Riyad Mahrez kicked and used the ball in his city in Sarcelles in the Paris suburbs, that this “football madman” dared to leave at 18 without joining a training center. A choice that pays off: despite an “atypical” route, here is the Mahrez “anomaly” at the top.
If we rewind his story, no one would have imagined that the young attacking midfielder from Val-d’Oise would face Paris SG on Wednesday in the Manchester City jersey in the Champions League semi-final first leg (9:00 p.m.). In reality “only one person believed it, it was Riyadh itself», Says Hayel Mbemba, former teammate at AAS Sarcelles, the club where the Algerian international learned his football. “He has an above average strength of character», Assures his friend who describes him as«a football madman and again, to put it mildly.»
At 11:00 p.m., in his district of Sablons, it was not uncommon to come across Riyadh typing a football. “As soon as there was a field, he played, even without light, no one could stop him!“Laughs Hayel Mbemba who was also his supervisor in college. “His success, he owes it only to himself. He had unwavering confidence, even in times of hardship. Some people may think it is arrogance but it is not», Explains Mohamed Coulibaly, director of AAS Sarcelles.
“Too frail”
Whoever wanted to listen to him, the young Riyadh said: “I will get there, I don’t know how but I will play the World Cup in Brazil“. His educators retorted: “You can’t even play Sarcelles!», Says Mohamed Coulibaly. Young, the “nugget of Sarcelles“Had the technical qualities but”his physical delay»Played against him, explain his former educators. At 18, the seesaw intervenes. He left Sarcelles to test in Quimper (Finistère) which is playing in CFA. Then, “he is looking for a professional contract», «take courage in both hands“And applies to teams where there are professional reserves like in Marseille or Le Havre, details Hayel Mbemba.
The Norman club which plays in L2 made him sign his first professional contract with the reserve team in 2011. After four years in Le Havre where he ended up joining the first team, Riyad Mahrez left to try the English adventure with Leicester who then played in the second division. Initially, the player is “hesitant“. The «seeks the advice of his friends in Sarcelles and ends up convincing himself to go», Confides his entourage.
From then on, Riyad Mahrez writes his legend: after Leicester’s comeback in the Premier League, he is from the epic of the modest Foxes to the title of champion of England 2016, in the face and beard of the country’s big clubs. Then he signed among the superstars of Manchester City in 2018 and won a new league title in 2019, also lifting the African Cup of Nations with the Algerian selection.
“A source of inspiration”
«His career is a football anomaly. He thwarted the predictions with his technical qualities», Analyzes Hayel Mbemba. For Franck Satougle, former senior teammate at Sarcelles, “Mahrez is the best in the world. When I watch him on TV he did the same dribbles at 10», Certifies the one who also trained him in U13. His journey, “it is the dream of any young person from the suburbs, it is a few steps away from winning the most beautiful European trophy with an atypical course“Enthuses the coach.
He saw Riyad Mahrez grow up, “the balloon lover“And still remembers that”even while playing for the pros in Le Havre, he would come back to play football in front of his building on Sundays!“. In Sarcelles, it is the “local pride», Confirms Patrick Haddad, the mayor of the town located less than 20 km north of Paris. He awarded him the city medal in 2019, during a ceremony at the town hall under the moved eyes of his mother Halima. “Riyadh is a respected person, who has exemplary physical and mental discipline. He is a source of inspiration for the Sarcellois», Supports the mayor. “He’s a good guy who has kept his child’s soul and who expresses himself with the ball», Adds his friend Hayel Mbemba.
The captain of the Algerian team has remained attached to his city. It is part of a transmission process by inviting young people to Manchester to attend the Citizens’ matches and discuss this atypical course that began in Sarcelles, where a stadium in his name will be inaugurated this summer.
AFP
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