Julien Faubert
A French winger turned defender whose career took a surreal detour with a brief, unexpected loan to Real Madrid.
Born 1983 (age 43)·French footballer·Birthday: August 1·Millennials
Biography
Julien Faubert's football journey is a tale of speed, adaptability, and one of the modern game's most curious transfers. Starting as a flying winger at Cannes and Bordeaux, his pace made him a Ligue 1 standout, earning a move to West Ham United. It was his form in London that triggered an almost unbelievable six-month loan to Real Madrid in 2009, a move that became infamous for its lack of playing time. Faubert later reinvented himself as a dependable right-back in Turkey and Scotland. His international chapter is equally unique: after a single cap and a goal for France in 2006, he exercised his heritage to represent Martinique nearly a decade later. His career arc defies simple categorization, marked by high peaks, strange turns, and a professional resilience that spanned over a decade at the top level.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Julien was born in 1983, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Julien Was Born
The biggest hits of 1983
#1 Movie
Return of the Jedi
Best Picture
Terms of Endearment
#1 TV Show
60 Minutes
Julien's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1983Born
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1988Started school
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1996Became a teenager
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1999Could drive
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2001Could vote
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2004Turned 21
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2013Turned 30
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 40
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 43 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Scored on his only appearance for the France national team in a 2006 friendly against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
- Was signed by Real Madrid on a six-month loan deal from West Ham United in January 2009.
- Won the Scottish Cup with Hearts in 2012, scoring in the semi-final.
- Represented Martinique at the 2014 Caribbean Cup.
Did You Know?
During his loan at Real Madrid, he was once reportedly mistaken for a spectator and told to leave the training ground.
He once stated that he slept through a phone call from his agent telling him about Real Madrid's interest.
He played alongside David Beckham during his time at Real Madrid.
“I went from Bordeaux to West Ham to Real Madrid; that's not a normal path.”
