At 21 years old, Rayan Cherki is no longer just a promise of French football. Today, he is the beating heart of the Olympique Lyonnais attack. Indeed, he fully embodies the hope of a sporting renaissance for the Rhone club. For several months, the French youth international has been delivering remarkable performances and impressing both in the Europa League and in Ligue 1. His recent performance against Manchester United left a mark with an exceptional goal scored in extra time, despite Lyon’s elimination.
However, Rayan Cherki‘s journey has not always been linear. At 15 years old, he discovered the demands of professional football, becoming the youngest scorer in OL’s history. Quickly considered a prodigy, he had to face intense media and public pressure. This pressure temporarily slowed his progress, with some observers even mentioning the possibility of wasted talent. Since last summer, Cherki has matured: more disciplined, team-oriented, and consistent in his performances, he has established himself as an indispensable pillar. This season, with 30 starts, 11 goals, and 18 assists across all competitions, he boasts impressive statistics.
Rayan Cherki, the prodigy trained at OL
Born in Lyon on August 17, 2003, Rayan Cherki grew up in Pusignan, a town near Lyon. He joined the Olympique Lyonnais academy at the age of 8, after his promising beginnings at AS Saint-Priest. Coming from a family passionate about football, he benefits from constant support from his relatives. His father, Fabrice, a former amateur player, accompanies him from his first sporting steps, while his mother, Abla, ensures his personal balance.
Immersed from childhood in the Lyon culture of beautiful play, Cherki quickly developed a unique style: incisive dribbles, brilliant passes, and exceptional vision of the game. At only 15 years old, he scored against Manchester City in the Youth League, attracting international attention. At 16, he made his debut in Ligue 1 and quickly in the Champions League. His true revelation to the general public came in January 2020. Indeed, he scored a brace and provided two assists against Nantes in the Coupe de France. Thus, he confirmed his immense potential.
Exemplary loyalty to OL in the face of interest from major European clubs
Last summer, OL considered his transfer to balance their finances. Indeed, prestigious clubs like PSG, Borussia Dortmund, or Premier League teams showed interest. Despite these solicitations, Cherki chose to remain loyal to his training club: "I was born in Lyon and I will die Lyonnais," he firmly states. This rare loyalty is praised by Lyon supporters and perfectly reflects his personality: a player attached to the club’s identity and more interested in the beauty of the game than financial offers.
Off the field, Cherki also stands out for his intellectual approach to football. Passionate about reading, writing, and drawing, he claims to want to "educate his brain" to improve his tactical understanding. An altruistic player by nature, he often prefers to provide a final decisive pass rather than score himself, always prioritizing collective emotion.
When will Cherki be called up to the French national team?
With 23 caps and 13 goals with the youth team, Cherki was one of the major protagonists of the French journey at the Paris Olympic Games, winning a memorable silver medal. Yet, the call from Didier Deschamps to the French national team is still awaited. "He clearly has the potential," concedes the national coach, while highlighting intense competition. His dual Franco-Algerian and Italian nationality also raises some concerns about a possible choice of another national team.
His recent feat against Manchester United confirms that he is now ready for the greatest international challenges. His remarkable performance has garnered praise from experts and former renowned players such as Rio Ferdinand and Wes Brown, impressed by his technical mastery and natural ease, notably his rare ambidexterity.
Cherki, heir to an authentic and spectacular football
His current coach at OL, the Portuguese Paulo Fonseca, does not hide his admiration: "Rayan is the embodiment of pure talent," he emphasizes. Fonseca insists on the importance of this instinctive generation, technically brilliant but tactically perfectible, of which Cherki is an emblematic representative.
The Lyon number 18 brilliantly occupies a classic playmaker position that has become rare in modern schemes. Thus, he revives an elegant, daring, and spectacular football, much appreciated by supporters and lovers of beautiful play.
As OL gradually regains its competitiveness, Rayan Cherki positions himself as a true pillar, a technical leader, and a strong symbol of loyalty. French football now awaits his definitive consecration on the international stage. Indeed, he already seems ready to mark his era in a lasting way.