27 July 2012, Abbé Deschamps Stadium.
For the first time since 1980, AJ Auxerre is starting its season in Ligue 2. For this first day against Nîmes, the objective is simple: to start automatically with a victory.
Jean-Guy Wallemme, the coach at the time, decided to rely on a young striker from the training center: Sébastien Haller.
That day, Auxerre easily dominated his opponent so much so that the young striker felt his wings growing.
In the 58th minute, he overflows on the left wing, transplants in the axis and sends an assist to Anthony Le Tallec.
Victory 2-0.
“He was freezing in front of goal.
Right foot, left foot, head, it was impressive, especially at his age!
, remembers for
Le Figaro
former AJA goalkeeper Olivier Sorin.
The story starts well and could have turned into a real fairy tale but unfortunately, the Auxerre machine will quickly jam.
From November the AJA did not advance any more, Jean-Guy Wallemme was dismissed and the young Haller had to be content with a few ends of matches here and there.
He's not giving up though.
“He was already a very mature person for his age, he knew what he wanted.
He was very respectful of the elders in the locker room.
He liked to laugh, he was a bon vivant with a very good state of mind.
recalls his former teammate.
Sébastien Haller in contact with Pierre Bouby for his first pro game.
Stephanie Grossetete / Panoramic
It was during this period that Didier Martel looked into the profile of the young Auxerrois striker.
This former player who led a professional career between France and the Netherlands in the 90s has been a recruiter at FC Utrecht for a few years now.
For
Le Figaro
, he returns to this episode: “
I spotted Sébastien when he was 17 or 18 years old.
I immediately sensed his potential but as he was under contract with AJA and playing with the reserve team I didn't think that at some point he would become an opportunity for us
”.
Yet months pass and the young man fails to gain the trust of his coaches.
In the grip of financial difficulties, the club therefore plans to part with it.
When I felt that Auxerre was capable of letting him go, I did everything to get him to come because I was convinced that he didn't need much to explode
, ”says Didier Martel.
On December 24, 2014, Auxerre made official the loan with option to buy from Sébastien Haller and unknowingly offered a real Christmas present to Utrecht, who would have to pay less than one million euros to keep him permanently.
As soon as he arrived in the Netherlands, the young man did everything possible to integrate and worked a lot “
He is a boy who is very sociable, and who has a very good mentality.
He is an example for many young people, especially those who find it difficult to have playing time in their training club because they were able to adapt quickly and be appreciated by everyone in the locker room
. remembers Didier Martel.
A meeting that changes everything
Match after match, Haller won his place in the team and even became an indisputable starter.
He ended the season with 11 goals and 5 assists in 17 matches, a real success that his recruiter explains by the opportunities offered by the Eredivisie: "
It's a championship which is certainly a little less important than Italy, the Spain or Germany and England, but where young people can express themselves and where they are given time to adapt in order to continue their progress.
»
During the 2015-2016 season, he made a decisive encounter for the rest of his career, that of the new coach of Utrecht, a certain Erik Ten Hag.
The young coach, who arrives from Bayern Munich, sets up an offensive game in which the striker has fun.
“
In Utrecht, I felt that I was always involved in the game, it made me progress.
“Explains the interested party for
SoFoot
in 2019.
In his first five games with Ten Hag, he was involved in five of his team's six goals (four goals and one assist), a symbol of the chemistry that reigns between the player and his coach.
“
Erik is a great coach who knows how to get the most out of his players.
He is a very human, attentive person who gives a lot of confidence.
That's what Sébastien needed, he gave him confidence and consideration, and made him play at all costs even when he was going through a period of softness
, ”says Didier Martel.
In 2015, he was voted best player of the year in Utrecht.
There, he grows up and goes from a teenager just out of the training center to a responsible young adult who has started a family.
His club performances even allow him to wear the jersey of the France Espoir team with whom he played 15 matches between March 2015 and November 2016. Moreover, the last time we saw him with the jersey of the blues , it was against Ivory Coast, he had scored a hat-trick…
New challenges and first title
After two and a half full seasons in the Eredivisie (51 goals in 98 matches), the native of Ris-Orangis in Essonne decided to take a step forward and joined Eintracht Frankfurt for six million euros.
“
With Sébastien, we have our absolute dream player, whom we have observed throughout the season.
writes the German club's sporting director Fredi Bobic on the club's official website.
And it must be said that the former VfB Stuttgart striker was not mistaken.
Under Niko Kovac, Haller continued his progression and won the very first title of his career: the German Cup at the end of the 2017-2018 season.
Sébastien Haller celebrates German Cup victory with his Imago / Panoramic teammates
After the German experience, he tried the English adventure at West Ham United, the first black spot of his career.
With only 14 goals in 54 matches, he failed to shine on
Premier League
pitches , whether with Manuel Pellegrini or David Moyes, who arrived in January 2020 just a few months before the COVID-19 pandemic.
This complicated period ends in January 2021. In the middle of the winter transfer window, number 22 leaves England and returns to the Eredivisie to join Ajax Amsterdam under the advice of Didier Martel with whom he has remained close.
“
I had advised Sébastien to go to Ajax because I knew that with Antony on the right and Tadic on the left he was going to become the top scorer in the championship.
He's the perfect centre-forward for these two players
".
But there it is above all the opportunity to find Erik Ten Hag, who has become one of the most promising coaches in Europe and undoubtedly the one who knows how to best highlight Sébastien Haller.
Together the two men won the championship, the Dutch Cup and reached the final stages of the Champions League this season with Sébastien Haller at the top of his game.
The Frenchman stacks the goals and becomes the first player to score 11 times in his first season in the Champions League.
“It was perhaps not the first on which we would have bet but he knew how to find his way and that is perhaps what he can be most proud of.
»
Tells Olivier Sorin.
His performances in C1 make him pass a milestone and his name is associated with the biggest European clubs, this is also the case of his coach who could join Manchester United next summer.
Besides, one thing is certain, the Dutch coach knows who he can count on if ever the need for a center forward arises: “
Why wouldn't he want to take Sébastien in his suitcases?
It's a possibility
, ”slips the recruiter from Utrecht.
“I have a lot of respect for Didier Deschamps but for me he made a mistake”
Didier Martel
Throughout his career, Sébastien Haller dreamed of treading the steps of the Château de Clairefontaine, he waited a long time for his chance but in vain.
Since his last selection with the Espoirs on November 10, 2016, he has never been called up by the FFF again.
On November 5, 2020, he stopped waiting and responded positively to the call of Ivory Coast coach Patrice Beaumelle, who convinced him to join the Elephants.
"
For a while, it's true that the next logical step was to go with France because I had known the youth categories and had grown up in France.
But we mature, we think, a lot of things are happening. (...) Today, if I made this choice, it's because I'm reaching an age where I don't really want to play about I don't know what uncertainty.
I wanted to take what there was to take and really enjoy myself.
“he tells
France Football.
Read alsoCoach, prize list, Ligue 1: 5 things to know about Côte d'Ivoire
This choice, Didier Martel understands it but cannot help but harbor some regrets "
I have a lot of respect for Didier Deschamps but for me he made a mistake not to select him to prepare for the future of the France team. .
I think he could have taken over after Giroud and even competed with him.
"For his part Olivier Sorin is happy to see two former Auxerrois find themselves in the selection
"To see Willy Boly and Sébastien Haller who were in training at Auxerre find themselves with Côte d'Ivoire to play against the France team, it's a very beautiful story.”
One thing is certain, this Friday, the striker with four goals in twelve selections will find the Blues for the first time since this famous match of hopes against Côte d'Ivoire.
Time to come full circle and continue to progress, always with the right mentality.
