Abidal started football in the youth team of Lyon Duchère, the team of the city of Lyon, where he was born. He started his professional career in Monaco on September 16, 2000 in Monaco.
The football player who played in 25 league matches here transferred to Lille after coach Claude Puel, who moved to Lille team in 2002. Abidal, who also took part in 62 matches in this team, was transferred to his hometown Lyon’s team Olimpik Lyon in 2004. The football player, who won the French League championship 3 times in a row here, played side by side with important players such as Grégory Coupet, François Clerc, Anthony Réveillère, Cris and Caçapa in the middle of the defense.
On 17 January 2007, he scored his first goal for Olympique Lyon against Le Mans in the Coupe de la Ligue semi-finals. In the same year, on 30 June, he was transferred to the Barcelona team for a transfer fee of € 9 million. The player, who signed a four-year deal, chose the number 22 because the number 20 shirt he wore for the Lyon team was bought by Deco.