Amid the furore surrounding Zinedine Zidane’s return to the France team in August 2005, it went almost unnoticed that another quality midfielder was stepping back into the international fold. While the statement that Zidane released on his personal website spread round France like wildfire, news that Claude Makelele was also returning barely even made the headlines.

The Zidane fanfare continued in the days that ensued, with the Real Madrid star stunning his adoring public with tales of divine intervention.

Lilian Thuram, meanwhile, duly confirmed that he too would play again for Les Bleus, though the defender could not help but cause a stir by admitting he was returning against his will.

Makelele did not say a word.

The whole episode is typical of the way that Chelsea’s athletic midfielder has conducted himself throughout his career. Happy to hang back in the shadows, he has never been one to try to make the headlines. From his days at Nantes, through to Real Madrid and now Chelsea, Makelele has always kept his head down, carried out his job with simplicity and maximum efficiency and left the rave reviews for his more spectacular teammates.

Born in Kinshasa, Makelele moved to France with his parents aged four and was soon introduced to the game by his father, a former international with Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo). “The fact I'm a footballer is solely down to the influence of my father,” Makelele says. “He was a great Dad. He did everything for me. He brought me up well, helped me make the right choices and I’ll always be grateful to him.”

Makelele was soon playing in Paris’s regional leagues, but not in the midfield holding role he currently fills. “I used to be a No. 10,” he reveals. “I had more of a creative influence than I do today, but that’s because I was granted more freedom.” Snapped up by Brittany club Brest aged 15, his talent was quickly recognised by nearby Nantes and he was integrated into Les Canaris' famous youth school at La Jonelière.

Under the tutelage of the legendary Coach Jean-Claude Suaudeau, Makelele made his first steps in Ligue 1 as a more conventional midfielder, occasionally filling in on the right flank or even dropping to right back. He played a key part in the club’s title success in 1994-95, and also helped them reach the semi-final of the Champions’ League the next season.

A move to Marseille followed in 1997, but like so many quality players who move to the Stade Vélodrome, Makelele failed to fulfil his potential. He played 32 matches, invariably out of position at right-back, and jumped at the chance to join Victor Fernandez’s Celta Vigo the following summer. “I worked under another excellent coach in Victor Fernandez,” Makelele says. “He was the first one to play me in that sitting role for an entire season.”

Makelele played 70 times in La Liga between 1998 and 2000, before sealing a dream £9m move to Real Madrid. Holding the midfield together on his own at times as Luis Figo and Zidane raided forward, the tenacious ball-winner helped Real win two Spanish titles and the Champions League in three seasons.

It is surely no coincidence that Real endured two trophyless season after selling their linchpin to Chelsea for £13m in 2003.

After a decent first season in England, Makelele produced arguably the best football of his career in 2004-05, turning in faultless, powerful displays on a weekly basis as the Blues clinched their first league title for 50 years.

Makelele made his debut for his adopted country, France, in a goalless draw with Norway in 1995. He played 33 times for Les Bleus, including the 1996 Olympics and the 2002 World Cup, before temporarily retiring shortly after Euro 2004.