Aurélien Tchouaméni’s 2019 Bordeaux fracture that forged France vice-captain | OneFootball

At 19 in Bordeaux in 2019, Aurélien Tchouaméni fractured a fibula in training, curtailing his first senior season. The setback could have stalled him, instead it toughened him and quickened his rise.

According to L'Équipe, the midfielder had already forced his way into the Girondins’ XI after three straight 90-minute outings, the last at Monaco subduing Cesc Fabregas. Coach Paulo Sousa viewed him as central to the next campaign, and he was eyeing the U19 Euros in Armenia. On 14 March 2019 Bordeaux announced the fracture, offered no timeline, and many feared his season was over.

The incident was routine, a duel with Jaroslav Plasil ended with the Czech landing on his foot. His father travelled from Lyon, they consulted a foot surgeon for hours and chose surgery, a three to four month lay-off that effectively killed the U19 dream. Youth coach Lionel Rouxel phoned soon after and sensed disappointment, but also determination to attack rehab.

Tchouaméni did not fear losing first-team trust and worked relentlessly. Gaëtan Poussin recalls a born grafter unafraid of competition, while Sousa pushed him to sharpen his passing and break lines. For Tchouaméni it became an early lesson in patience and in accepting injuries as part of the job.

Rehab began at Clairefontaine, then continued in the United States where he met physiotherapist-osteopath Fabrice Gauthier, who still supports him. He embraced mental preparation and nutrition, putting expert structures in place by 19 or 20. On 10 August 2019 at Angers, a 1-3 loss, he returned as a starter and kept his spot.

France’s U19s fell in Armenia to Spain in the semi-final, 0-0 then 3-4 on penalties, Ferran Torres converting the decisive kick. Seven years on in Dallas on Tuesday at 21:00 against Spain, Tchouaméni has a chance to rewrite that chapter.

Source: L'Équipe