Anthony Knockaert

Guingamp

Knockaert began his professional career with Guingamp, having previously spent his youth career at Wasquehal, Leers, Lens, Mouscron and Lesquin. While progressing in the youth at Lesquin, he almost joined Leeds United in September 2008, but both parties could not agree terms after Lens intervened in the transfer and demanded a compensatory fee. At some point on progressing his youth career, Knockaert thought about considering quitting football after being told by the Lens' management that he was released because he was small at the time. It was not until the summer of 2009 when he moved to Guingamp, where he signed his first professional contract. It was not until on 30 July 2010 when he made his Guingamp debut in the first round of the Coupe de la Ligue, scoring in a 2–1 win over Grenoble. After playing 120 minutes, in a 3–2 win over Evian in the second round of the Coupe de la Ligue, he scored his second goal in the Coupe de la Ligue, in a 3–2 win over on 22 September 2010. Seven days later, on 29 September 2010, he made his league debut, making his first start and played 69 minutes before being substituted, in a 5–0 win over Gap. Soon after, he signed a three-year contract with the club on 6 October 2010 Knockaert then scored his first league goals, in a 6–0 win over Maccabi Paris Métropole on 22 April 2011. After helping the club's promotion to Ligue 2, he made 27 appearances scoring 4 times in all competitions. In the 2011–12 season, Knockaert started…

After representing France under-20, Knockaert was called up by France under-21 for the first time and made his France under-21 debut, scoring in a 2–1 win over Chile under-20 on 10 September 2012. He went on to make two more France under-21 appearances against Norway under-21 on 12 October 2012 and 16 October 2012.

As of 5 February 2022

He holds dual French-Belgian citizenship. In 2015, Knockaert was given a personal leave from Leicester City after his father, Patrick, became ill. The following year, when his father died on 3 November 2016, he sat out of the match against Bristol City. It was not the first time he suffered a tragedy: he lost his elder brother, Steve, in 2011 and after scoring in a 3–0 win against Nottingham Forest, Knockaert dedicated his goal to his late brother. Knockaert has two children, a son and a daughter. In September 2018 he revealed his struggles with mental health issues.