Champions League: Riyad Mahrez, the honor of Sarcelles
Manchester City midfielder Riyad Mahrez on July 8, 2020 at the Etihad Stadium LEE SMITH POOL / AFP / Archives
Text by: RFI Follow
7 mins
African champion in 2019 with Algeria, double champion of England with Leicester and Manchester City, Riyad Mahrez has largely won his place on the football planet.
However, not everything was easy for this pure product from Sarcelles, in the Parisian suburbs.
A city that has given him everything, and that he always honors with discretion.
The Mancunien faces the PSG Wednesday April 28 in the semi-final first leg of the C1 at the Parc des Princes.
Publicity
Read more
By Sophiane Amazian in Sarcelles,
“This is where Riyadh's left foot was shaped! »
, Souleymane proudly launches.
The thirty-something, who imposes it, plays with his son.
He knew young Mahrez well.
We are in the Sablons district, a former family stronghold of Mahrez.
Here, in this place of Sarcelles, the young Riyadh left an indelible memory.
That of a kid who only lived for football.
A toothpick that has become monstrous
At the time, he had one strong point: a well above average ball technique.
Riyad Mahrez
was good, but physically quite limited.
“You have to speak French clearly, me first, no one believed in Riyadh. He looked like a toothpick, he had no muscles. He was frail, you huffed and the guy
(sic)
fell to the ground
. "
The description of the former Le Havre player Souleymane fact smile.
Mahrez's physical metamorphosis will be late. The Algerian international was therefore working on his technique. And some believed in him. Like Youssef Ghanmi, closest friend of Riyad Mahrez, who divides his life between Manchester and Sarcelles, and who makes the link between the footballer and his hometown.
“One day we are on the bus, we are 13 years old at the time. Are we starting to enter into a debate which genre is the strongest? He told me to get off at that stop
. We
arrive here, we have a duel in five goals. He put me 5-0 in not even 40 seconds. He killed me, he exterminated me
, ”says hilariously Youssef Ghanmi who admits that Mahrez's talent was innate.
However, off the beaten track,
Riyad Mahrez will
never join a traditional training center. It all happened here in Sarcelles, a city where sport remains a priority in the integration of young people. Because several players born in Sarcelles have become professionals such as Auxerre striker Kevin Fortuné or Wolfsburg side Jérôme Roussillon. For Souleymane, the excellence of the Sarcellois training is explained by the diversity of the devices offered by the city.
“Riyad Mahrez did CHH Chanteraine (
Sports section at college, Editor's note
), it's a sport-study, flexible hours, he played the municipal football school (
Device proposed by the town hall, Editor's note)
), he practiced the various grounds: gymnasiums, City, five, and the club.
All of this combined has given him the player he is, ”
Souleymane explains.
“It's better than Argentina here, it's better than Brazil, it's better than São
Paulo!
»
Souleymane smiles.
Souleymane (g) and Ate Nzate, acquaintances of Riyad Mahrez.
© Sophiane Amazian
Sarcelles, the world city
Sarcelles is a football town, which revolves around the AAS club.
In the middle of the school holidays, Médoune Diop, club coat on his back, checks the condition of the changing rooms.
“This is Riyad Mahrez's first locker room,”
remembers with emotion the educator who observed the Algerian international from his debut.
“Riyadh is the pride of the club, of the whole city!
"
At the edge of the lawn of the Philippe Christanval stadium, Médoune Diop explains: “
In fact Sarcelles is a city that looks like a country.
The Sarcellois feels almost
"nationalist"
so when you see a player who manages to reach the high level and to be recognized both on the European scene and on the African scene since he is champion of Africa, frankly it feels great pleasure.
"
A success that the educator sums up in three words written near the entrance to the stadium: work, respect and humility.
Qualities that are the strength of Mahrez.
"It has remained the same person, it has absolutely not changed, it is still accessible",
advance Médoune Diop.
Around us, we are agitated.
Never stingy for Sarcellois children
Riyad Mahrez (C) during the CAN 2019 victory in Cairo.
AFP
The weather is fairly mild and on the neighboring lawn, around fifty young people are taking part in a tournament organized by the city.
On a chair, sunglasses on the tip of his nose, Ate Nzate gives instructions to the apprentice referees.
Naturally quite discreet, Ate Nzate does not like to put himself forward when we talk to him about Riyad Mahrez.
Yet it was he who allowed him to set foot in the stirrup by giving him the opportunity to move from Sarcelles to Quimper, in 2009. And the educator is full of praise for the 30-forward-center. years.
He points to the generosity that the Algerian international often shows towards the children of Sarcelles.
"Riyadh has created all the conditions with the municipality to allow a delegation of 30 young people and 6 adults to spend three magnificent days in England, in Manchester,"
recalls Ate Nzate. A project that Manchester number 26 was keen to achieve.
“
We attended a game where they also won.
The next day we went to the evening practice session, and he brought us down to the locker room.
We got to see the players!
Then he came to the hotel and gave them a nice surprise by bringing back 36 swimsuits.
Nobody expected it ”,
details Ate Nzate who has kept memories of this fabulous moment on his cell phone.
We have the right to enjoy it a little when he scrolls through his memories on the screen of his smartphone.
Discreetly and on several occasions, Riyad Mahrez makes himself available for his hometown.
Lately, the player has sent 10,000 surgical masks, and each of the Saracens associations has been served.
A strong gesture, passed over in silence, as usual.
Sarcelles and Riyad Mahrez, it's ultimately a love story.
Decorated with the city's medal in 2019 a week after the coronation of the
Fennecs
in Cairo, the Algerian international will once again be honored at the inauguration of a field in his name.
A fair reward for those who hope to win a Champions League.
The Grail for those who have always lived around the football.
Newsletter
Receive all international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_FR
UEFA Champions League
UK
France