Clubs: FC Lorient, Stade Rennais FC, AC Milan, FC Girondins de Bordeaux, Olympique Lyonnais

UEFA honours
UEFA European Under-19 Championship: winner 2005

• A native of Brittany and the son of former player Christian Gourcuff, he began his career in the youth ranks at Lorient, where his father was the coach, before signing professional forms with another club in the region, Rennes.

• Gourcuff starred for France at the 2005 UEFA European Under-19 Championship in Northern Ireland, scoring three goals and featuring in UEFA's Team of the Tournament.

• Shone in 2005/06 (36 appearances, six goals), helping Rennes to seventh place in Ligue 1 and earning himself a lucrative transfer to Milan; helped the Rossoneri win the UEFA Champions League in 2007 though did not appear in final.

• Spent 2008/09 on loan at Bordeaux, where he raised his career to new heights, becoming a fixture in the France side and inspiring Les Marine et Blanc to their first league title in a decade; also scored in the League Cup final win against Vannes OC.

• Signed a four-year contract with Bordeaux in May 2009 and ended the season as France's footballer of the year; maintained his top form the following season, driving the club towards the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals, where his side were knocked out by Lyon.

• After appearing at the FIFA 2010 World Cup finals, at which he was sent off in France's 2-1 defeat by South Africa, he made a €22m switch to Lyon in August 2010.