Born March 14th 1979 in Versailles, France to immigrants from Martinique Nicolas Sebastian Anelka converted to Islam in 2004 and uses the muslim name Abdul-Salam Bilal.
The French striker has played for many european football team's but currently leads the line at Bolton wanderers in the northwest of England. Anelka started his career at Paris Saint-Germain as a youth player, but signed for Arsenal when just 17 and the next season was instrumental in the club's League & Club double. Further success however do not follow and Nicolas Anelka left for Real Madrid in the summer of 1999 for £22.3m
After winning the Champions League in Madrid Anelka had not really performed and returned to PSG, after a season there he was back in the Premiership with Liverpool on loan, where at last his goal scoring touch had returned. The deal at Anfield wasn't made permanent to Anelka moved again to Manchester City where he spent three seasons. He left in the January transfer window of 2005 to Fenerbache in the Turkish Super League where he helped them to win the league title that year. In the summer of 2006 Bolton manager Sam Allardyce paid £8 million to bring Anelka to the Reebok where he would wear the number 39 Bolton shirt.
Internationally appearances have been limited playing in a squad that features names such as Henry, Trezeguet, Zidane, Wiltord & Cisse and his cause was not helped by disagreements with the national coach (Jacques Santini). Despite this Anelka has won the European Football Championship and FIFA's Confederations Cup with France.
