Loïc Nego.
-
Attila KISBENEDEK / AFP
Loïc Nego, French defender naturalized Hungarian in February 2019, scored a saving goal on Thursday evening in a play-off match for the Euro.
20 Minutes has found its former partners of the 19-year-old France U team.
When he received the article from his father on Thursday at the end of the evening, Vincent Sasso twice reread the name of one of the two Hungarian scorers, who sent the small eastern country to the Euro 2020 (which will take place in 2021).
Loïc Nego (29 years old) is his friend from La Jonelière, the FC Nantes training center, and the one who accompanied him in all categories of young people in the French team.
Thursday evening, the native of Paris equalized for Hungary a few seconds from the end when he had just entered the game.
Naturalized Hungarian a year and a half ago, Nego saved his country and became an unexpected hero among the Magyars.
In June, the pure product of the Nantes team (2004-2011) will undoubtedly find Antoine Griezmann, with whom he became European champion U 19 years old by beating (2-1) Spain in the final in 2010.
Nego equalized for Hungary in the 88th minute!
💻📲📺 The live multiplex 👉 https://t.co/MdSBtwidqV #lequipeFOOT pic.twitter.com/O3RNh3fq4N
- L'Équipe channel (@lachainelequipe) November 12, 2020
Among the Bleuets, which have become much bigger now, no one has forgotten this young man "who liked to amuse the gallery", according to ex-Gone Enzo Real, now in Béziers (N2).
“He was very popular and was already very mature for his age, moreover, he was already a dad when we won this title,” says Sébastien Faure, also spent by OL and now at Goal FC (club from the Lyon region ).
Another ex-partner preferring to remain anonymous is jubilant to see “his former roommate” revealing himself in the eyes of football Europe.
In the voice of this strong man from the little Blues locker room in 2010, a lot of emotion: “Just like what is happening to him at the moment, Loïc is an adventurer.
He is someone who does not have the same codes as everyone else.
While me, I was posed.
He does not have the same vision of football.
He likes to think outside the box.
If he has to go around the world, he does!
"
Beautiful story Loic Nego.
Trained in Nantes and u19 European champion with France in 2010, he will find ... the French team at Euro 2021 but Hungary!
He will meet Antoine Griezmann (except absence) with whom he had been sacred!
pic.twitter.com/J1WmtYodpk
- Dylan Le Mée 😷 (@Le__Mee) November 12, 2020
For Loïc, it will be more of the old continent.
At 20, the right side begins a journey during which his playing time is reduced to heartache.
AS Roma, Standard de Liège, Ujpest in Hungary (already), Charlton Athletic then return to Ujpest, before moving to Hungary in 2015 at MOL Fehérvár, previously called Videoton FC.
“He's never been on a classic route,” continues the same former teammate.
It took some nerve to go to this country which is not a football nation.
It may have surprised many people that he became Hungarian, not me.
When I saw him score, I told myself that it could only happen to him that.
In the meantime, it's beautiful what is happening for him.
"" It's a great story, so much the better!
», Says Sébastien Faure.
Vincent Sasso, now a Servette de Genève player, continues: “It's crazy to think that he will face France in June with Hungary, it really makes me happy.
It is for this kind of story that football is beautiful!
"
Enzo Real is convinced of this, in 2008, in the U 17-year-old category, it was already Nego who had qualified the Blues for the European Championships “in Israel, against England, at the last minute with his left foot. 'he does not have a left foot'.
Thursday evening, it is the law which allowed Nego to become someone in Hungary.
Sport
Euro 2020: Hungary qualify and join the group of the France team
Sport
France team: How Lilian Thuram skillfully guided the career of his son Marcus
Antoine Griezmann
Nantes
Soccer
Hungary
FC Nantes
Sport
Euro