Alexandre Lacazette: Man On Fire
By Andy Pearson
When people think of the top scorers in European football, they usually think of players along the likes of Messi, Ronaldo, Benzema, Aguero, or Costa. But would anyone think to put a player like Alexandre Lacazette on that list? If anyone was leaving his out of their list, they better reconsider that decision. Alexandre Lacazette has 19 goals, which now leads Ligue 1, and 22 goals in all competitions after the first half of the 2014/2015 season.
Lacazette rose to prominence last season, during the 2013/2014 season, when he netted 15 in Ligue 1, and 22 during the entire season. Lacazette has been with Olympique Lyon, his home town team, his entire career and is starting to bring his hometown team back to the top. After the 20th week in the season, Lyon took the top spot in the league for the first time all season. Lyon have spent the majority of the year sitting in 3rd, however with recent slip ups by Marseille and PSG, Lyon have taken advantage and are back on top.
More from Playing for 90
- Barcelona kick off Champions League against Royal Antwerp
- Alexia Putellas reaches 400 games with Barcelona
- Everything you need to know ahead of the 250th ‘Super Clásico’
- Barcelona put five past Real Betis
- Manchester City suffer but come away with win over West Ham
Although Lyon may be stumbling upon hard times now, this what not always the case. Back in the early 2000s, Olympique Lyon was the dominant team in France, winning the league 7 seasons in a row. They used to have players along the likes of Hatem Ben Arfa, Karim Benzema, and Hugo Lloris. However, now Lyon have fallen on harder times and are looking to make their way back into the Champions League.
Lacazette has played this season like a man possessed, and it has not gone unnoticed. With 19 goals to his name in the league so far, other teams are doing their best to bring him over to their squads. Two big names that are after his signature are Manchester City and Liverpool.
Liverpool has fallen apart this season and are looking to pick up the pieces and put together a respectable second half to their year. On the other hand, Manchester City are in 2nd and challenging Chelsea for the title. However, the President of Lyon has said that Lacazette recently signed a new contract with the team and that he is not for sale.
Lyon need to hold on to Lacazette. He is still young and has lots of time to improve on what talent he has already shown, he can help Lyon to the top of France, and homegrown teams are something special to see. Today’s teams are obsessed with money and just buying the best players out there.
Meanwhile, when you can grow your players from when they were together in youth academies, it is special to see. That is one thing that Lyon like to focus on and Lacazette is an example of their youth academy. Lacazette has what it takes to be the next big talent and help put both Ligue 1 and Olympique Lyon back on the map.
Enjoy some music and witness what Lacazette has done so far this year