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Attraction of the next summer mercato, the Ivorian international Nicolas Pépé crazy counters on the side of Lille. But since the title of Champion of France during the 2010-2011 season, several African players have allowed Lille, currently ranked second in Ligue 1, to remain a benchmark club in the elite of French football.
Nineteen goals and 11 assists. This season, the Ivorian international Nicolas Pépé breaks the house for the LOSC, today in second position of the Championship of France, synonymous with the Champions League for the next exercise. But in the north of France, they are several African international to have shone the colors of the club.
Gervhino, Moussa Sow and the title
We remember for example the Ivorian Gervhino, Champion of France with the LOSC under the orders of Rudi Garcia. At the time, the African Champion shared the spotlight with Moussa Sow and Eden Hazard. Sow, Senegalese international striker, was the symbol of a Lille team with full confidence. His finisher qualities were compatible with those of Gervinho's creator. " Moussa benefits from the quality of preparation of the actions of the whole team. He is often well placed, he is opportunistic, "said Rudi Garcia. Moussa Sow was top scorer in Ligue 1 with 25 goals.
His compatriot Idrissa Gueye was also an important part of the LOSC. The midfielder stayed in Lille between 2009 and 2015 and played 134 games. Rudi Garcia had launched in Lille this player trained at the Diambars association on the Dakar side. " Idri when he goes to the duel, he always comes out with the ball, " said Rudi Garcia. For his first professional season, the Leo de la Téranga, who was barely 21 years old, was the winner of the Coupe-Championnat de France.
Salomon Kalou and his exceptional end of season in 2012/2013
The African Champion Salomon Kalou, arrived in Lille the year following the conquest of the title also remains in the memories of the Dogues. Thanks to the Ivorian international, Lille had finished on the third step of the podium (2011/2012). The talented Salomon Kalou, sometimes criticized for his irregularity, had an exceptional end to the season in 2012/2013. The striker finished with 14 league goals, including 10 in the last ten days. His departure in 2014 had hurt Lille! He remains the last scorer top scorer of the club before Nicolas Pepe.
Impossible to evoke the last years of Lille without speaking of the Nigerian doorman Vincent Enyeama . Arrived in 2011, the Nigerian international has impressed all Ligue 1 by its extraordinary stops. During the 2013-2014 season, he had chained 11 games without conceding a single goal, contributing for a lot to the 3rd final position of the Dogues in the Ligue 1 standings. The 2013 African Champion has been excluded from the professional group since the beginning of the 2017-2018 fiscal year. A sporty choice of Marcelo Bielsa. Vincent Enyeama broke his contract with LOSC last August. " The way I was pushed aside ... humanly, it was not good, " he laments today.
" Lille is the family ! "
Aurelien Chedjou , central defender, has gradually imposed in Lille. Arrived in 2008, he finally played 206 games until 2013. Like Gervhino, Moussa Sow and Idrissa Gueye, he was crowned French Champion in 2011. " Lille is the family! I take news as soon as I can, "admitted the Cameroonian international on the club's website in 2016. In 2013, the Turkish club Galatasaray announced the arrival of Chedjou, born in Douala. " If I have to remember someone playing the Lille club, it's Michel Seydoux, the president. I do not think he missed ten games in five years. I see him celebrating the title, on the double-decker bus, "Chedjou had said in the columns of the daily newspaper Libération.
Formed in Angers, Sofiane Boufal joined the LOSC in 2015. After a shy start, he managed to establish himself as one of the key players in the club's membership. The offensive midfielder, international Moroccan, author of 11 goals and 5 assists in the league of France during the 2015-2016 season, left the North for England in 2016 (Southampton). His successive coaches at LOSC (René Girard, Hervé Renard and Frédéric Antonetti) had not hesitated to make him an indisputable holder since his arrival.