Noticed playing on the streets of French Guiana in his teens, he was scouted and joined a French League 2 side where he would make his debut at the age of sixteen. At his second French side Guingamp, Malouda teamed up with Didier Drogba for the first time, creating the goals for his future Chelsea team-mate.
Malouda would play for Olympique Lyonnais before heading to Stamford Bridge, at Lyon his performances would earn him a much first call up to the French national side. In club football Malouda has won both the Premier League and French Ligue 1 titles, internationally he was in the France side that lost the 2006 World Cup Final to Italy.