Germany-France: Rayan Cherki, from unwanted at Olympique Lyonnais to scorer for the French team

Since his debut as coach, Didier Deschamps has repeatedly said: a player's first steps in the French men's national football team, whether brilliant or clumsy, do not define a career with France. The performances that Rayan Cherki, who came on as a substitute against Spain (4-5) on Thursday in the Nations League semi-finals, perfectly achieved will therefore require confirmation. Thanks to his performance, the 21-year-old attacking midfielder earned a chance to be reviewed, which could allow him to start the third-place play-off against Germany on Sunday, June 8 in Stuttgart (3 p.m.).

The Olympique Lyonnais player deserved this start. Against the European champions, his introduction pulled the French team back from the depths. In half an hour, in his beloved number 10 position, Rayan Cherki displayed his full range, with a splendid goal scored with a volley, an assist for Randal Kolo Muani and some passing angles that only he knows how to master. Enough to compete a very discreet Michael Olise during the first hour of play.

"He made an almost perfect start. He has a quality above the others and he showed it today," praised his teammate Lucas Hernandez after the match.

Several hundred kilometers from Stuttgart, John Textor only discovered his player's performance in the second half of the evening, after a dinner at the Elysée Palace as part of the state visit of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the Brazilian president. "Very proud of Rayan," the American owner of OL opportunely wrote on his social networks, aware that this successful debut could do his club some good for its wallet.

In addition to his discovery of the French team, Rayan Cherki is experiencing decisive hours since he should quickly leave his training club. "It's taking shape," he confirmed after the match against La Roja, without providing further details. Manchester City, and its coach Pep Guardiola, would be the best placed to enlist him quickly, in order to line him up from the Club World Cup (June 14-July 13). A prestigious transfer, which seemed inaccessible to the Lyonnais just a few months ago.

In August 2024, having just returned from the Olympic Games – he had won the silver medal with the French Under-21 team led by Thierry Henry –, the young attacking midfielder had been banned from the Lyon squad, and asked to leave the club. A prodigy announced from his professional debut with Lyon, at the age of 16, in 2020 , he took a long time to confirm, to the point of becoming unwanted at OL. But the interested clubs, second-tier teams in the English championship, had not been able to convince him or did not meet his ambitions.

His season, which started poorly, took a turn in September after he extended his contract with OL for two seasons and was reinstated in the first team. Transformed, Rayan Cherki then gave Lyon fans what they had been hoping for for several years: a growing influence in the game, which the statistics demonstrated. Best young player in the Europa League, named among the best players in Ligue 1 and the only non-Parisian outfield player to be included in the team of the season, the new international also finished as the top passer in the French league.

Once mentioned in March, his name appeared on Deschamps' list for this June training camp. "He should keep his creativity and spontaneity, by being as natural as possible," the coach warned on May 21. Against Spain, Rayan Cherki applied these instructions to the letter, far from being disturbed by this first meeting. "I'm not someone who dreads my matches, I take them as they come," he assured after the match.

The young attacking midfielder's integration into the French squad was certainly facilitated by the presence of Kylian Mbappé, one of his good friends in life, players trained at OL and other players he has encountered in the French Espoirs team. "I wasn't worried about not being [called up] , it's a long road to get here," confessed the Lyon player on Monday in Clairefontaine (Yvelines), before discussing his intention to live "a long story" with the Blues.