| Games | Minutes | Goals | Assists | Shots |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
It was not just youthful performers who were handed a passage to the French national team when Laurent Blanc took over the reins in the summer of 2010 - experienced performers like Valbuena were also given a fresh chance to launch their international careers.
Something of a late bloomer in the professional ranks, his first stab at stardom failed to produce the desired results as he was let go by Bordeaux, with his diminutive stature initially viewed as something of a drawback for a player struggling to cope with the physical demands of the professional game.
He has certainly made the most of his second shot at the big time as he has thrived at Marseille since signing for the club in 2006 and he has been in decent form this season despite Marseille’s troubles.
After playing in four of France’s Euro 2012 qualifiers, Valbuena will be hoping to earn a few more first-team chances in the heat of tournament battle this summer.
