PROFILE | Questions arise for decisive but inconsistent Bradley Barcola | OneFootball

If, in the winter of 2021, you had asked Bradley Barcola where he hoped to be in his career four years later, he would certainly have painted a picture that fell well short of reality. Of his reality, that is. In fact, nothing at the time suggested that the Lyon native would climb so high so quickly. But fate can be unpredictable.

And it was following a fit of rage by his teammate Karl Toko-Ekambi, who scored with a precise left-footed strike into a bin at the Groupama Stadium, the scene of his growing frustration, that Barcola saw his own world turn upside down. On the verge of being loaned to Switzerland, where his management hoped he would gain playing time and increase his value, the lanky Rhône forward took advantage of his teammate’s removal to establish himself as one of the key players in a team with which he had previously had only few opportunities to express himself.

Barcola an ever-present

Six months, six goals, and 10 assists later, the time had already come for him to leave thenest. And it was to Paris Saint-Germain, who did not hesitate to pay more than €40m to secure his services, that Barcola spread his wings. Much to the chagrin of Lyon fans, who felt betrayed by one of their own. But what can you do? Such is football.

In the capital, a whole new world opened up for him. A bigger, glitzier world, a thousand miles away from what he had known until then. A world to which he quickly adapted. At the end of his first season in the City of Light, at just 21 years of age, the young left winger already had a league title and a French Cup to his name, around 40 appearances for Luis Enrique’s team and a taste of top-level European football, having experienced a Champions League semi-final for himself.

An impressive enough record to convince Didier Deschamps to offer him his first call-ups to the French national team and a place in Les Bleus’ squad for Euro 2024. However, as successful as his 2023/24 season had been, Barcola knew that he now had to prove himself… and that expectations would be high. For countless players, this situation could quickly become a source of tension. But not for the Lyon-born player. After such a rapid rise to the top, Barcola had no intention of letting anything slow him down. 

To the point where he established himself as the most used player in Europe’s top five leagues, playing 73 out of a possible 75 matches, both for his club and his national team. Whether it Was Luis Enrique or Deschamps, Barcola became an indispensable player. A player who wasn’t always in the starting line-up, but one who could be relied upon to turn a match around. And Barcola did just that on several occasions. Many times over.

Liverpool and Bayern Munich links

In addition to setting himself up as a reliable asset, the forward has proven to be a decisive player. That’s certainly a fitting description for someone who, during the 2024/25 season, found the back of the net 24 times and delivered 22 assists. An explosion with an inestimable impact on the course of the season for the Parisians, especially as they went on to win the Champions League for the first time in their history.

That is how, in the space of a year and a half, Barcola went from being the player that some people used to jokingly call ‘Bambi’, in reference to the famous cartoon, to a player who has become a global benchmark at left wing.

A player whose name was (logically) linked with some of the biggest clubs in European football last summer. Liverpool, Bayern Munich and even, more recently, Manchester United have all fallen under the spell of the 23-year-old player. But none have been able to lure him away from PSG, with whom he remains under contract until 2028.

At the time of writing, Barcola could be heading towards a contract extension that will see his salary increase. An impressive show of confidence for the France international, who has played in a string of games since the start of the season, being almost the only survivor of the wave of injuries that has hit the Parisian club since the Club World Cup.

Barcola pursuing the American dream

So far in the 2025/26 campaign, Barcola has already been involved in no fewer than 19 games. For a total of five goals and three assists. Most often positioned in his preferred position on the left wing, he has also been tested on the right, and even in a more central role, by Luis Enrique.

So many factors that show how much the Asturian coach counts on him, but which have also highlighted areas for improvement (sharpening his killer instinct in front of goal, showing less nonchalance in some of his actions) for a player who, let’s not forget, remains young. All in all, Barcola has managed to put in a respectable performance during the first half of the season, despite recent reports of his increasing fatigue. What does the future hold for him? 

In the immediacy, there is the question of increased competition and its impact on his gametime for the rest of the season, should all players remain fit, which is of course not a given. Barcola will need to make the most of the minutes that he does get in order to return to form after this slightly middling spell. Doing so would, of course, increase his standing at PSG and allow him to pursue his American Dream, as Les Bleus look to win another World Cup in North America in just a few months’ time. But there is no sign of interest in the Frenchman waning, and at some point, PSG may have a fight on their hands to retain him.

GFFN | Léo Aschi