About Samir Nasri
French professional footballer Samir Nasri, who was born on June 26, 1987, has an estimated net worth of $25 million. Having most recently played for the Belgian team Anderlecht, Nasri is presently a free agent. Although he has sometimes been used in central midfield, his primary positions on the field are attacking midfielder and winger.
Samir Nasri was labeled “the new Zinedine Zidane” at a young age. However, this had more to do with Nasri’s Algerian ancestry, Marseille upbringing (although both of his parents are from the country in north Africa), and position on the pitch than it did with any playing similarity to the illustrious France World Cup victor.
Although Nasri has played more on the wings throughout his career and is much quicker than “Zizou,” he does prefer playing in a more central position when given the opportunity by his coaches.
After lengthy discussions with Arsenal during August 2011, Manchester City decided to sign him for a rumoured US$40 million due to his good performance for much of the 2010–11 season.
Quick Facts:
- Name: Samir Nasri
- Nationality: French
- Date and Place of Birth: June 24, 1987 in Marseille, France
- Position: Midfielder
- Current Club: Manchester City (Premier League)
- Previous Club: Marseille (2004-2008), Arsenal (2008-2011)
- International Career: 2007 to present
The Early Years
Nasri’s talent was evident to all after he began playing for Marseille at the age of nine.
Freddy Assolen, the club scout who recruited him, said of him, “He could do everything with the ball: stepovers, dribbling, shooting with the right or the left.”
When he was 17, then-coach José Anigo threw him into the league against Sochaux.
Nasri, who made 24 league appearances in his debut season and scored his first goal against Lille, started to prosper in a middle position behind the forwards.
As he built on the quick development established in his rookie season, he was voted the Young Player of the Year in Ligue 1 for the 2006–07 season.
Although such achievements draw notice, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger rushed to recruit Nasri for about $24 million in May 2008, knowing that Alexander Hleb was probably going to Barcelona.
Crossing the Channel
Nasri made an exciting debut as he scored after just 225 seconds against West Brom in a victory on the first day. Nasri is partnered with French tennis player Tatiana Golovin.
Another standout moment of his debut season playing English soccer was scoring twice in a 2-1 victory over Manchester United in September.
Nasri proved that he was the perfect fit for Arsenal’s fluid pass and move style during his first season and a half in England, but despite some impressive performances, there was always the sense that a more complete player was just waiting to break through.
Such fears were validated when, halfway through the 2009–10 season, Nasri really got going. His cutting runs and artistic flair made sure that the Gunners’ injury-related loss of Cesc Fabregas did not affect them as severely as many analysts had predicted.
He carried over his strong play into the subsequent season, scoring 15 goals and taking over as Fabregas and Arsenal’s primary creative force.
International Career
Before making his senior team debut against Austria in 2007, Nasri competed for France at the Under-16, Under-17, Under-18, Under-19, and Under-21 levels. With a free kick, Nasri assisted Karim Benzema in scoring the match-winning goal.
Early efforts by Nasri in a France jersey were encouraging; he scored his first goal against Georgia in a 2007 European Championship qualification. Nasri developed under Raymond Domenech, performing well enough to secure a spot in the team for Euro 2008.
He was left out of France’s disastrous 2010 World Cup squad, which Nasri later said was a gift in disguise because it allowed him to take a well-deserved summer break.
His “vision and imagination make him an unpredictable opponent” according to the description of the player. Samir Nasri’s net worth is projected to be $25 million as of 2023. After being left out of the 2014 World Cup, Nasri announced his retirement from international football.
