Africa Cup of Nations U20: the dream of Paris FC's hope

This is a tangible sign of the vitality and emerging competitiveness of its training center after two and a half years of existence.

In recent months, Paris FC has had more and more young people selected for the French team (Sami Tlemcan, transferred in October for € 1.2 million to Chelsea and Ange Chiesa in U16, Obed Nkambadio and Jaouen Hadjam who are already part of the group L2 in U17) but also abroad.

Another great hope of the club, Amine Cherni, 19, is currently playing with Tunisia in the U20 Africa Cup of Nations in Mauritania (February 14-March 6).

"For us, it's always rewarding to have internationals," recognizes Jean-Marc Nobilo, director of the Paris FC Training Center.

The CAN U20 is at a very good level, it qualifies for the World Cup of the category and the 2024 Olympics. Amine will be able to acquire international experience which will serve him in his development and progression.

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A resident of the Paris FC reserve (N3), he is the only Ile-de-France player to participate in this CAN U20.

“All the championships are stopped, I really feel privileged to have the chance to participate in such a competition while my friends, them, have the right only to just train, he admits.

For me, it's an experience accelerator.

The Tunisian team is at a very good level, there are the best young people in the country who play in the biggest clubs and others like me who are in Europe, England, Germany.

We face African selections who are not really laughing on the field, it sometimes plays very hard ... All of this will help me to mature and to move mentally.

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The holder of a commercial bac grew up in the XXth arrondissement and started at Paris FC at the age of 9.

But he built a very strong bond with Tunisia, the country of his parents.

“My mother was born in La Marsa (northern suburbs of Tunis) and my father in Kef (northwest of the country), I am very proud of my Tunisian origins, he admits.

I always go on vacation, I have all my family there.

Since I was little, I watched CAN with my father, a supporter of Esperance de Tunis, and my big brother, to encourage Tunisia.

It is a huge honor to wear this jersey.

When I was called, it was a nice surprise.

We had hidden the summons from my father, he did not believe it, he was moved… ”

He remained on the bench against Burkina Faso

Amine had been spotted by scouts who survey the youth matches in the Paris region.

They reported it to the Tunisian Federation.

The Tunisian defender of the Paris FC L2 team, Ali Abdi, was also responsible for making the connection.

"One day, he came to see me in training to tell me that he knew the U20 coach Maher Kanzari well, that he had told him about me and that I was being followed," explains the left side.

In December 2019, I was called for an internship in Japan, then I participated in the Arab Cup in Saudi Arabia.

“With the Carthage Eagles, he went all the way to the final, losing (1-0) in the final against Senegal on March 5 in Dammam.

His performances were noticed in Tunisia where we talk a lot about him.

“Thanks to the selection, I got tough but I still have to work a lot,” he says.

My goal is to assert myself again to sign pro at Paris FC.

I am a club kid.

They invest a lot in young people.

My trainer Mathieu Lacan is demanding, but I have improved a lot with him.

If I'm lucky enough to be able to play for Tunisia, it's thanks to people like him.

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In Mauritania, Cherni, who did not come into play on Monday against Burkina Faso (0-0), will then be opposed to Namibia (February 18) and the Central African Republic (February 21) in the group stage.

Hoping to extend the stay until the final on March 6.