Anthony Knockaert is a name you might not have thought about recently, given he’s been playing for Valenciennes in the French second division.

The winger, who’s nothing short of an icon at Brighton and Hove Albion, has just announced his retirement from professional football at 32-years-old. Despite a disappointing last few years, which really started when he signed for Fulham in 2019, Knockaert has had a fantastic career in English football.

The Frenchman has been involved in some fantastic moments during his career, and I don’t just mean Hogg… DEENEY, I mean his own poetic moments.

Without further ado, here’s my top 5 moments of Knockaerts career.

Scorpion Kick vs Huddersfield

As Leicester travelled to Huddersfield Town in October 2012, looking to move up to second place in the Championship, no one could’ve predicted just what Knockaert was about to do.

Not only did the winger smash home an effort from 30 yards to put the Foxes ahead, but he also scored a gorgeous scorpion kick off the bar to confirm his side's win. Then just 21-years-old, Knockaert announced to the English second division just how special he was going to be there.

Knockaert was substituted in the 90th minute, to acclaim from the Leicester fans.

With no exaggeration whatsoever, it’s one of the best scorpion kicks I’ve ever seen, and without a doubt goes into Knockaert’s best moments.

WOW! Six years ago this happened - Anthony Knockaert's amazing Scorpion Kick for Leicester at Huddersfield [02/10/12] #lcfc #otd 😍⚽️ pic.twitter.com/3HJzkxEack

— Mr Geoff Peters (@mrgeoffpeters) October 1, 2018

Emotional Goal vs Queens Park Rangers

Anthony Knockaert suffered immense pain when his father passed away, he lost him in 2016 after a battle with cancer.

The Frenchman has been open about how tough he found his father’s death, he was very close to him and he’s the man who didn’t allow Knockaert to give up on football after he was rejected from RC Lens.

Speaking to Sportsmail, Knockaert admitted: “Sometimes I feel I need to talk to someone just to help myself through. At the moment I just cry. I am not scared to tell you this because it's just life, you know.”

So when he scored against QPR following his father’s passing, Knockaert celebrated by holding up a picture of his dad. The goal, which happened to fall on boxing day, subsequently put Brighton top of the Championship

It was a heart-wrenching and powerful moment that will be remembered by fans of football across England, and definitely one of the winger’s most important moments.

Anthony Knockaert dedicating his goal to his late father. Class. pic.twitter.com/pjMEm96U5O

— ODDSbible (@ODDSbible) December 27, 2016

Recovering from Play-off Heartbreak

Everyone’s seen it, Knockaert missed the penalty for Leicester leading to the iconic Troy Deeney winner in the 2013 play-off semi-final. He followed in, but an unbelievable double save denied Knockaert the heroics.

2) Troy Deeney’s dramatic play-off semi-final winner deep in injury time against Leicesterpic.twitter.com/0r0F0IYqP7

— SPORTbible (@sportbible) September 23, 2022

He kept his head up, despite the publicity of the penalty miss, and won promotion with Leicester just a year later.

Not only that, but in his first season back in English football after that, Knockaert and Brighton fell to a play-off defeat against Sheffield Wednesday.

Knockaert, obviously heartbroken, didn’t sulk. Instead the Frenchman decided to have the best season of his career the next year. I won’t go into too much detail, but Knockaert was unplayable and dragged Chris Hughton’s Brighton into the Premier League with a second place finish.

Championship Player of the Season

The aforementioned promotion season was a special one for Anthony Knockaert.

As Brighton battled with Newcastle for the Championship title, Knockaert stood out and played a level above any other player in the league.

Knockaert played 45 times for Brighton that year, scoring 15 goals and teeing up nine assists for teammates. What stood out was the Frenchman’s directness and skills. He’d twist and turn and make defenders look stupid almost daily.

No one could stop the winger, his low build and powerful running style meant it was impossible to get the ball off him, and he’s without a doubt the reason Brighton were able to clinch promotion.

Knockaert was awarded the league’s player of the season award, and subsequently wrote his name forever in Brighton and Hove’s growing history.

Brighton winger Anthony Knockaert has been named the Sky Bet 2017 Championship Player of the Season https://t.co/YM85HVHUSJ pic.twitter.com/6CLJz9UTBI

— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) April 10, 2017

Winner vs Crystal Palace

By far and away the best individual moment of Anthony Knockaert’s career, his winner against Crystal Palace in the m23 derby.

Brighton and Crystal Palace are two clubs who do not get along. It dates back to the 70’s when the sides somehow played each other five times in one season, and has been a growing rivalry since.

So with the score level on 75 minutes, when Anthony Knockaert received a pass from Dale Stephens 35-yards from goal, he burst forward toward the box. What happened next is history, he rifled an effort into the apex of the top left corner.

The goal is undeniably one of the best in Brighton’s history, and the occasion in which it came about made it even sweeter. No fan of either side will ever forget it, and neither will Anthony Knockaert.

⚽️ Random Brighton goals, Day 7:

Anthony Knockaert vs Palace - 18/19#bhafc pic.twitter.com/UmIGS4B9mj

— Brighton Bubble (@BrightonBubble) June 29, 2023