Actufoot is relaunching its “Certified hope” section in 2021 by presenting a player with high potential each month. And in January, we start with an OL player. Young Lyon hope and already appeared in Rudi Garcia’s group in Ligue 1, Malo Gusto signed his first professional contract in December 2020. Discover our portrait of this young 17-year-old right-back, international U18 tricolor, with the exclusive confidences of his relatives.
His future was already well mapped out. As a sign of fate, Malo Gusto was born in Décines on May 19, 2003, a town in eastern Lyon and, a few years later, from the new OL stadium. The Stade des Lumières whose project was born in 2007 and its training center were created from 2012 and the work ended in the summer of 2016. A summer which marks precisely the date of arrival at the Malo club Gusto, then thirteen years old. It is therefore there, in his hometown, that he will continue his education and training in football.
And yet, as a child, it was not with a round ball in his feet that he started but with an oval ball in his hands. Put in rugby by his father, he secretly dreams of becoming a professional footballer. ” To my great regret, concedes today with a smile his father Philippe, mBut I immediately saw the potential he had. It was at the age of nine or ten that he expressed his wish to his parents. Amused by his son’s dream, his father first retorted : “Otherwise, it’s funny but do you have another wish? “No, no, I want to become a professional footballer,” assured the toddler. Already sure of himself, the native of Décines does not yet know that this will be the case in a few years. He will give himself the means and, on December 17, aged 17, he made the first part of his dream come true.
Let us go back a little to the past, to its beginnings. It is at AS Villefontaine, an Isère club twenty-five minutes from Décines, that it all begins. If he did not go to football school, his athletic qualities, his speed, his natural leadership allow him to quickly stand out in 8-a-side football. Spotted by the Bourgoin Jallieu club during the plateaus, partner club of the ‘OL, he will do an internship there a few weeks later. “When we made the detection, the first one we targeted was him. Each of the educators in charge of this pole was unanimous on its performances, its qualities and its potential ”, confides Manuel De Almeida, sporting director of the Berjallian club, who saw past among others Maxence Rivera (ASSE) and Amine Gouiri (ex-OL , today OGC Nice).
Positioned in the attacking midfielder at the start, Malo Gusto was then a very “skilful in front of goal” and decisive player. His father develops: “He was very lively, behind, in the middle, in front, he was running around. (smiles)It’s a job that has been well done, especially in Bourgoin. They managed to channel it well. “ His progress in Bourgoin quickly alerted OL observers who invited him to participate in sessions during the 2015-2016 season. At the end of this season, he therefore very quickly left the springboard club that is FC BJ for the Rhone team known for its quality, on a French and European scale. Looking back, Manuel De Almeida underlines: “If he hadn’t come to Bourgoin, Malo might not be in a training center today. It is true that the hardest part is not necessarily to join the training center, but to obtain a contract. This is when it all begins and the road is long. It was through hard work that he spent 4 years of training and obtained an aspiring and then professional contract. “
Very diligent in his work, Malo Gusto therefore joined OL at just 13 years old, at an important age for friendly relations. “Malo’s luck is that we’re not far away. He was born in Décines, we live in Villefontaine, 25 minutes from the training center, he was not uprooted. He went to OL because he had the talent and because it was close, so that he was close to us, says his father. Very close to his family, his cousins, Malo Gusto comes back to see them very regularly. Also a competitor, his beginnings in rugby forged him this character of combatant, catchy, “He’s a boy who doesn’t like to lose”.
Gusto from the same generation as Cherki
While he revealed himself to the general public shortly after the publication of our certified hope on him, Rayan Cherkis trained with Malo Gusto or Florent Da Silva before being doubly outclassed. “From his first season at OL, in U14, Malo will quickly be upgraded to U15 Elite with his two promotion friends Rayan Cherki and Florent Da Silva”, describes us Aldo, an informed follower of the Lyon training. Slower than Cherki and Da Silva in his apprenticeship, Malo Gusto has always been among the best. With the U17 Nationals, at 15, then led by Pierre Chavrondier and Jérémy Berthod, two former Gones. From the following season, the youngster of the 2003 generation was promoted to the U19 Nationals where he was positioned right-back. ” At the time, his coaches tried him in various positions on the ground: midfielder obviously but also, sometimes, in 10 and even right winger. His performance was in no way affected, the Gone already being above most of the other kids. We really felt a great potential ”, relates our interlocutor.
