Mathieu Bodmer

Early career

Bodmer began his professional career at Évreux AC (now Évreux FC) at the age of 14. In 1998, he moved to Stade Malherbe Caen, a club in the second division of French football, where he made his debut in 2000. He played in 24 matches that season and by the end of the 2002–03 season, he had played in 79 matches for the club, scoring a total of four goals. His hard-working performances helped Caen keep a mid-table position in the league. Following the season, he joined first division club Lille OSC for €1 million.

Lille

The 2003–04 season served as an auspicious introduction to top league football, where Bodmer played against the likes of Michael Essien. He earned 33 appearances for the first-team in his debut season, scoring two goals; however, in the 2004–05 season, Lille enjoyed an impressive second-place finish giving them a place in the UEFA Champions League. They were considered minnows in that competition, but Bodmer, as a holding midfielder, helped Lille achieve a draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford. His impressive performances earned the interest of Arsène Wenger, manager of Arsenal, who had considered buying him in the spring of 2005, but he was rebuffed by Lille president Michel Seydoux. Periodically, he was linked with other big-name clubs, including Manchester United. He did sign a contract extension at Lille in December 2005, extending his stay at the club until 2011. Despite signing a new contract, Bodmar does admit that…

Bodmer was called up to the senior France team in March 2008 but was ultimately never capped at that level.

Between 2009 and 2013, Bodmer served as president of amateur French club Évreux FC 27, located in his hometown. Due to his good commitment as a president of Évreux FC, Bodmer was awarded a Social engagement and citizen of the professional player. After his retirement in 2020, Bodmer worked as a pundit for Amazon Prime Video and RMC. In June 2022, Bodmer was hired as sporting director for Ligue 2 club Le Havre AC.

Bodmer is the father of the professional footballer Mathéo Bodmer.