Fabien Barthez
Fabien Alain Barthez entered the world on the 28th of June 1971 in the small town of Lavelanet, located within the Ariège department of France. His early years unfolded far from the roar of stadium crowds or the flash of camera bulbs that would later define his public image. The quiet atmosphere of this southern French region provided a stark contrast to the chaotic energy he would eventually bring to professional football fields across Europe. Nothing in his childhood suggested he would become one of the most recognizable figures in global sports history. He grew up without the expectation of fame or the pressure of international scrutiny. This humble beginning set the stage for a life that would eventually span continents and redefine what it meant to be a goalkeeper.
Barthez made his first division debut for Toulouse on the 21st of September 1991 against Nancy. He joined Olympique Marseille in 1992 and immediately began making an impact on the European stage. That same year, he secured both the French championship and the UEFA Champions League title. A clean sheet in a 1, 0 victory over Milan sealed the latter competition's final. The 1993 victory established him as the youngest goalkeeper to win a Champions League title until Iker Casillas achieved the feat in 2000. Marseille would later be stripped of their domestic title due to match-fixing scandals but retained their European crown. Barthez stayed with the club during their forced relegation to Division 2 for the 1994, 95 season despite offers from elite clubs. He helped them win the second-division title before they earned promotion back to Ligue 1 the following season.
On the 26th of May 1994, Barthez won his first cap for France in a 1, 0 victory against Australia. In the 1998 FIFA World Cup hosted by his home country, he conceded only two goals across seven games. He won the Yashin Award as the best goalkeeper of that tournament and placed second in the IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper award behind José Luis Chilavert. During the quarter-final shootout against Italy, he saved Demetrio Albertini's penalty kick while keeping a clean sheet throughout the entire knockout phase. His performance in the final included five clean sheets total, with only goals conceded being a penalty against Denmark and another against Croatia in the semi-final. The final ended in a 3, 0 win over Brazil where he made a spectacular save attempting to anticipate Ronaldo's move. This incident injured Ronaldo though Barthez later stated he never intended harm. Following this triumph, he became one of the most popular national players alongside Zinedine Zidane. He kept ten clean sheets during his career at the finals sharing the record with Peter Shilton.
Barthez joined Manchester United for £7.8 million in 2000 after catching Sir Alex Ferguson's attention. He was reunited with national teammate Laurent Blanc who joined United in 2001. Their head-kissing ritual began before every Champions League match as a display of camaraderie. Fans loved his eccentric behavior including taunting dribbles and step-overs past opposing strikers. A memorable incident occurred when Leeds United faced Manchester United in March 2001. After dropping a cross from Robbie Keane, Barthez deliberately kicked out with his foot at Ian Harte who fell to the ground near the six-yard box. The referee awarded a penalty to Leeds but Barthez made a low one-handed save to his right. Another controversy arose when he attempted to psych out West Ham United's Paolo Di Canio by standing still with his hand up expecting the whistle or a stop. Di Canio continued and scored the only goal of the game later saying it was better to score first then see if the goalkeeper was right. In November 2001 Leicester City came to Old Trafford where Muzzy Izzet prepared to take a penalty while Barthez stood aside with hands behind him on the post. Izzet slotted the ball into the bottom corner but referee Andy D'Urso ordered a retake which Barthez denied with a fine save.
After retiring from football in 2007, Barthez began a career in motorsport in 2008. He competed in selected events in the Porsche Carrera Cup France that year with team SOFREV Auto Sport Promotion. Racing also took place in two events within the THP Spider Cup during the same period. By 2009 he entered various series including the French GT Championship Bioracing Series and Caterham Sigma Cup France alongside the Porsche Carrera Cup France. He continued racing in the FFSA GT Championship in 2010 securing his first podium finish in race one at Dijon-Prenois. During the 2012 season he won his first race in the FFSA series at Circuito de Navarra finishing seventh overall in the championship. In 2013 he was crowned French GT Champion alongside Morgan Moullin-Traffort driving a Ferrari. That same year he competed in the newly rebranded FIA GT Series with Gérard Tonelli in the Gentleman Trophy class using a GT3-spec Ferrari 458 Italia. February 2014 announced his entry into the 2014 24 Hours of Le Mans where he drove Sofrev ASP's Ferrari 458 finishing 29th overall and ninth in the LMGTE Am class.
Barthez is a practicing Zen Buddhist who maintained this faith throughout his professional career. His active romantic life included dating Canadian model Linda Evangelista who became pregnant but miscarried six months into the pregnancy. The couple broke up in 2000 reunited in 2001 and officially ended their relationship in 2002. He is known as a smoker who often wore red briefs underneath his goalkeeping shorts. Barthez usually cut off the sleeves of his goalkeeping jersey to create a distinctive look. Although most starting goalkeepers wear number one shirts he chose instead to wear number sixteen. These choices reflected his eccentric personality and superstitious nature which permeated every aspect of his public persona. Endorsement deals signed during his playing career included partnerships with McDonald's and Adidas. His personal identity extended beyond the pitch through these deliberate stylistic decisions that set him apart from peers.
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Common questions
When and where was Fabien Barthez born?
Fabien Alain Barthez entered the world on the 28th of June 1971 in the small town of Lavelanet, located within the Ariège department of France.
What major titles did Fabien Barthez win with Olympique Marseille in 1993?
That same year he secured both the French championship and the UEFA Champions League title. A clean sheet in a 1, 0 victory over Milan sealed the latter competition's final.
How many goals did Fabien Barthez concede during the 1998 FIFA World Cup?
In the 1998 FIFA World Cup hosted by his home country he conceded only two goals across seven games. He won the Yashin Award as the best goalkeeper of that tournament and placed second in the IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper award behind José Luis Chilavert.
Why is Fabien Barthez known for wearing number sixteen instead of one?
Although most starting goalkeepers wear number one shirts he chose instead to wear number sixteen. These choices reflected his eccentric personality and superstitious nature which permeated every aspect of his public persona.
When did Fabien Barthez retire from football and start racing professionally?
After retiring from football in 2007 Barthez began a career in motorsport in 2008. He competed in selected events in the Porsche Carrera Cup France that year with team SOFREV Auto Sport Promotion.