Born: May 21st 1974 in Saint-Benoit, on the island in La Réunion, in the
Indian Ocean. 

Height: 1m76 (5'8)    Weight: 69 kg (152 pounds)

Previous Clubs: Montpellier Herault SC, PSG

Excelled in tennis, handball, cycling, athletics, karate, but choose
football "because of the team spirit factor"

His father, Pierrot, was a forward for U.S. Bénédictine in the 70s,
finishing top scorer of the La Réunion "Division d'Honneur" four times

At the age of 13, several French clubs spotted the young player at a
tournament while playing for La Réunion squad. Several offers follow but he felt he was still too young and turned them down.

At the age of 15, he finally decided to take the step and chose the
club of Brest, in Britanny. 

"The transition wasn't easy, not because of the climate but mostly because my family was so far away. But I had an objective in mind and I decided to stick to it." 

However, after 5 months, the club was declared bankrupt and Laurent had to find another one. His father Pierrot met with Guy Roux, the legendary manager of AJ Auxerre and a deal seemed a possibility until Robert decided he didn't fancy the Bourgogne.Montpellier then made an offer and he decided to go south to join them instead.

once there, he gradually moved up through the ranks and at the age of 19, he finally makes his debut in the first team against Bastia (17th Sept '94)

The following year he scored his first goal, against Martigues  - a free kick to give his side a 1-0 win.

After 5 years at Montpellier Robert felt he had to move on to a bigger club if he wants to progress. Marseille, Monaco, Lens and PSG all made offers for him, and despite the publicised problems at PSG, he decided to move to the capital. 

"I felt Paris was the only place I could go". 

After a blistering start, the season turned into a nightmare for the team and for him. 

"Everything went too fast. I was suddenly under the spotlight and I think I really was full of myself. I needed to change". 

His reputation also suffered greatly when he was red carded 3 times and banned for 7 matches. National coach Roger Lemerre still called him up to the Euro 2000 camp, but Laurent knew he won't make the final 22. 

"In retrospect it wasn't a bad thing. They were a very good team with very good players. I learned a lot from that period and I don't want to repeat the same mistakes."

Last season saw renewed optimism at PSG, with new arrivals such as Anelka (and of course Domi). PSG thrashed Rosenborg in the champions League 7-2, but after that things slid and coach Phillippe Bergeroo was then sacked. 

"The manager took the hit but he is not playing. He just selects the best players. We the players then have to show what we're made of and we obviously didn't have what it
took." 

Luis Fernandez is brought in as the new manager but the situation
didn't change and PSG ended up in mid table. At the end of the season
Laurent said: 

"I still have 2 years on my contract but nothing says I will not move before"


From Onefootball.com:  Robert became the first player born in the Reunion islands to pull on the France shirt when he turned out against Northern Ireland in August 1999.

He joined PSG in 1999 from Montpellier, where his pace on the flank and powerful shot had brought him to the attention of France's biggest clubs. He scored 11 goals in 32 games in his final season with Montpellier, then nine in 28 in 1999-2000 in his first year in the capital.

Robert began the 2000-01 season in explosive form and became a real favourite among PSG supporters. A player with great potential, he impresses with his bursts of speed down the left side as well as operating as an offensive central midfield player.

Detractors point out his lack of patience. Robert is prone to rash tackles when dispossessed and has a tendency to forget the game or stray out of position if disturbed by more intelligent opponents.

For some the jury is still out, while others expect him to become a regular for France having been impressed by some memorable individual performances.

Three sendings off in the 1999-2000 season hint at problems below the surface and his temperament got the better of him after he was substituted during half-time in the 3-0 win over Toulouse in March 2001. He slammed coach Luis Fernandez, moaning: "He treats me like a child and is always taking the mickey." He may as well have written a transfer request.

In March 2001 it was reported that Malaga's Portuguese winger Joaquin Agostinho was going to replace him, but Luis Fernandez denied the story and stated, after Robert scored a hat-trick against Jazz in the InterToto Cup in July 2001, that the player would remain at the Parc des Princes.

He Says: "I can't put up with this situation any longer, I want to leave. I'm aware that I'm putting myself in danger (by speaking out). In weeks to come I expect a few little surprises, like for example being left out of the squad - others have gone down that path before me. Since Luis arrived, he's had it in for me. He finds excuses to leave me on the bench, or he makes me play when I'm injured. With him, there's no dialogue. Luis speaks to me badly, he's always taking the mickey. He lacks respect for me and treats me like a child when I am in fact a father. It's been going on for a little while now and I've had enough." - after being substituted at half-time during a 3-0 win over Toulouse, March 2001.

They Say: "His action was inadmissable. It was a stupid thing to do and cost his team dearly in the battle for the title." - Henri Biancheri, the Monaco sporting director, after Robert was sent off after only 44 minutes in defeat against Monaco, February 2000.

"I wish people would just leave him alone. If we have to reprimand him we will. I'm not one to whinge but people have got to stop using him as a target." - PSG coach Bergeroo after the Monaco sending-off, February 2000.

Biffa