Steve Marlet (born 10 January 1974) is a French former professional footballer who played as a forward. He was capped 23 times and scored six goals for the France national team, winning the Confederations Cup in 2001 and 2003 and featuring at Euro 2004.
Early life Marlet was born in Pithiviers, Loiret.
Club career Early career Marlet began his professional career with Red Star.
Fulham Marlet held the record for Fulham's biggest transfer fee until July 2008, as the newly promoted Premier League team paid £11.5 million to sign him in August 2001 from Lyon. His expectations was well received by France national team coach Roger Lemerre, suggesting: "He will progress at Fulham". However, he only managed eleven goals in 54 league games, as then-manager Jean Tigana was dismissed during the season. He played just one game in the 2003–04 season for Fulham, in which he scored. He was then loaned out to Marseille on 27 August, with an option to sign permanently.
While on loan, Marlet partnered Didier Drogba up front as Marseille advanced through the 2003-04 UEFA Cup, before losing the final to Valencia.
Marlet's poor performances for Fulham led to chairman Mohamed Al-Fayed taking Tigana to the Court of Arbitration for Sport for the high transfer fee. Tigana, who had ties to Lyon and had briefly been Marlet's agent, was accused of signing him for an exorbitant fee and taking a cut of the fee for himself. The charges were quickly dropped.
Wolfsburg and Lorient On 21 August 2005, after his release from Fulham, Marlet signed a one-year deal with the option for a second year, at VfL Wolfsburg of the German Bundesliga. On his arrival, manager Thomas Strunz said: "Steve Marlet is very well-known in international football, a player who is fast and versatile".
Marlet only scored one Bundesliga goal and was not given the second year of his contract. He trained for two weeks with Paris St. Germain before signing a one-year deal at Lorient, newly promoted to Ligue 1. He was attracted by the attacking style of manager Christian Gourcuff.
Later career After being released by Lorient, he went on trial with Ipswich Town from 6 to 30 October 2007, Chicago Fire and Reims.
In July 2011, he joined Red Star in the third tier of French football, the Championnat National, where he spent the last season of his career.
Career statistics Club + Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueDivisionAppsGoalsRed Star1990–91001991–92711992–933151993–94Ligue 24091994–95Ligue 22491995–96Ligue 23516Total13740Auxerre1996–97Ligue 12431997–98Ligue 11861998–99Ligue 13271999–2000Ligue 1339Total10625Lyon2000–01Ligue 131122001–02Ligue 151Total3613Fulham2001–02Premier League2662002–03Premier League2842003–04Premier League11Total5511Marseille (loan)2003–04Ligue 12392004–05Ligue 1317Total5416VfL Wolfsburg2005–06Bundesliga211Lorient2006–07Ligue 1221Career total431107
International Scores and results list France's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Marlet goal.
+ List of international goals scored by Steve MarletNo.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition130 May 2001Daegu World Cup Stadium, Daegu, South Korea1–05–02001 FIFA Confederations Cup227 March 2002Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France5–05–0Friendly312 October 2002Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France2–05–0UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying43–0520 August 2003Stade de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland2–02–0Friendly match628 May 2004Stade de la Mosson, Montpellier, France4–04–0Friendly match
Honours Lyon Coupe de la Ligue: 2000–01
Fulham UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2002
France FIFA Confederations Cup: 2001, 2003
References
External links