A fan of OL in his childhood, he follows his parents’ recommendations by being curious about everything, by getting as much information as possible. Thus, he develops his football culture by following teams like Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and particularly Juventus Turin. “He also likes to follow the matches of the Colombian selection, and of course the France team”, his dad tells us, proud of his son’s development. In terms of players, Malo Gusto greatly appreciates players like Marcelo, Ronaldinho or Neymar. Very fan of the Brazilians. “Me, dribbling and technique is what makes me happy in football. I am inspired by these grown-ups ”, he said recently in a video from the club.
Towards a start in Ligue 1?
Replaced at the right-back position, Malo Gusto knows he still needs to improve. “My goal is to continue to integrate myself into the group, to work well in this position because there are two, three things to correct as a right-back. And maybe one day make an entry into Ligue 1 ″, he explains, aware of his qualities and his faults. “We must not forget that Malo has only seven games at National 2 level. He must therefore still work a lot to reach the team one: in particular to progress in his defensive interventions and to be careful not to want to do too much. Indeed, his temperament, his energy make him lose, sometimes, a little lucidity. It then happens to complicate the task. It is often the “small mistake” of generous players but with work and a little more experience, this is corrected, ”explains Aldo, who attends training sessions and Academy matches.
If he has not yet played with the team of Rudi Garcia, the teenager has been training since this season regularly with the pro group. It also has four Ligue 1 benches, the first of which dates back to October 18 and the trip to Strasbourg. “At 17, having a professional contract is a great sign of confidence. I think he will have his chance, you also have to be patient. Malo Gusto has a good profile, he will get there, ”Manuel De Almeida assures full of enthusiasm. “The gone promises a lot but must be toughened up, that’s for sure, and that’s why it’s a shame that the Lyon reserve cannot continue its championship. Certainly, a future “hope” for TeamOL but patience “, agrees Aldo.
Rudi Garcia timed
Already in October, Rudi Garcia was questioned at a press conference about his potential: “It was much too early for him to get to this level. The step is high when you are at the OL academy: we are not looking for players from Ligue 1, but from the Champions League. He needs to continue working with us and to go through the National 2 box a bit. Last season, he played very little. It was a U19, I remind you. “If he still has to improve, his qualities could make him a future OL player. “If we make him work well and if he confirms what we think of him, he can become a very good professional player for Olympique Lyonnais. When he sees a Dubois, a De Sciglio or even a converted left side Cornet evolve, he progresses. He is very attentive and very pleasant. “Very nice words from the coach of the first team for a youngster who was not yet a professional.
A few days ago, the former AS Roma coach added to his remarks: “The young people in the workforce could have a loan option. I don’t think of Rayan Cherki, Maxence Caqueret, Melvin Bard or Sinaly Diomandé, because they are in the group. I am thinking of Malo Gusto, Florent Da Silva, Yaya Soumaré or Cenk Özkacar. “Asked about this, his entourage tells us, however, that they are not aware of a departure during this winter transfer window. Still a high school student, Malo Gusto is taking his Bachelor of Science and Technology in Management and Management (STMG) this year. For his parents, the double project set up with OL is essential. “He must at least have his baccalaureate, after that it may be difficult to continue his studies, but he can resume later”, underlines Philippe Gusto, very attentive to this part of the sports project.
Summoned to the French team to two different positions
The uniqueness of the adolescent’s journey also lies in his ability to adapt. First an attacking midfielder, he had his first call in U16 under the orders of José Alcocer. After a selection in U17, last October, he was summoned to U18 by Landry Chauvin, successor to Jean-Claude Giuntini, but this time on the right side. If the friendly confrontations planned against the Netherlands have been canceled due to the health context, this call is a mark of the greats. Few have been called to two very different positions in the youth squads.
“Even the staff of the France team found that he had adapted to his position as right-back, rejoices Philippe Gusto. What is good about him is that he has managed to integrate this change of position. Casually, for many children, they say to themselves: “Why right side? It is ungrateful. “But in fact, it’s a very important position and one that requires abilities that few players have in my opinion, especially physical abilities. I just hope he won’t lose his attacking side too much because he was scoring a lot in Villefontaine and then in Bourgoin. “
Offensive player, converted to defensive, Malo Gusto has a very interesting background to break through at the highest level despite his young age. His visits to Villefontaine then to Bourgoin allowed him to embrace his dream for OL. Today a professional, he still has to take a few steps and gain experience in his new position before blossoming to the general public.
Directed by Geoffrey Leplang (@LeplangGeoffrey)
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