“OM gave me my best years”: Bafétimbi Gomis reflects on a defining Ligue 1 chapter
Bafétimbi Gomis, who made his mark in Ligue 1 McDonald's with both Olympique Lyonnais and Olympique de Marseille, admitted that signing for OM in 2016 was a decision he initially feared in an interview with L'Équipe. “It’s the decision that relaunched my career. It’s a choice I dreaded—because I was also returning to my home region—but Marseille was a real revelation,” he says. “It’s where I felt the strongest in my career, where I became a leader as captain. I also realised I could regularly score over twenty goals.”
When asked about the strongest players he played with, Gomis names Karim Benzema and Franck Ribéry. “They knew everything with a ball. They are also a Ballon d’Or and a Ballon d’Or podium finisher. That says a lot!” He also mentions Pascal Feindouno, whose career, he feels, “didn’t reach what it deserved.” Facing opponents, he singles out Cristiano Ronaldo: “It was exceptional at every level. He didn’t win five Ballons d’Or for nothing.”
Gomis also has fond memories of his teammates at Saint-Étienne for their humor and camaraderie. “There are three guys with whom we were inseparable: Yohan Benalouane, Mouhamadou Dabo, and Blaise Matuidi. We laughed about almost everything, especially our styles. It looked ridiculous—we couldn’t describe it!”
His career was shaped by several key figures. “Frédéric Antonetti was the first to trust me. He knew me from the U15s at Saint-Étienne. He was demanding but gave a lot of love and emotion. Laurent Roussey pushed me to the international level. He made me work on the orientation of my shoulders, the use of the correct part of the foot… He taught me patience. We repeated, repeated, repeated. I owe him a lot.”
The Saint-Étienne days
Among his most vivid memories, Gomis recalls a motivational team talk by Élie Baup at Saint-Étienne: “We were missing many players due to injuries and the Africa Cup of Nations. He made us feel like a band of robbers doing the heist of the century. He said no one would betray each other, that we were a family. We won 1-0—and we got the bonus!”
When reflecting on victories and defeats, Gomis highlights his triumph with Al-Hilal in the AFC Champions League in 2019. “It was my greatest victory. The club hadn’t won in nearly twenty years. I knew they brought me for that… or I’d have been back on the plane! I fulfilled the contract, being the top scorer and best player of the competition. Al-Hilal is the Real Madrid of Saudi Arabia and Asia. The country still respects me. I had an impact on the people.”
Yet, he also recalls painful moments. “The most cruel defeat was against Bayern Munich in the Champions League semi-finals with Lyon in 2010. We had a team capable of passing, favorable conditions, even an early red card for Ribéry, but the circumstances changed and we lost. With more luck and control, we could have reached the final.”
Gomis also reflects on near-moves that didn’t happen. “Newcastle in 2013 almost happened. Everything was almost done, but there were issues with my agent Touti Mendy. Newcastle didn’t respect their word. I didn’t accept that injustice, so I didn’t go. The coach Alan Pardew insisted, but the club changed its mind on tiny details.”
Off the pitch, Gomis’ pride lies in family. “My greatest pride isn’t football-related. It’s adopting a little Senegalese girl, Sacha, with my partner Hélène. I took care of everything else. Sacha is growing up well and doing great at school. I made two people happy.”
After a globetrotting career—including stops at Swansea, Galatasaray, Al-Hilal, and Kawasaki Frontale—Gomis retired in November 2024 at 39. He now resides in Lyon with his family, continues to travel for football mentoring, and is pursuing a FIFA management diploma in Switzerland.
In his own words, Marseille wasn’t just a team—it was the defining chapter of his career.
Career snapshot:
340 Ligue 1 appearances, 122 goals, 12 caps for France (3 goals)
Clubs: Saint-Étienne, Troyes (loan), Lyon, Swansea, Marseille, Galatasaray, Al-Hilal, Kawasaki Frontale
Major trophies: Coupe de France (2012), Trophée des Champions (2012), Turkish Super Lig (2018, 2023), Saudi Pro League (2020, 2021, 2022), AFC Champions League (2019, 2021), Japanese Cup (2023), Japanese Super Cup (2024)
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