After these two seasons Gameiro developed as a forward and found the net six times in 2007/08, but despite his good form Strasbourg were relegated again after finishing 19th. By then Gameiro had already outgrown Le Racing.
Lorient paid €3m for the French striker. In his first season there, Gameiro scored 11 Ligue 1 goals and helped his new club to what was then the best finish in its history, 10th place in the table.
The next season was even more successful for Lorient, who finished seventh. Gameiro scored 17 goals and was the second-highest scorer in Ligue 1, just one goal behind Marseille’s Niang. He also scored against Lyon in the Coupe de la Ligue quarter-finals to help knock the Kids out of the competition. Another memorable moment of his time at Lorient was a 3-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes.
The next chapter of Gameiro’s career was, fittingly, at Paris Saint-Germain. The Parisians paid around €11m for the goalscorer. PSG finished second in Ligue 1 in his debut season in Paris, and a year later he lifted the most prestigious trophy in France.
The French attacker was then sold to Sevilla, a move that proved excellent for his development. He was in his third season at the club and had already won the Europa League twice, with Sevilla again through to the semi-finals of the competition. Gameiro had scored more than 60 goals for Sevilla in all competitions.
His ability earned him eight caps for France between 2010 and 2012, and he scored for his country in a friendly against Ukraine in Donetsk in 2011. With the forward in very good form, he deserved consideration from manager Didier Deschamps for the Euro 2016 squad.
In short, Kevin Gameiro has great finishing skills. His main quality is his speed and acceleration. He also has excellent positioning on the pitch, which is why he is so effective in front of goal.
A third Europa League title in Basel
Sevilla went on to reach the 2016 Europa League final against Liverpool at St. Jakob-Park in Basel on 18 May 2016. Daniel Sturridge gave Liverpool the lead in the 35th minute, but Gameiro equalised within seconds of the restart, turning in a low cross from Mariano. Two goals from Coke completed a 3-1 win, and Sevilla became the first club to win the competition three years in a row. It was their fifth title in the UEFA Cup and Europa League in all.
By the end of his three seasons in Andalusia, Gameiro had scored 67 goals in 144 appearances for Sevilla in all competitions, 39 of them in La Liga.
Euro 2016 and the France squad
Despite that form, Didier Deschamps left Gameiro out of his 23-man squad for Euro 2016, one of the more debated omissions alongside Alexandre Lacazette and Hatem Ben Arfa. Gameiro was named only on the standby list. He returned to the national side later in 2016 and finished his international career with 13 caps and three goals for France between 2010 and 2017.
The move to Atlético Madrid
The Europa League final turned out to be Gameiro’s last major match for Sevilla. On 30 July 2016, Atlético Madrid agreed to sign him on a four-year contract for a reported fee of €32 million, which could rise to €40 million with add-ons, adding his pace and movement to Diego Simeone’s attack.
Questions people ask
Which clubs did Kevin Gameiro play for before Sevilla?
He started at Strasbourg, then joined Lorient for €3m and moved on to Paris Saint-Germain for around €11m. He won Ligue 1 with PSG in the 2012–13 season before joining Sevilla.
Did Kevin Gameiro score in the 2016 Europa League final?
Yes. Sevilla trailed Liverpool 1-0 at half-time in Basel, and Gameiro equalised seconds after the restart. Sevilla won 3-1 to lift the trophy for a third successive year.
Was Kevin Gameiro in France’s Euro 2016 squad?
No. Didier Deschamps left him out of the 23-man squad and named him only on the standby list. He was recalled to the national team later in 2016.
When did Kevin Gameiro join Atlético Madrid?
Atlético Madrid agreed his transfer from Sevilla on 30 July 2016. He signed a four-year contract for a reported fee of €32 million, rising to €40 million with add-ons.