Julien Faubert's eclectic career takes another new turn
The former Real Madrid winger has been limited to international football with Martinique but has just signed for Finnish side FC Inter Turku.
Julien Faubert has had a fascinating career as a footballer. The winger made his name at Cannes before moving to West Ham, from where he secured a loan move to Real Madrid.
One France cap, one goal in Zidane's vacated shirt
From there he had a spell in the Turkish league before returning to France with Bordeaux and then an unlikely move to Kilmarnock occurred. During that time he made one appearance for France, wearing Zinedine Zidane’s number 10 shirt for the first time since the current Real Madrid boss’s international retirement and scoring the winner in a 2-1 friendly victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Now 33, Faubert has been mostly turning out for Martinique over the last six months, playing four of the country’s six fixtures during that time as Les Matinino prepare for this summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup in the USA.
In July he was turned down by Greek second division side Aris Thessaloniki and by November he was training with French third-tier outfit Créteil.
FC Inter Turku step in
However, Faubert has now been signed by Finnish top-flight side FC Inter Turku, with whom he has been training the past week. Inter Turku narrowly avoided relegation last season, beating the second-placed second division side Turun Palloseura in the relegation playoffs after finishing 11th in the 12-team Veikkausliiga.
Inter Turku will be coached in the 2017 season by former Newcastle, Blackburn, Palace and Swansea striker Shefki Kuqi, the “Flying Finn” as they seek a first title since 2008.
Faubert will play alongside his compatriot and former Marseille striker Guy Kassa Gnabouyou at FC Inter Turku.