The 39th Toulon International Tournament began this Wednesday. The French Under-21 team won 4-1 against Mexico. On Saturday, the Stade du Ray will host the mini-Bleus’ second match against China. It’s a chance to observe future gems of French football.
Thierry Henry, Rio Mavuba, and Kevin Gameiro have all shone in this azure tournament and ended up as top scorers or best players. Until June 10th, many scouts and talent seekers will be on the lookout for prodigies still unknown to the general public. This tournament often serves as the ideal launchpad for a career. The recent double cup-league winner Rio Mavuba made his breakthrough to the top level after the victory in 2004, under the mentorship of Raymond Domenech. Today, he is the undisputed captain of LOSC. On Saturday, the people of Nice will have the opportunity to catch a glimpse of the rising generation of French football.
The emergence of Tafer?
For several years, the name Yannis Tafer has been circulating among the list of great French prospects. Yet, he has never managed to make his mark within Olympique Lyonnais. His brief stint at Toulouse, in the form of a loan, did not change things. In 16 appearances, he failed to score a single goal. A poor record for a promising striker. Nevertheless, in the France U21 team, the situation is different; the Grenoble native seems to thrive. Against Mexico, he simply delighted by scoring the third goal and assisting the fourth. If he continues this level of performance, there is no doubt that opportunities will present themselves to him this summer. The Nice managers will be attentive; they might be seduced by this young player’s technical skills.
Besides Tafer, Damien Le Tallec, a striker from Borussia Dortmund, stands out as another major asset in the offensive game. Despite limited playing time with the German champions, Anthony’s brother is counting on this tournament to launch his career.
James Rodriguez, the main attraction
The people of Nice will not have the chance to see him at Stade du Ray, but Colombian David James Rodriguez will be the man to watch in this tournament. At just 19 years old, he is already establishing himself as a starter at FC Porto. Noticed in Argentina for being the youngest foreign player to score in the league, he has attracted major Italian clubs, including Juventus, but chose Portugal to continue his growth. With his dribbling ability and technical ease, some compare him to Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese star, discovered at Toulon in 2003 at just 18, moved to Manchester before his career took off.
by Marc Dupré
