Happy Birthday, Michel Bastos!
Some players only needed half a yard of space to become dangerous, and Michel Bastos was certainly one of them. Whenever the Brazilian collected the ball on his left foot, there was a sense that something spectacular might follow, whether it was a sudden burst down the flank, a free-kick struck with extraordinary power or a shot launched towards goal from a distance that would have discouraged most players from even trying.
Born in Pelotas on 2 August 1983, Bastos arrived in French football when he joined LOSC Lille in the summer of 2006. Initially used in several roles across the left side, including at full-back, he gradually moved further forward and developed into one of the most exciting attacking players in Ligue 1.
His first league goal for Les Dogues came in the Derby du Nord against RC Lens, an appropriate way to introduce himself to Lille’s supporters. Bastos scored three goals during his first season in France and eight in his second, but it was during the 2008/09 campaign that everything truly came together.
Now established as a winger, the Brazilian was given greater freedom to attack and finished the season with 14 league goals and 11 assists. His contribution helped Lille secure a fifth-place finish and qualification for Europe, while his performances earned him a place in the UNFP Team of the Year.
Those numbers were remarkable for a wide player, but they only told part of the story. Bastos played with aggression, imagination and complete confidence in his own ability, carrying the ball directly towards defenders and regularly attempting the kind of shots that brought an entire stadium to its feet before the ball had even reached the goal.
Taking his left foot to Lyon
Olympique Lyonnais moved to sign Bastos in the summer of 2009, as the club looked to begin a new chapter following the end of its historic run of seven consecutive Ligue 1 titles. The Brazilian quickly became an important part of Claude Puel’s side, bringing both goals and versatility to a team still competing near the top of the domestic game and deep into European competition.
Bastos scored a hat-trick in a 4-0 victory over FC Sochaux-Montbéliard during his first campaign and helped OL reach the UEFA Champions League semi-finals for the first time in the club’s history. He also scored in Lyon’s 3-1 quarter-final first-leg victory over Girondins de Bordeaux, powering home at the Stade de Gerland as Les Gones took a major step towards the final four.
Although Bayern Munich ultimately ended Lyon’s European adventure, that campaign remains one of the most memorable in the club’s history. Bastos was central to it, offering a constant threat from the left and giving Lyon a player capable of changing a match with one swing of his boot.
There were plenty of unforgettable moments in Ligue 1 as well. Bastos could score from almost anywhere, but his goal during the extraordinary 4-4 draw between Lyon and Paris Saint-Germain in February 2012 summed him up particularly well.
With OL mounting a furious comeback, the Brazilian received the ball outside the area and unleashed a fierce left-footed strike beyond Salvatore Sirigu. It was Bastos at his best, combining power, confidence and a willingness to attempt something that most players would not have considered.
He also helped Lyon lift the Coupe de France later that season, starting the final as OL defeated US Quevilly at the Stade de France. By the time he left the club in 2013, Bastos had scored 26 goals in 98 Ligue 1 appearances for Les Gones.
Added to his record with Lille, he finished his time in the French top flight with 51 goals from 195 matches. His performances in France also helped him establish himself with Brazil, and he started all five of the Seleção’s matches during their run to the quarter-finals of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Bastos later represented Schalke 04, Al-Ain and AS Roma before returning to Brazil, but French supporters had already seen some of the finest football of his career. In Lille and Lyon, he became a player who made people look up whenever he received the ball and who could turn an ordinary attack into a memorable moment.
Even now, the sight of Michel Bastos pulling back that left foot is enough to bring back memories of one of Ligue 1’s most spectacular players of his generation.
Happy 43rd birthday, Michel!
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