Ligue 1: Maja and Mavididi, the two English exceptions

Two players - Joshua Maja (Bordeaux), Stephy Mavididi (Dijon) - and that's it ... Why on earth are his royal majesty's subjects so few in Ligue 1?

"The English market is hardly followed by French leaders or coaches," explains John Williams, the Franco-English sports director of Amiens. Here, we stay in the traditional sectors: South America, Africa, certain countries of the East. "

Then why leave your island to earn less on the hexagonal lawns? "Financially, the English divisions 2 (Championship) and 3 (Ligue One) are more interesting for players than Ligue 1," said Williams. But for the past two years, young people have agreed to leave. The Premier League is a particular championship, quite physical, where we balance a lot in front. They are starting to think that rather than going to a fight, they can go to the Bundesliga or elsewhere, where we play football, and then come back a little stronger in England. "

Maja known thanks to… Netflix

This is precisely what Maja and Mavididi, both 21, are doing, each wearing number 9. The first totaled 7 goals in 22 appearances, all competitions combined - including a hat-trick, against Nîmes (6-0) in early December -, accompanied by a decisive pass for De Préville. At the Parc des Princes against PSG last week (4-3), he was there, replacing Hwang (78 '), the leading scorer of the game.

The second is 8 achievements in 26 games with Dijon. Including two goals and an assist against Nantes (3-3) in early February.

Happy birthday @joshmaja! Our Nigerian international striker turns 21 today! pic.twitter.com/M6nou3qZ1S

Previously, Josh Maja appeared on ... Netflix, in a 2018 documentary series devoted to the (vain) fight to keep Sunderland, his old club, in D2.

"I have to be smart on the pitch because I'm neither the tallest, the strongest, nor the fastest," said the young man, who signed for four and a half years in January 2019 but has already been courted by Chelsea and Everton this winter. I want to seize all the opportunities to impose myself in Bordeaux. "

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"Josh is a two-foot scorer," said Paulo Sousa, coach of the Girondins. He has the right attitude to listen and learn. Progress is not a question of age but of mentality and he still has to work. "

Born in London to Nigerian parents, Maja decided for the Super Eagles. “He has a very bright future because he is efficient, fast and technical. He can go far… ”, believes Gernot Rohr, the Nigeria coach, who offered him his first cape in a friendly match in Ukraine (2-2) in September, replacing Lille's Victor Osimhen in additional time.

Mavididi, already Italian champion with Juve

Coveted by the selection of DR Congo, Mavididi, called several times in the England youth team, was trained and then went pro at Arsenal from 17 years old. He has boundless admiration for Thierry Henry who coached him in less than 19 years, at the same time as he was preparing his coaching diploma.

Never called in the first team, this striker or versatile background made the leap to Juventus Turin, against 1.5 million euros in the summer of 2018. He played about twenty minutes in Serie A last season ... Either enough to be champion of Italy 2019 but too little to enter the plans of the new coach, Maurizio Sarri, replacement of Massimiliano Allegri.

In France, Mavididi and Maja play (1257 and 787 minutes respectively this season) and score. Nothing like to stand out in the country and justify their hexagonal choice ...