da realsbet： Everything you need to know about the Lyon legend!
da pinup bet： Every few years, there comes a budding striker who rises through the ranks of Ligue 1 and is hailed as the next big thing in French football, drawing comparisons to legends of the yesteryear such as Thierry Henry, David Trezeguet, Just Fontaine, and Jean-Pierre Papin to name a few.
One such youngster was Alexandre Lacazette, who made quite a name for himself at the youth levels at Lyon and made his debut for the first team as an 18-year-old.
Born on May 28, 1991, in Lyon, France, Lacazette began his football journey at a young age and quickly rose through the ranks of Olympique Lyonnais – or Lyon as it is more commonly known – his hometown club. He made his professional debut in 2010 and soon became a key figure for Lyon, consistently finding the back of the net and setting records along the way.
In 2017, Lacazette made a significant move to Arsenal in the Premier League. With his explosive pace, clinical finishing ability, and exceptional dribbling skills, he swiftly became a fan favorite at the London club. His debut season saw him score 17 goals in all competitions, showcasing his ability to thrive in a competitive and physically demanding league.
Lacazette, however, couldn't find the same level of success at international level that he has at club level as he made a total of 16 games from 2013 to 2017, scoring three games. He hasn't appeared for France since.
GOAL takes a look at some of the most interesting fun facts about the Lyon legend.
Guadeloupean origin
Although Alexandre and his family hail from France, the Lacazettes are actually of Guadeloupean origin. He was born to parents who left their native nation in the eastern Caribbean and moved to France in search of a better life. The island chain of Guadeloupe is located in the southern Caribbean Sea and is a French overseas territory.
AdvertisementA footballing family
Alexandre is the youngest of the four Lacazette brothers. While the striker went on the represent the French national team, his brother Benoit played in the Swiss second division and the French fourth division.
His cousin, Romuald, currently plays for FC Wacker Innsbruck in the Tiroler Liga in Austria, the fourth division of Austrian football. He was once on the books of Paris Saint-Germain, but never broke into the first team.
Scored the winning goal at the U19 European Championship
At the 2010 UEFA European Under-19 Championship, France locked horns against Spain, two years after La Roja had defeated Les Bleus in the UEFA European Under-17 Championship. The two sides comprised of the majority of the same players.
Trailing 1-0, France came from behind to win 2-1 in the final with Lacazette scoring the winner in the 85th minute from a Gael Katuta cross.
Lacazette would also go on to represent France at the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in 2011, where the French finished in third place. He finished as the joint top scorer of the tournament with Brazil's Henrique Almeida and Spain's Alvaro Vazquez, netting five goals.
GettyTwo of his three international goals for France came against Germany
Although Lacazette's international career never took off due to the presence of the likes of Karim Benzema, Olivier Giroud, Antoine Griezmann, and Kylian Mbappe, the Lyon man did manage to score three goals for France's senior national team.
Interestingly, two of those goals came against the then-world champions Germany in a friendly between France and their European rivals in November 2017. The game eventually ended in a 2-2 draw. He hasn't been called up to the France side since then.
His first-ever international goal came against Denmark in March 2015.