The Academy, Claudio Ranieri, the Champions League… Interview with Layvin Kurzawa | OneFootball

As his two former clubs, AS Monaco and PSG, face off this Saturday in the clash of the 14th day of Ligue 1 McDonald’s (5pm), the left back formed in the Principality agreed to talk about his best memories.

Like many, he made his name at AS Monaco! Trained at the Academy where he arrived at the age of 15 in 2007, Layvin Kurzawa then experienced everything at the foot of the Rock, from success in Gambardella to the Champions League, via Ligue 2. So as his two former clubs face off this Saturday at the Stade Louis-II (5pm), the left back agreed to talk about his years in the Principality. Interview 🎙️

Hi Layvin. To start, can you give us an update?

Currently, I’m continuing to prepare for an opportunity during the January transfer window. I hope to find one soon so I can get back to playing football because I miss it terribly, and it’s all the more frustrating to be in this situation because I still have the legs and the ability. So, admittedly, I might not be ready to play as quickly as some clubs would like, but I know that with proper preparation, I can get back to my best and be ready as soon as possible.

That's where I learned the ropes, where I learned to play football, discovered my position as a left back and got to know the French national team and the Champions League! That's where I simply grew up, so Monaco is a big part of my life, of my childhood.

Layvin KurzawaOn what AS Monaco represents for him

Returning to Ligue 1? Honestly, you could see me anywhere, I’m not closed to anything, simply because I have nothing lined up at the moment! I just want to play football again because it’s what I’ve done all my life and it’s something I miss enormously today.

  Voir cette publication sur Instagram   Une publication partagée par Layvin Kurzawa (@kurzawa)

It all started at AS Monaco for you. What do you think of when the club comes to mind?

It’s where I learned the ropes, where I learned to play football, discovered my position as a left back, and experienced the French national team and the Champions League! It’s simply where I grew up, so Monaco is a big part of my life, of my childhood. There are still a lot of people I know there.

Speaking of which, almost 20 years ago you joined the Academy. What do you remember most about that time at the training center?

So many things come back to me. I had incredible coaches like Frédéric Barillaro, who’s still in charge of the U19s, and a coach like Didier Christophe. Even at school, I remember my teachers. They’re the people who supported me and helped me reach the top level. I experienced some great moments there, starting with those spent with my teammates from the center who are now playing professionally, or others who are not. In particular, I won the Coupe Gambardella (in 2011, editor’s note), which the Club hadn’t won for 40 years.

Have you kept in touch with any of the Academy players?

Absolutely, especially since we had a very close-knit 1992-93 generation. In my inner circle, I can mention Terence Makengo, who’s still one of my best friends today. There’s also “Papy” (Nampalys) Mendy, who I’m still in contact with. Abdou Diallo too, who was much younger at the time, but with whom I played in Paris. Marcel Tisserand, who’s now in Australia, and whom I talk to every week. There are so many players! Jérôme Phojo as well, whom I recently ran into again. We were a very strong generation on the pitch, because off the pitch, we were also very close! I almost forgot Dennis Appiah, who’s at Saint-Étienne.

Tell us about your 2011 Gambardella adventure. Is it your best memory at the academy?

The Gambardella Cup was a springboard for us to reach the top level, because winning that competition isn’t easy. Many of us went on to play for the French youth teams. Personally, I’d already been with the pros before the Gambardella, and I came back down to the quarterfinals and, I think, the final, but for other players, it was a real springboard! On the other hand, I was the last of my 1992 generation to be selected for the national team. Many people think that being at the academy is the end goal, the culmination, when it’s just the beginning of a long and difficult journey during which you have to be mentally strong, keep working, and be dedicated!

Going back to the Gambardella final, at the time the first-team coach was Laurent Banide, and he told me he needed me on the bench for the Lens match. So I remember being really upset, because we were a group of friends from the youth academy, and we wanted to play in that final. He took it badly, because I had said I wanted to go all the way with my friends and win the Coupe Gambardel

Layvin KurzawaOn playing the Gambardella final

Besides, it’s not always the best who succeed. And it’s not always the best who succeed, and that’s very important for the generations coming up today and for those to come to understand. Training is a time when you certainly make friends, but you mustn’t forget that as a player, the most important thing is to reach the top! On the field, you obviously have to be united, but you also have to think about yourself and show that you’re the best because you have to stand out. And I think I’ve been able to make a difference in that regard.

How did you experience making it to the first team while also being relegated to Ligue 2?

It was tough, that’s true. Actually, going back to the Gambardella final, at the time the first-team coach was Laurent Banide, and he told me he needed me on the bench for the Lens match. So I remember being really upset, because we were a group of friends from the youth academy, and we wanted to play in that final. He took it badly, because I had said I wanted to go all the way with my friends and win the Coupe Gambardella. Unfortunately, the first team lost, with a goal from Raphaël Varane, just before he signed for Real Madrid. But I had such an amazing experience with the group we had that I didn’t regret it. Unfortunately, we were relegated to Ligue 2 at the same time, but I don’t think my presence would have changed anything. And I knew that winning the Gambardella would open a lot of doors for us.

