Bulgaria, England, Cyprus, Romania, Kévin Bru has seen it all.
The midfielder has since returned to France, where he signed in mid-October in Créteil (National) until the end of the season, a few kilometers from Paris, his hometown, and “his” twentieth arrondissement.
Soon 32 years old on December 12, the one who has 2 matches in Ligue 1 with Stade Rennais, his training club, and 119 in L 2, evokes his rather singular trajectory.
Friend of Kylian Mbappé's half-brother
INF Clairefontaine was his home from 13 to 16 years after his departure from Paris FC.
Coming from generation 88, the Parisian befriended Jirès Kembo Ekoko, half-brother of Kylian Mbappé.
“We then arrived at the same time in Rennes, we climbed the ranks together there: the reserve, the pros by signing our contract almost at the same time, me shortly before I was 18 for three seasons at the start.
We have always remained very close, Jirès is one of my best friends, ”says the former French youth international.
He rubbed shoulders with the star of PSG from an early age: “He followed Jirès with his parents who traveled regularly to Rennes so I saw him often.
We were already watching Kylian's videos when he was playing at Bondy.
What he achieves today at his age
(Editor's note: 21)
is incredible.
I see similarities in the way of dribbling, of being on the move with his brother, necessarily proud of him.
"
Victim of racism in Bulgaria
Due to a lack of play at Stade Rennes, Kévin Bru has often been loaned - Châteauroux, Clermont - before leaving Brittany to join Dijon (2009), Boulogne-sur-Mer (2011), then Istres (2012).
Arrived at the end of his contract with the southern club in 2013, he was seduced by a first proposal from abroad.
With Levski Sofia, in Bulgaria, the Franco-Mauritian discovers "a pleasant life", the Europa League without passing the first round of qualifications, but also racism.
"Monkey cries coming from two-three idiots in the stands when you touched the ball, the typical players of the team like me could also receive bananas when entering the field but we also see that in Italy or elsewhere, even in France, specifies the person concerned.
I let it go because there was no daily problem outside the stadium.
Afterwards, the season was complicated.
I was one of the high-paid players who were sidelined for lack of results.
I had to find a way out.
"
Kevin Bru against Le Mans in early November.
LP / Icon Sport / Michel Brisset
First Mauritian to play at Old Trafford
Direction England and Ipswich in 2014. “I arrived in the Championship, the 2nd Division, with at least 20,000 spectators at the stadium, it sings, it smells of football.
From my first season, we played in the playoffs of climb in the Premier League without reaching our goal ”, remembers the brother of Jonathan, ex-pro spent by Rennes, Istres, Cyprus, Portugal or Australia.
Kévin Bru will also become the first Mauritian to set foot on Old Trafford for the 3rd round of the English League Cup, on September 23, 2015. In the ranks of Manchester United: Wayne Rooney, Memphys Depay and Ander Herrera.
"I took advantage of the moment even if it did not go as we would have liked (3-0 defeat), said the one who had since been regularly called to the Mauritius team.
After four seasons, I left England, the option for a fifth was not lifted, I also wanted a change of scenery.
"
Opponent of OM in the European Cup
Kévin Bru then landed in Cyprus, at Apollo Limassol in 2018. "In the sun, and within a much better structured club than I have known in L2," he slips.
He will once again play the Europa League and the group stages this time around.
With as opponents: Frankfurt who will finish 1st, Lazio Rome, and Olympique de Marseille, last in the pool with Payet, Thauvin.
“There were good people in front, and falling against a French team allowed my relatives to come and see me, it remains a good memory.
I've had a lot of muscle injuries, and as a big paycheck Limassol doesn't lift the option after a season.
I went to Romania, where we were not paid.
I have agreed to terminate.
I was supposed to join China last December but there was the coronavirus… ”
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Now he is in Créteil, “a club that gives me the chance to come back to the circuit and with the will to show what I am still capable of.
"