PSG: who is really Mitchel Bakker, the unknown among the stars

Friday evening, at the Stade de France, Mitchel Bakker was one of the first Parisians to vigorously embrace Neymar after his victorious goal scored against Saint-Etienne in the final of the Coupe de France (1-0). It must be said that this big guy of 20 years old imposes with his eighty-five meter, his V-back and his brush cut.

"I'm fast, strong, these are my main qualities, and I hope to be able to demonstrate them here," declined the player when he signed for PSG a year ago from Ajax Amsterdam. The one who then described himself as "an attacking left-back" did not have the opportunity to show much in his first season. Often forgotten by his coach Thomas Tuchel, he had to wait until January 29 to get his first minutes of play against Pau in the round of 16 of the Coupe de France. Two starts will follow before confinement and the real take-off of this summer with this complete match and ended last Friday against Saint-Etienne (1-0).

A father who became a taxi driver

Those who know his pedigree, however, might fear that his family history would repeat itself. Because Mitchel Bakker, trained at the school of the great Ajax Amsterdam, followed in his father's footsteps. In the 80s, left lane striker Edwin Bakker also followed the football lessons of the prestigious Dutch club. He even scored during his first match in the Dutch Cup against Haarlem (6-0), in what will remain the baptism of the game of a certain Marco Van Basten. Edwin Bakker's first and last match with the club from the Dutch capital since he will then be loaned to Willem II, before being transferred to Groningen where he will have to end his career at 23 because of a broken leg. His fact of glory will remain the Under 20 World Cup disputed with the young Oranje and always Van Basten, in 1983, in Mexico.

“Then I had to do something else. I became a taxi driver. Later, I specialized in transporting people from the business world, in the luxury segment, ”explained the father of the Parisian player a few years ago to the Dutch media AD Sportwereld. Did he use his talent in the best possible way? " No, I do not think so. But frankly, that does not frustrate me at all, "he added.

Disrupt the hierarchy in defense

Edwin Bakker is not the only one in the family to have failed to break through at the highest level. Trained at AS Monaco and today player of AS Cannes (Nationale 3), after a quick stint at AS Erzgebirge Aue in German D2, Killien Jungen, 25, the cousin of Mitchel Bakker, also experienced cascading disillusions. “Succeeding like my cousin is no longer possible. I am aware of having let the right car go through, ”said this solid center-forward two years ago in an interview in Nice-Matin.

With two games on the clock with Ajax Amsterdam, which he left free last summer, Mitchel Bakker has already done better than his father in terms of statistics. It now remains for him to dig his Parisian groove and upset the hierarchy of left-backs of PSG. Because for the moment, and until proof to the contrary, he retains the third place behind Juan Bernat back in training on Monday, after a pain in his calf, and Layvin Kurzawa who has just extended his contract until 2024. If the Spaniard remains one step ahead, the French now faces a tough competitor. A colossus who has already had to fight against his family heritage to see a place in the sun.