Tell us about those two seasons in Ligue 2…

It was tough for me because there were new coaches, a lot of changes. And then an experienced player arrived in my position at that time: Georgios Tzavellas, a warrior like I’ve rarely seen in football (smiles), but also a very good player! So during those two years in Ligue 2, I didn’t play much; I was mostly on the bench. And in the second year, I remember I was supposed to be loaned to Brest in Ligue 1 during the January transfer window, but it fell through at the last minute, even though I’d already boarded the plane. At that point, my agent called me and told me that the coach, Claudio Ranieri, didn’t want me to leave! I have an appointment with him the next morning, and he tells me: “Layvin, we have six months left to play and we’re going back up to Ligue 1. You’re not a Ligue 2 player, you’re a Ligue 1 player, and when we get there, you’ll be my starter, we’re not going to recruit anyone!”

And that’s exactly what happened!

Yes, because we got promoted and they didn’t sign anyone for my position, even though they had the resources, because at that time everyone was arriving: Eric Abidal, Radamel Falcao, João Moutinho, James Rodriguez, Ricardo Carvalho… an incredible team! So there I was, a regular starter in Ligue 1, surrounded by players with extraordinary careers, some of whom had won the Champions League and played for the best clubs in the world. At that time, as was the case in Ligue 2, I had a father-son relationship with Claudio Ranieri; he trusted me, and I repaid him on the pitch.

So, was Claudio Ranieri important in your career?

(He interrupts) Absolutely! He gave me a second chance because I’d already played in Ligue 1, as an undisputed starter. He didn’t want anyone signed just to provide cover for the position, and for me, the path was clear, straight ahead. I just had to perform, play my game. Every weekend, I just wanted to get back on the pitch, I was itching to get back out there, I wanted to prove myself.

James Rodriguez! He did put a couple of those past me, but above all, he was an extraordinary player with an amazing left foot! Frankly, we had a fantastic squad: youth on the wings with Yannick Carrasco, Lucas Ocampos, Fabinho, and myself, and experience in the center with Ricardo Carvalho, Jérémy Toulalan, Mounir Obbadi, and Radamel Falcao up front

Layvin KurzawaOn his talented teammates of 2013-2014

I knew full well that what to do, without being pretentious—being attack-minded, scoring goals, and being decisive—wasn’t common in Ligue 1 at the time. A left back who gets forward, overlaps, and ends up in the box—at that time, there weren’t many of them. Today, you see it everywhere, but back then, I was 19, I was having a blast, enjoying myself, and that was the most important thing.

How did you feel about being surrounded by players of that caliber?

It was pure bliss! Like all the years I’ve spent in football, good or bad, these are moments you never forget, where you learn, where you make the most of the moment because you’ve always dreamed of being in that position. It was incredible! Especially since I grew up in the South of France, so I had my family and friends by my side. They were there even when things weren’t going well, to help me get back on track.

Which players impressed you the most?

(He thinks for a moment) At Monaco, I’d say James Rodriguez! He did put a couple of those past me, but above all, he was an extraordinary player with an amazing left foot! Frankly, we had a fantastic squad: youth on the wings with Yannick Carrasco, Lucas Ocampos, Fabinho, and myself, and experience in the center with Ricardo Carvalho, Jérémy Toulalan, Mounir Obbadi, and Radamel Falcao up front, even though Emmanuel Rivière and Valère Germain were also young. Then there were talents like Anthony Martial, who arrived a little later, Geoffrey Kondogbia, Tiémoué Bakayoko… we had exceptionally talented players!

The following season, the team took a step forward with this run in the Champions League and in particular a win at Arsenal! Tell us more about that…

I remember being on the bench with Yannick because we’d played Nice just before, and we’d both taken a nasty knock. I even remember going back to the Emirates with the pain in my thigh, and then Yannick came on too and scored an amazing goal, after Kondogbia and Berbatov. It was crazy, and it’s just a thrill to think back on it all! It was an incredible experience at such a young age, a truly wonderful time.

Is that achievement one of your best memories?

I think my best memory is still my first Champions League match against Bayer Leverkusen. In front of my family and friends, I remember playing a really good game. People were starting to see me at the European level, and I was showing who I was throughout that whole run, even though we were unfairly eliminated by Juventus.

Is this elimination still a source of frustration, especially considering the refereeing errors?

