The world is filled with exciting young soccer talents, and Bradley Barcola seems to be the newest one to break through. The young Frenchman is one of the most exciting youngsters in Europe, alongside already established names like Jamal Musiala, Gavi, Pedri, and Real Madrid’s new boy Jude Bellingham.
The former Lyon man arrived from PSG last August and is being eased gently into a team with a mix of experience and talent. Barcola is one for the future, and while chances may not come his way often this season, he is highly rated by his manager, Luis Enrique, who recently praised the youngster after giving him his first PSG start.
Who is Bradley Barcola?
PSG spent €45 million to bring Bradley Barcola in from rivals Lyon, and the youngster has shown an early promise in the first few games he’s appeared in for the club. Barcola grew up in the suburbs of Lyon, and it only took him a few years before Lyon decided to snap him up for their academy at just eight years old.
Born to a French mother and a Togolese father, Barcola knew he had to take his chance very seriously if he wanted to succeed. His chance came in 2021 when he was called up to the first team by manager Peter Bosz during the 2021 pre-season. Everything happened so fast for Bradley Barcola, as he made his debut for Lyon four months later in the Europa League group stage match against Sparta Prague.
He made a strong impression in this match by delivering an assist for Lyon’s third goal of the game, helping the club qualify for the tournament’s round of 16. He established himself as a regular starter for Lyon in the 2022–2023 season, forming a great partnership with Alexandre Lacazette.
His efforts last season drew interest from giant clubs like Chelsea, Nottingham Forest, and PSG. PSG, however, won the race for his signature as they forked out a whopping €45 million to bring the youngster to Parc des Princes.
Luis Enrique hails €45M new recruit Bradley Barcola
Barcola was signed to form a new frontline of youngsters, including Marco Asensio, Goncalo Ramos, Randal Kolo Muani, and, of course, Kylian Mbappe. Barcola was handed his first start in PSG’s emphatic 4-0 win over Marseille on Sunday, impressing his manager in the process.
Speaking on Barcola’s performance after the win, Luis Enrique said, “He’s top. I love all his skills. It’s wonderful to coach a player like that.” PSG are trying to shift from their previous style of transfers that saw them invest in Neymar and Messi, who couldn’t deliver them the success they wanted in the Champions League.
Do you see Barcola become one of the world’s biggest stars one day? Tell us what you think in the comments.
