The three Azzurri engaged in their third match of the World Cup in Qatar on Wednesday 30 November afternoon (16:00) crossed swords with Aveyronnais in their youth teams. Looking back.
Mbappe – Monaco II – Rodez (CFA, 2016) “He flew on the pitch”
“He was already a phenomenon, in catching the ball, in running. Everything went at 2,000 an hour”. Rodez Joris Chougrani’s left-back remembers him as if it were yesterday, today a professional in L2 with the club of a lifetime, but then an amateur in the CFA this Saturday March 12, 2016. A date that he and a good number of players of blood and gold they can not forget. There they discovered the striker who was then nicknamed the “Little Prince”, Kylian Mbappé. Direct opponent of what now marks the history of the Blues at the same time as world football, the Aveyron defender has suffered.
“Let’s just say I was surprised the first time, he laughs again. And the next shot, I tried to put my foot forward, to get into him a little bit (laughs).” Mbappé was 17 at the time. But he made his talent splash in the match, without scoring (2-1 for Monaco II), when he returned to L1 the day before, against Reims. “It is also in this that he is incomparable, noted the central defender of the Raf, Jérémie Roumégous that day. He flew over the game, he flew on the same pitch. It was not enough for nothing, already showing all his potential and his maturity. “
“We only saw him, a rocket on the sidehe still remembers the former Castelroussin who has returned to his training club and today councilor of the Aveyron district. At the time there were rumors that Dortmund were ready to spend 45 million euros to bring him in. He looked crazy for a boy of that age. But with friends, after facing him, we said to each other: Ah ok, if Dortmund really want him, at this price, he won’t have to hang around. (laughs).” The two Ruthenians have never (re)encountered such potential and Chougrani sums up: “A guy like that, you only meet one in your life. Or, is that you’re playing the World Cup!”
Tchouameni – Onet International Tournament (2013) “We took 7-0”
Aurélien Tchouaméni also left a notable mark on the Aveyron. Already a midfielder, he remained famous at Onet for being top scorer in the U13 international tournament in 2013. With the jersey of the Girondins de Bordeaux, his training team and who won the timpani for the third time that year. A memorable course punctuated by a spanking administered to Onet’s formation in which the current Raf striker, Killian Corredor, played. “Oh yeah, I remember it very welllaughs the ex of the TFC. We had taken the 7-0, he had scored a brace, even a hat-trick. He was already big, strong. He did everything faster than us. He was above it technically, easy.”
The “little” Tchouaméni wears Bordeaux during the Onet U13 tournament in 2013.
Giroud – Rodez – Istres (Naz., 2007 and 08) “We have been warned”
It’s not with the Tours jersey, which he will reach in L2 at the end of that season, but with that of Istres that Olivier Giroud has faced Raf, twice during the 2007 season. -2008 in the national team. “He was very strong from the head, with his back to the game. He was already taller than everyone else, recalls Laurent Poujol, side of the nail, who came on just before the break after the injury to Deplanche. Game won 1-0 by Rouergat; same score in favor of the Provencals after Feindouno’s return. Before continuing: It was their strong point, the team focused a lot on it. We have been warned. In particular, dangerous free kicks had to be avoided at all costs.” The 2018 world champion, who had recently returned to the Blues, was then 20 then 21 during these two matches. Long hair and an unsuspected future.
Giroud with Istres against Raf de Sopalski, in 2007.
