Every Sunday, Foot Transfer market dons its talent scout costume to present a young player. This week, let’s discover Amine Ichalalen, a former great hope of Montpellier who still dreams of a career.
A twist of fate. For Amine Ichalalen, football happened a bit by chance in his life. Encouraged by his mother to practice sport, he tried judo. But after two months, he stopped, not really enthusiastic about this discipline. The young boy therefore tried to feel the leather afterwards. And this time, the magic worked. In his element, he started at Nîmes Olympique at the age of 4. Again, the footballer has a revelation. “One day, we hit a plateau during my first season and our goalkeeper got injured. Suddenly, our coach asked us who wanted to go to the cages. I volunteered and it went very well. I made a few stops. I liked throwing myself on the ground, having gloves».
Now in the cages, the one whose models Manuel Neuer and Fabien Barthez continued his merry way while practicing hip-hop. With the Crocos until he was 11, he then left the club during the season to join a neighbor, the Cheminot Nîmois. The following year, he evolved in Arles-Avignon before catching the eye of several clubs in 2014. In addition to Bastia and Marseille, who wanted him to pass trials, OL, LOSC, Bordeaux and Nice wanted them to sign. But all this pretty little world had been preceded by Montpellier. “Several clubs wanted me but I chose the MHSC and the proximity. I was 14 at the time, it was an achievement to join this club.he admits.
The beginning of a dream in Montpellier
“The two U14 and U15 seasons are the years when talented youngsters start signing ANS contracts with their club. I saw my friends from the pole of Aix signing and knowing where they were going to play in U15. Me, I didn’t know. And finally, the year in U15 is the one where I exploded the most. It all happened suddenly for me. It was amazing. I signed a three-year aspirant contract at the MHSC then a two-year trainee contract». Even though the doorman concedes it made him”weird” to move from Nîmes to Montpellier a few years later, he was able to find a real family and create beautiful memories within the Paillade club.
“I liked the family side of Montpellier. They insist a lot on it and we feel good there. Here, I also came across very good coaches, in particular my goalkeeping coach Julien Gibert. It was he who had come to pick me up in Arles, by the way. I had it from U16 until my last year in Montpellier. He really shaped me and made me the goalkeeper I am today. Finally, I remember the many trophies won. During these 5 years, I won a title every season. I won the Gambardella where we had a great experience at the Stade de France, the French U19 championship and I played the Youth League, where we reached the 1/8th finals”.
Several trophies then disappointments
Highlights for Ichalalen who left the Héraultais in 2020. The cord was not easy to cut. “After a while, I expected to have a professional contract and it didn’t come. Apparently, I was not part of the club’s plans. They had just signed a goalkeeper, Dimitry Bertaud, who had the same profile as me. They wanted a much taller goalkeeper (…) It’s not a regret since I left the club despite myself. They didn’t give me much choice. I’m just a little disappointed. After doing all my classes there, winning everything, maybe I expected better. It’s football”.
Then, direction Morocco for the goalkeeper who had trained several times with the pro group of the MHSC. “I had had proposals in Spanish D2 and a few clubs in the CFA. But I opted for Morocco. Playing in the first division, I told myself that it was going to be watched a lot more as the matches are televised and it is a followed championship. I was also an U23 international. I was supposed to participate in the Toulon Tournament but it didn’t happen due to the covid. I joined a club that wanted me. I got on well with the coach. But after his departure, things didn’t go well with his successor. I went from number one keeper to number three. I broke my contract there at the end of the transfer window and I found myself without a club for six months..
Back to the front of the stage
Then, a hand reached out during this complicated period. “I have always stayed in contact with Julien Gibert, who has always helped me. As soon as he learned of my situation, he offered to come and train with Montpellier, especially since he manages a goalkeeper that I know and with whom I have always had a good relationship. They also had a lot of injuries too so that suited them. It was the right time to come back”. Despite everything, Amine Ichalalen had a big lack when it came to weekends and meetings. “The adrenaline you feel before a match and the feeling of belonging to a team and being important to it, I missed that”. This is how he seized an opportunity to relaunch in January.
“My cousin had contact with the Beaucaire club. They had lost a goalkeeper and suddenly it happened naturally. At the beginning, I do not hide from you that I was not very hot. But I had nothing to lose. I went there and I don’t regret it at all. I enjoy it there, there is a good atmosphere. I had missed all of that. I quickly found my bearings”. An explosive goalkeeper endowed whose strengths are kicking and game reading according to him, Ichalalen is preparing for a new challenge. “I am open to everything, France and abroad. I would like at least to evolve in National. It’s all about having a good project. I’m not 23 yet, I want to play. I have to go through an intermediate stage before aiming higher, but if a project comes up I wouldn’t say no.”. Even more if it is Montpellier. “Of course I will go back”admits an Amine Ichalalen more determined than ever to make a career.
