victory against Israel during the UEFA Euro 2004 qualifiers. Following a match against Germany in November 2005, he was absent from the national team for an extended period due to injuries and strong competition from other right-backs such as Willy Sagnol, Bacary Sagna, Rod Fanni, and his club teammate François Clerc.
He was eventually recalled by coach Raymond Domenech for the 2010 FIFA World Cup squad, pushing Rod Fanni out of the second-choice right-back spot. Although he was an unused squad member throughout the tournament, with Bacary Sagna starting all three matches, he made his return to play for France on 4 June 2010 in a match against China, his first appearance since 2005. Overall, Réveillère played 20 matches for Les Bleus.
4.2.1. Major tournament participation
Réveillère was included in the French squads for both the 2010 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2012. At the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, he remained on the bench for all three of France's matches. In UEFA Euro 2012, he made an appearance in the quarter-final, a 0-2 loss to Spain. In that match, he started at right-back after Mathieu Debuchy, who was typically the regular starter, was deployed in midfield. Réveillère, along with Debuchy, struggled to contain the Spanish attack, particularly Andrés Iniesta and Jordi Alba, which contributed to one of the goals conceded.
4.2.2. International goals
Réveillère scored his only goal for the French national team on 7 October 2011. This goal contributed to a 3-0 home victory over Albania during the Euro 2012 qualifying stage.
Score and result list France's goal tally first, score column indicates score after Réveillère goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 October 2011 | Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France | Albania | 3-0 | 3-0 | Euro 2012 qualifying |
5. Post-retirement
After concluding his playing career, Anthony Réveillère transitioned into administrative and media roles within football.
In late October 2019, Réveillère was appointed as the sporting director of MDA Chasselay. The club later changed its name to GOAL FC in the summer of 2020. Réveillère announced his departure from GOAL FC at the end of May 2022. In the year leading up to his departure, he served as an advisor to the club's president, Jocelyn Fontanel.
In July 2023, Réveillère joined Olympique Lyonnais's official video platform, OLPLAY, as a consultant.
6. Honours
Anthony Réveillère achieved significant success throughout his club career, particularly with Olympique Lyonnais, and also earned individual recognition.
6.1. Club honours
- Lyon
- Ligue 1: 2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08
- Ligue 1 runner-up: 2009-10
- Coupe de France: 2007-08, 2011-12
- Trophée des Champions: 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2012
- Trophée des Champions runner-up: 2008
- Coupe de la Ligue runner-up: 2011-12
- Peace Cup: 2007
- Napoli
- Coppa Italia: 2013-14
6.2. Individual honours
- Ligue 1 Team of the Year: 2010-11