Benoît Pedretti is a retired French footballer who played as a midfielder. He was a deep lying playmaker, well-known for his wide range of passing. He started his professional career at Sochaux, and played there from 1999 to 2004. Following brief stints with Marseille and Lyon where he spent one season each he joined Auxerre in 2006. In 2011 he left the club for Lille before moving to Ajaccio in 2013. He last stint was at Nancy, from 2015 to 2018. At international level, Pedretti gained 22 caps for the France's national team between 2002 and 2005.
Club career
Sochaux
Pedretti began his career at FC Sochaux-Montbéliard in 1999, in the club's youth system, and in the same year, he played his first professional match. Sochaux finished the season in fourth place in the Division 2 missing out on promotion to the Ligue 1. The following season, Pedretti, despite his inexperience, became a mainstay of the team taking part in all matches and thereby contributing to Sochaux's championship in the Division 2 in 2001. He became a regular first team player in the 2002–2003 Ligue 1 season making 35 league appearances and scoring 3 goals. The team also had a strong cup run that year, reaching the final of the Coupe de la Ligue, but losing 4–1 to Monaco. Pedretti featured in the UEFA Cup with Sochaux the following year as they qualified for European football. However they struggled to make any significant impact on the competition.
Marseille
Pedretti then moved to Olympique de Marseille for a transfer fee of €4.5 million in 2004. At Marseille, he found it difficult to cement his place in the starting line-up in a season marked by instability at the club with many players coming and going and coach José Anigo being replaced by Philippe Troussier during the season.
Lyon
He made 31 appearances in all competitions before moving to Olympique Lyonnais in 2005 for €7 million after one season at Marseille. Pedretti was again used sparingly at the club which at the time had fierce competition for midfield places. Pedretti only amassed 21 appearances in all competitions and was often denied a place by the likes of Florent Malouda and Juninho Pernambucano spending much time on the bench. He made his Champions League debut but was involved in only 21 league games in his only season for Lyon.
Auxerre
Pedretti again moved, this time to AJ Auxerre for a €6 million fee in 2006 after he decided to make a fresh start. This move gave Pedretti the first team action he had desired with him being a mainstay in their midfield for several years. During his time at the club he featured in the UEFA Cup and the Champions League. During the subsequent 2007–08 season, he became captain of the "AJA", following the departure of Benoît Cheyrou to Marseille. He continued to show good performances, especially during the quarterfinals of the League Cup where he scored a decisive goal in stoppage time against his former team Marseille. With multiple injuries keeping the Auxerre captain sidelined for several months during the 2010–2011 season, Pedretti participated in twenty league games. After the end of the season, Pedretti stated his desire to leave Auxerre with league title holders Lille OSC being his preferred club. Pedretti amassed 170 appearances during his five-year stay. He was a highly influential member of the squad and featured for the national team, increasing his total to 22 caps.
Lille
Pedretti was signed by Lille for an undisclosed fee on the opening day of the summer 2011 transfer window as a replacement for Newcastle United F.C.-bound Yohan Cabaye. Pedretti said, “It is a very good club with great, interesting challenges. My choice is to come to Lille."
Ajaccio
On 4 August 2013, Pedretti agreed a two-year deal with AC Ajaccio. Pedretti scored a wonder goal for Ajaccio in his second game for the club, netting from twenty yards out, in a 1–1 draw with reigning champions PSG on 18 August. Ajaccio decided not to renew his contract in 2015. Thus, he became a free agent.
Nancy
On 1 August 2015, Pedretti signed a one-year contract with AS Nancy, with an option for a second year. In January 2018, having struggled with injuries at the end of the 2016–17 and the beginning of the 2017–18 season, he announced his retirement from professional football. He took up the role of assistant coach to Patrick Gabriel.
International career
On 20 November 2002, Pedretti made his debut for the France national football team that year, coming on as a late substitution for Lilian Thuram in a 3–0 win over Serbia and Montenegro. He was part of the French squad that won the Confederations Cup in 2003 and reached the quarter-finals at Euro 2004 when France were knocked out by the eventual champions Greece in the quarter finals by the score 1–0. He played 22 internationals for France the last of which was against Hungary in a 2–1 win.
