Remember him? Malang Sarr shines in France, makes Ligue 1 XI | OneFootball

Malang Sarr has returned to prominence in France after being named in the French league’s Team of the Season, in a remarkable turnaround in the career of a player who had little impact during his spell at FC Porto.

The French defender was at Porto on loan from Chelsea in 2020/21. During that period, he made 19 appearances for the first team and scored one goal, in addition to eight matches for the B team, also with one goal. His time at the club ultimately left little mark, to the point that he ended the season playing for the reserve side.

After that spell, Sarr went through a difficult period in England. At Chelsea, he was at one stage training only with the under-21s, out of the main squad’s plans, during a period when Mauricio Pochettino publicly admitted he was unaware of the player’s situation.

The contrast with his current moment is clear. After an inconsistent path in recent years, the French centre-back has managed to revive his career and now appears among the best players in the French championship, a sign of competitive recovery and renewed standing in a very different context from the one he experienced at the Dragão and later in London.

His inclusion in the Team of the Season confirms Sarr’s upturn in form and represents one of the most unexpected storylines of the campaign, given the player’s recent path. For a footballer who seemed to have lost his place at the highest level, the recognition in France ends up serving as a clear turning point in his career.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.