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His name is Messi. He is small and very good one-on-one but wasn’t brought through at Barcelona’s academy. Rayane Messi emerged from amateur football. The 17-year-old forward learned his trade at Versailles and Dijon before eventually ending up at RC Strasbourg Alsace and is now considered one of the most prominent French talents of his generation. Transfermarkt has spoken to his former coaches, Matthieu Merle and Stéphane Roche, to learn more about the wonderkid. 

Rayane and Lionel Messi, more than just namesakes 

“The first time I saw Rayane was at a training camp that we had organized during the school holidays,” Merle, who coached Rayane from the U12 to the U14, said. “He was in the U11 and played for Chaville. We advised him to participate because we had heard about his qualities and potential. We had included him in game situations with the U12 and U13 to test him. After his first ball contact, he dribbled through everyone to score.” When you listen to that memory, it definitely feels like the two Messis have more in common than just their name. 

“Rayane quickly separated himself from other players with his acceleration, which helped him to be very explosive over the first few meters,” said Merle, who worked as the technical director of FC Versailles’ youth department. Those words, too, could very well describe his Argentine namesakes. But unlike his namesake, Rayane uses his strength and speed instead to get past his opponents. “He surprised me because he was always capable of accelerating quickly and generating a second burst of acceleration.” 

Roche, who now works as the head of Dijon FCO’s academy, also added: “He is a flexible attacking player who can play as a center-forward and on the wings. He can make a difference in one-v-one situations, whether by demanding the ball, transitioning through space, dribbling, or combining with his teammates. His game is unpredictable for opponents. And he is talented in the box. Overall, he has a wide range of abilities.” 

Top clubs are scouting Messi

Coach Roche explained that you noticed when Rayane wasn’t on the pitch. “He was the player with the highest win percentage at the club,” Roche said. From 2022 to 2024, Roche oversaw Messi’s development at Dijon. The 54-year-old also underlined that Messi has always been with both feet on the ground. Something that Merle confirms. “Rayane was always popular with teammates and people working at the club. He is very mature and has strong values. Very respectful to others and always listens.” 

Not surprisingly, Messi is in high demand. According to a report by L’Équipe, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, and Lille are interested in the player. “What impressed me is that despite the offers, he always remained with both feet on the ground and kept a cool head,” Merle said. “He always remained true to himself.” Last summer, Messi decided to make the next step in his career in France by joining Strasbourg in a deal worth €1.5m.

On the pitch, too, Messi never panics. “He can increase his level and control emotional aspects of the game,” Roche said. “He never gets angry in difficult moments and remains concentrated.” Although Roche would like to see a bit more engagement in practice. “He still needs to learn what his body can do. Because he has some physical issues, he sometimes looks afraid to increase his intensity. You must accept that you can’t make the same demands with him as with other players. But in competitive fixtures, he always gives it all.” 

The performance against US Orléans (1-0) on Apr. 12 stands out. With 15 minutes to go, Messi was brought on and then, with just minutes to go, led Dijon to victory. “The spectators started shouting ‘Messi, Messi, Messi,’” Roche said. “It was deafening and a great moment.”  

No minutes for Strasbourg yet

The name Messi makes it a fun anecdote. But the name can also be a heavy load. But Merle doesn’t believe that it will be an obstacle of his former protégé. “It attracts attention, but Rayane has enough qualities for a successful career. You just have to give him time to develop his talent, and then he will write his own story. 

Since the start of the season, Messi has been bouncing between the U19 and reserve teams without featuring for the first team. That’s no reason to worry; his time will come. “In a young team like that, he will have something to say eventually,” Roche said. I am convinced that he will move to the Ligue 1 team during the second half of the season.” So we will see him in 2025, then.

From December 1 to 24, we introduce new players from different countries born in 2007 and 2008. Area managers, users, and data scouts come into play as experts throughout the series. You can follow all those players by adding them to your TM watchlist.