While the majority of global plaudits are received for the English Premier League and La Liga, one football division in particular flew under the radar last season.
Ligue 1 put on a show to remember, as Marseille and Lyon pushed champions-elect Paris Saint Germain all the way to a nail biting finish.
This engrossing title race, that fans were not expecting, unearthed two emerging football talents in the process – Alexandre Lacazette and Nabil Fekir.
The French duo, both products of Lyon’s youth academy, began 2014-15 as relative unknowns, however, by the end they had become household names that now dominate the summer transfer rumour mill.
Lacazette, 24, has been targeted by several European powerhouses in the past three to four months. On the other hand, Fekir has certainly attracted attention but not of the same magnitude that his countrymen is experiencing.
At age 21, it is all set up for Fekir to make a significant impact at the highest level in the next 12-24 months.
His performances last season earned him the French Young Player of the Year award – an accolade won by the likes of world-class players Zinedine Zidane, Thierry Henry and Eden Hazard. That gong was coupled with a spot in the Ligue 1 Team of the Year.
With pace in abundance and trickery that causing defenders all types of headaches, the youngster will no doubt have scouts closely monitoring his progress.
Simply put, this young man has an extremely promising pedigree.
In the early days of his career, the playmaker travelled around a number of different youth clubs before Lyon acquired him in 2005.
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His stay was short lived, leaving the club in 2007 before re-joining the French giants in 2011. Impressive form for two seasons in the youth league saw promotion to Lyon’s B team. A professional contact in 2013 was just reward, and the man with an Algerian background has never looked back since.
A modest return of one goal and two assists in his 11 games during his first season set the platform for a breakout campaign the following term. 37 appearances in all competitions, scoring 16 goals and notching nine assists was an incredible return for a 21-year-old in one of the most competitive leagues in the world.
Fekir is a brilliant option for any manager, with his versatility allowing him to play in a variety of different attacking positions. Arguably, his best role is behind the striker in the coveted No. 10 role, however, he has also been utilised effectively as a winger and a target man – either partnered with Lacazette or leading the line on his own.
On the international scene, he was chosen and then controversially withdrew from Algeria’s squad for friendlies against Oman and Qatar, and elected to join France’s national team. The Les Bleus’ coach, Didier Deschamps, has made no secrets about his admiration of Fekir.
“Fekir is a player with great potential. I consider that he can bring us something different. He plays in a different role to others. He can score and set others up to score,” Deschamps said.
Four caps for France, with an international debut goal against Belgium in 4-3 defeat is just the beginning of an exciting career with Les Bleus, that will include an opportunity to impress at Euro 2016.
Lyon boss Hubert Fournier must be applauded for partnering Fekir with Lacazette, who were truly a match made in heaven. The dynamic duo combined for 40 goals and 14 assists in the league – a formidable tally for any top side across Europe.
A second place finish and Champions League qualification was a superb achievement for Lyon, but perhaps their most important feat was tying their prized asset Fekir to a long-term contact. The youngster put all rumours of a departure to bed, signing a new deal that will see him remain with the club until 2020.
The stage is set for Fekir to make a big impression both internationally and in the Champions League in the next season.
Europe is smattered with an array of young talented footballers, and this is no exception. The question with all highly-rated young guns is whether they can fulfil their potential and truly become world-class.
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