According to Spain’s “As”, a year and a half ago, Bradley Balcora had yet to make his professional debut, with his club Lyon planning to loan him to Switzerland for more practical experience. However, a series of player injuries unexpectedly paved the way for his rapid ascent into the starting lineup, kickstarting his career on an upward trajectory. Balcora’s impressive performances at Lyon caught the attention of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and their coach Enrique, eventually leading to his transfer to PSG for a fee of 45 million euros.
In Paris Saint-Germain, Balcora quickly justified his value, becoming a crucial piece in Enrique’s tactical setup. So much so that he displaced Kylian Mbappe from his left-wing position to play as a central striker. His standout performances in his first season earned him a spot in Didier Deschamps’ French national team, making his first start against Poland.
The Balcora-Mbappe duo has emerged as a beacon of hope for a French team that had a mediocre group stage performance in the European Championship and failed to beat Poland. Despite the team’s overall struggles, this partnership created multiple scoring opportunities with their dynamic combinations. Even though Balcora was substituted during the game, his display was enough for Deschamps to consider giving him a starting role in the decisive match against Belgium.
Deschamps is currently grappling with selection dilemmas, needing to ensure the team progresses to the quarter-finals. The positioning of Antoine Griezmann is particularly delicate; if Balcora solidifies his place on the left wing, Griezmann could risk losing his starting spot. In the match against Poland, Griezmann did not start and was publicly criticized by Deschamps for his slow pressure in the second half.
Balcora’s rise in football has been meteoric. Not only has he become a valuable asset to Mbappe in the Euros, but he is also a star who skillfully exploits spaces and creates threats. With this trump card in hand for the upcoming clash against Belgium, Deschamps will have to decide whether to deploy Balcora from the start or as a substitute – either way, he could be the decisive factor. Now, the ball is in Deschamps’ court, and he must learn from past mistakes to ensure France bounces back strongly and avoids repeating the disappointments of the group stage.