Jérémy Ménez (born 7 May 1987) is a French professional footballer who plays as a forward for Italian Serie B club Bari.
Ménez has been described as an ambipedal, technically skilled, pacy playmaker.
Ménez began his career spending time with various clubs in the Île-de-France region such as the Centre de Formation de Paris and CSF Brétigny.
2001
In 2001, he secured a move to Sochaux and spent four years in the club's youth academy.
2004
In March 2004, Ménez became the youngest professional football player in the history of Ligue 1 after signing a professional contract and made his professional debut in the 2004–05 season.
With Sochaux, he played European football for the first time after participating in the 2004–05 edition of the UEFA Cup.
After two seasons at the club, he joined Monaco.
At Monaco, Ménez developed into a playmaking midfielder under the tutelage of Brazilian manager Ricardo Gomes.
After two successful seasons in Monaco, he signed for Serie A club Roma on a four-year contract.
With Roma, Ménez featured in the UEFA Champions League for the first time and scored 12 goals in over 100 appearances with the club.
Prior to playing for the senior team, he played in the under-17 team that won the 2004 UEFA European Under-17 Championship.
On 24 March 2004, at the age of 16, he signed his first professional contract with Sochaux, agreeing to a three-year deal until June 2007.
Upon signing the contract, he became the youngest professional football player in the history of Ligue 1.
Ménez was subsequently promoted to the club's senior team and assigned the number 26 shirt by manager Guy Lacombe.
Prior to signing his contract, Ménez drew strong interest from English clubs Arsenal and Manchester United.
The latter club's manager at the time, Sir Alex Ferguson, was later accused by Sochaux's former president Jean-Claude Plessis of tapping up Ménez; he accused Ferguson of meeting with the player's parents in Paris and offering them financial favours.
Manchester United denied the accusations.
Ménez travelled to Manchester and visited the team's facilities and Old Trafford, the club's stadium, before deciding to remain in France.
On 7 August 2004, Ménez made his professional debut in the club's opening match of the 2004–05 season against Ajaccio.
He started the match and played 57 minutes before being substituted for in a 1–0 win.
Despite being so young, Ménez was a regular within the team, often rotating between the bench and starting XI.
On 20 November, he scored his first professional goal in a 3–1 victory over Monaco.
Two months later, Ménez became the youngest player in league history to score a hat-trick after recording one in the team's 4–0 victory over Bordeaux.
He scored the goals in a seven-minute span to assure Sochaux of victory.
2010
Ménez made his senior international debut in August 2010 in a friendly match against Norway.
2011
In July 2011, after three seasons with Roma, Ménez returned to France signing a three-year contract with Paris Saint-Germain.
2012
He represented his country at the Euro 2012.
Ménez was born in Longjumeau, Essonne.
As a child, he grew up in Vitry-sur-Seine, not far from his birthplace, and supported hometown club Paris Saint-Germain.
Ménez became attracted to football through his father and older brother who were football players themselves.
Ménez began his career at local club CA Vitry.
After a year at the club, Ménez joined the Centre de Formation de Paris, a youth sporting club designed to cater only to football players under the age of 19.
While at C.F.F.P, Ménez developed and honed his technical skills and was placed into the playmaker position by his coaches.
After five years at the academy, he departed the club after developing friction with the academy coaches.
After leaving CFFP, Ménez joined CSF Brétigny, a local Parisian club that also trained French internationals Patrice Evra and Jimmy Briand.
He spent only a year at the club before securing a move to professional club Sochaux in Franche-Comté.
Upon his arrival at Sochaux, Ménez entered the club's youth academy and began attending the sports department's elite high school, Vignes de Seloncourt, with ambitions of becoming an accountant.
While in the club's academy, Ménez was adept both on and off the field earning good grades in school.
2014
He was then signed by AC Milan on a free transfer in June 2014, signing a three-year contract.
Ménez is a former French youth international and has represented his nation at every level for which he was eligible.
