You were born in Lyon, but you did not join the training center until late. Can you tell us about your career before OL?
I started playing football in my neighborhood club at the age of 6. At first, I was a field player, but in U11-U12, staying on the pitch was almost impossible for me because of my asthma. I then repositioned myself as a goalkeeper. Initially, I had made this choice to be with my friends, but in the end, it turned out that I was pretty good (laughs).
Which clubs did you go through afterwards?
At that time, I had already taken the tests for the first time to join the OL training center, but they had not retained me. They preferred to direct me to a partner club, FC Lyon, where I spent two years. Then I got closer to home playing at FC Vaulx for a season. In U15, I was a little discouraged by football and I wanted to stop everything. My friends then convinced me to join them at ASVEL in the lower division. There, I really got a taste for football. We were just winning and I was having a lot of fun with my friends. I was in U17 first year and I often played with U19. One day, we had played against the U19s of La Duchère and at the end of the match, the coach told me that if I joined him at La Duch ‘, I would not have to pay the license and I would not have need to test. So I joined him the following year. After a month and a half, I received a first invitation for a test in Nantes. It had gone pretty well for me, but I hadn’t heard back. This is where OL got interested in me. As I have my little brother (Bradley) who has been playing there since he was 8, I already knew most of the youth coaches. It is moreover Julien Sokol who is today our professional team manager who invited me.
Do you remember an educator who marked you in those clubs, before you arrived at OL?
Oh yes ! At ASVEL we had Cédric, the goalkeeper coach. Without him I’m not sure I will continue to play football. Finally without him and my mother (laughs). When I told my mother that I wanted to quit soccer, she didn’t! She preferred that I continue the sport rather than hanging out outside doing nothing. She pushed me a lot.
Your mother was a very important support for you so …
When I went from FC Vaulx, in the Honor League, to ASVEL which was promoting excellence, so a few divisions below, my mother was sulking me (laughs). She told me that was not where I deserved to be. With my father, and Bradley, we trained very often, but it was really my mother who wanted me to continue the sport.
In 2016 you therefore join OL, but you reveal yourself especially later when you have the opportunity to play in the Youth League in 2018-2019.
Totally. It revealed to me “to the public” so to speak. But above all, it allowed me to be noticed by other OL educators and by the club. Because during my first season at OL, I didn’t play any match. It was Antony Racioppi (now in Dijon) who was number 1, and when he was not there, it was Nicolas Garcia who replaced him (today without a club). I was only the third U19 goalkeeper.
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