Florent Balmont
Florent Balmont is one of the outstanding players of Ligue 1 in the 2000s/2010s, a midfielder who is excellent at recovering, he has maintained a sense of sacrifice throughout his career.
Games
Goals
Assists
Trophies
2002/2003 Olympique Lyonnais (FRA) 13 matches
(French Championship: 11 matches, 1 goal)
(Coupe de la Ligue: 1 match)
(Trophée des Champions: 1 match)
2003/2004 Toulouse FC (FRA) 37 matches
(French Championship: 34 matches)
(Coupe de France: 2 matches)
(Coupe de la Ligue: 1 match)
2004/2008 OGC Nice (FRA) 152 matches, 6 goals
(French Championship: 139 matches, 4 goals)
(Coupe de France: 5 matches, 1 goal)
(Coupe de la Ligue: 8 matches 1 goal)
2008/2016 Lille OSC (FRA) 323 matches, 12 goals
(French Championship: 253 matches, 7 goals)
(Coupe de France: 17 matches, 1 goal)
(Coupe de la Ligue: 12 matches, 1 goal)
(Trophée des Champions: 1 match, 1 goal)
(Champions League: 16 matches, 1 goal)
(Europa League: 24 matches, 1 goal)
2016/2020 Dijon FCO (FRA) 90 matches, 2 goals
(French Championship: 77 matches, 1 goal)
(Coupe de France: 9 matches, 1 goal)
(Coupe de la Ligue: 4 matches)
With the National Team :
U23: 3 caps
Florent Balmont
Born February 2, 1980 in Sainte-Foy-lès-Lyon (FRA)
French, central midfielder, defensive midfielder, 1m68
Nickname: Flo
Late professional debut
Florent Balmont was born on February 2, 1980 in Sainte-Foy-lès-Lyon. He is not one of those players who start their professional career at a young age, but a shadow worker, he develops far from the spotlight.
He started playing football when he was 5 years old in the CS Ozon club, at that time, he played as a striker. Growing up, he joined CASCOL d'Oullins before joining Olympique Lyonnais at the age of 17.
In the youth categories, he reached and won the final of the Coupe Gambardella 1997. He played with the club's reserve team, and during the 2000/01 season, he finished third in the CFA, won the Coupe du Rhône-Alpes and the French professional reserve championship.
He made his professional debut at 22, but it was during the 2003/04 season that he was revealed to the French public during his loan spell at Toulouse FC. There, we discover a midfielder, who can play central midfielder or defensive midfielder. Double French champion, in 2002 and 2003, he left for Nice where he became a major element of the team and the guarantor of the balance of the squad.
One of the best midfielders in Ligue 1 at the time
After 4 years in the south of France, he would definitively write his name in the history of Ligue 1 by leaving for LOSC. For 3 million euros, LOSC will get one of the most emblematic players in its history.
After 2 great seasons with LOSC, in the summer of 2010, he was pre-summoned to the French team by Laurent Blanc, but he was ultimately not selected for the final list. No problem, the midfielder will have an excellent 2010/11 season. With Rio Mavuba and Yohan Cabaye, he is one of the best midfielders in Ligue 1. He is a major element in LOSC's success during this famous season where they won the championship and the Coupe de France.
A legend of the French championship
After two contract renewals, and 8 years spent at the club in the North of France, he leaves his club and signs for Dijon FCO, which has just been promoted to Ligue 1. He is then 36 years old. While everyone thought he was at the end of his career, the player surprisingly maintained a good level, and in 2019, he reached the symbolic mark of 500 matches played in Ligue 1.
After 4 years spent in Dijon for 90 matches, he decided that the 2019/20 season would be his last, even after the competition was stopped due to Covid-19. The 1m68 midfielder was one of those surprisingly striking faces on Ligue 1 pitches. With his low centre of gravity, he had very good technical quality, a very good passing game and great aggression in the good sense of the term. His vision and his strikes from afar also contributed to his aura.
Trophies :
French League x3
- 2002 (Olympique Lyonnais)
- 2003 (Olympique Lyonnais)
- 2011 (LOSC)
Vice-Champion French League x1
- 2001 (Olympique Lyonnais)
Gambardella Cup x1
- 1997 (Olympique Lyonnais)
French League Cup x1
- 2001 (Olympique Lyonnais)
Finalist French League Cup x1
- 2006 (OGC Nice)
French Cup x1
- 2011 (LOSC)
Finalist Trophée des Champions x1
- 2011 (LOSC)
Trophée des Champions x2
- 2002 (Olympique Lyonnais)
- 2004 (Olympique Lyonnais)