I remember it was a match where the two central defenders, Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci, got caught out a few times and had some offsides because there was no VAR back then, luckily for them. I remember we played very well in that two-legged tie against players like Andrea Pirlo and Carlos Tevez, players who had exceptional careers and won the World Cup! Those were crazy matches. Frustrating? Yes, because you have hope, and at the same time, when you’re up against Juve, you know it’s going to be tough. Looking back, it’s true that we could have gone further, but well, that’s football.

As you were saying, you scored a lot for a defender, and that was quite new. Is there a goal that instinctively comes to mind from your time at AS Monaco?

I scored several, but there’s one goal that really stands out for me: the one I scored against OGC Nice at the beginning of the season, just before I left for Paris. It was from a Fabinho cross that El Shaarawy volleyed, but he mistimed his shot, and I went up for a header in a dunk with the keeper, kind of like a basketball player dunking, to hit the ball. Having come through the Monaco academy, I’d always dreamed of scoring against OGC Nice, who I played against all the time in the youth system. Scoring at their place, especially in that way, showing all my determination and power in that move, really made an impression on me, especially since we won 3-2, I think. Then there was my first Ligue 1 goal against Guingamp as well, also scored with my head.

Photo: Panoramic

You remain, to this day, the only defender to have scored a hat trick in a match, this time while playing for Paris Saint-Germain…

Being a defender and scoring three goals in a match is incredible (laughs)! I’m waiting to see another defender do it, because one day it will happen. It’s not a record like Robert Lewandowski’s, who scored 5 goals in 9 minutes, even if it’s close, ot Kylian (Mbappé) who scored three in 7 minutes with Real Madrid. Denzel Dumfries almost did it last season. Whether it’s equaled or even surpassed, it will remain my record and I’ll always be proud of it!

When you see all the players who come through every year, like Maghnes Akliouche just recently, and who are making a name for themselves in Europe, it shows that Monaco has something special. A gem regularly emerges from the academy, and they don't just stop at Ligue 1, but go all the way to the French national team

Layvin KurzawaOn the quality of the Monégasque academy

Do you think you would have had this career and these numerous titles with PSG if you hadn’t been able to develop quietly at AS Monaco?

I completely agree with that, especially since I had a choice of 5 or 6 training centers. But I chose Monaco precisely for the peace and quiet. Again, having my family nearby and being in a safe city played a role. There were so many factors that made Monaco the right place for me!

Is it a source of pride, by the way, to be among the players trained here, like Henry, Trezeguet, and Mbappé?…

Absolutely! For me, AS Monaco is and will remain the best youth academy in France! When you see all the players who come through every year, like Maghnes Akliouche just recently, and who are making a name for themselves in Europe, it shows that Monaco has something special. A gem regularly emerges from the academy, and they don’t just stop at Ligue 1, but go all the way to the French national team. We were talking about Thierry Henry and Kylian Mbappé; they are players known worldwide, and that’s no coincidence!

Even in post-academy training, with examples like Yannick Carrasco, Bernardo Silva, or Fabinho, who were completely unknown when they arrived…

There are so many! They became incredible players, partly because they had the peace of mind of playing at AS Monaco, unlike at clubs like PSG where there’s immense pressure from the fans. In Paris, a draw is unacceptable, and you can’t even go out to eat with your family because people will be waiting outside, criticizing you for not winning. Monaco is a completely different situation. We mustn’t forget that we’re only human. In Paris, there were times when my children wanted to go out, and we’d lost the weekend before, so I thought it wasn’t a good idea.

Do you have a memorable anecdote from your time in Monaco?

(He thinks for a moment) Maybe the day I had to sing for the first time as part of my initiation. At that time, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was there, and that’s probably when I had the most fun in the first team locker room. There was a whole African contingent with Mahamadou Diarra, Nicolas Nkoulou, Pascal Feindouno, Cédric Mongongu, Igor Lolo, Jean-Jacques Gosso… and I was always with them, I was the little guy! Every moment of the meal was so much fun. I remember singing and I wasn’t comfortable at all.

We know there's a huge fan community throughout France; I remember that whenever we played away games, the away section was always packed. So, stay loyal to AS Monaco… and DAGHE MUNEGU!!! 🇲🇨 I grew up there, and that club will always be in my heart.

Layvin KurzawaA message to the Monégasque supporters

A final message for the Club’s supporters who still maintain a special connection with the players trained here?

A big HELLO as always, because it’s been a very long time since I left! In any case, I still follow AS Monaco’s performances, and I was actually on the phone with Paul (Pogba), two days before he returned to compétition with Rennes. We talked about the club, and I know he feels very comfortable there. So, let the fans continue to support the team, because Monaco is a unique club, because it’s the Principality! We know there’s a huge fan community throughout France; I remember that whenever we played away games, the away section was always packed. So, stay loyal to AS Monaco… and DAGHE MUNEGU!!! 🇲🇨 I grew up there, and that club will always be in my heart.