He always preferred shade to light.
Little media and discreet, Benjamin André, 30, is an unknown environment.
But he has been unanimous wherever he has gone since his professional debut in 2008 at AC Ajaccio and then in Rennes.
Jean-Baptiste Pierazzi, former captain of the ACA who saw him arrive at 15 in Corsica from Saint-Raphaël remembers “an already very mature kid who hung out with people like us, older than him. ".
From a Senegalese father and a French mother, André drew his strength of character from a personal drama when he was ten years old. "The death of his dad, he does not talk about it but it gave him responsibilities very early on, he became the man of the house for his big sister and his mother", explains a relative. “Ben has always been determined,” continues Pierazzi. He's good at everything he touches. I introduced him to the guitar, he quickly reached a good level. The same goes for surfing… It has become very good. Even under big waves, he charged with the same fighting side as on land. "
André has always been one of the L1 players who won the most duels or managed the most tackles.
His analytical skills, his qualities as a stimulator and organizer, have made him a privileged relay for his various coaches.
“We felt that he had the qualities, that he could go higher, but seeing him at this level is enormous,” explains Olivier Pantaloni, the ACA coach.
He was captain of Rennes during the victory (5-4 on penalties) in the Coupe de France against PSG in 2019.
"It reassures in front, behind, on the left and on the right"
“The importance he had in the team and in everyday life was incredible. He was a leader of effort. He was the first on the field in training. He's a barker, a real leader. He has been an underrated player for too long. I have a lot of admiration for his career, what he is capable of doing in terms of efforts on the ground and the role he can have in the teams in which he plays, ”underlined Julien Stephan at the start of the year. 'year.
This season, Christophe Galtier, the coach of Lille where he was transferred in the summer of 2019 for 8 million euros, has often underlined the importance of André in his collective.
“From his experience, he reassures in front, behind, to the left and to the right.
It is he, at the word, who triggers the pressing, which regulates the strong beats and the weak beats.
He is also a benchmark for the players through his investment, his determination and his behavior, ”said Galtier.
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If it lacks the recognition of the general public, the environment does not "take offense", according to his friend Jean-Baptiste Pierazzi. "It is that of his teammates and his club that is important to him," he explains. He is a dedicated hard worker for the team. What interests him is primarily the game. He is not attracted by the bling-bling side of football. He has a life of a normal guy, we don't see him much in the media and he doesn't have any social media. Maybe that served him badly, because when you compare him with some who are in the France team, I think he would not have mismatched. But he prefers to stay true to himself and his values. When he returns to Ajaccio (his partner is from there), I find the same Ben as when he started. He hasn't changed and everyone who has worked with him for 15 years will say the same thing. "