Benjamin Pavard has had a remarkable rise from a promising youngster in Bundesliga 2 to emerging World Cup and Champions League winner all in the space of three years. It’s not out of place to catch up on the interesting story of the versatile French defender, who made himself an household name with his wonder goal against Argentina at the 2018 World Cup.
Childhood
Born in Maubeuge, Nord – a north French city near the Belgian border, Pavard was raised from humble beginnings. He wasn’t the type you would have bet to become a big success if it were actually possible to gamble on possible achievements of aspiring pros on betting sites like sport.netbet.ng.
He joined Lille OSC academy at the age on nine, having his father who happened to be a former French third division defender drive 60 miles to take him to training and back four times a week. In fact, grateful Pavard doesn’t shy away from referencing the impact his loving dad had in starting off his career:
“My parents have always been there for me,” the player said in a post-match interview in one his 2018 World Cup appearances.
“I was very moved because of the distance they travelled when I was young. I ended up going a long way from home and it wasn’t easy for them. It wasn’t easy for me either and this is the reward for all the sacrifices they made for me.”
Being the only son of his parents, Pavard was encouraged to devote his time to football alone at a very young as he himself admits he had no access to toys and video games as a toddler.
His Astonishing Rise
At the age of 18, he was promoted to Lille first team and was subsequently handed his Ligue 1 debut in the 2014/15 season. He went on to impress in his stint at the Stade Pierre Mauroy before moving to VfB Stuttgart in the Bundesliga second tier in 2016.
It was right there in Germany Pavard had his big break. Stuttgart instantly benefitted from the addition of French talent and clinched the Bundesliga 2 title that 2016/17 season to earn promotion to the topflight. In the following campaign, the versatile defender played all 34 of The Reds’ Bundesliga games without missing a single minute of their impressive season performance which landed them 7th.
Stuttgart however slumped to 16th in the 2018/19 season and had to return to the second tier, but not with Pavard – who got snapped up by Bayern that summer for €35 million.
Versatility Personified
Pavard is one of the very few active defenders who can boast of a solid show, no matter the position they get deployed at the backline. Having started out as a center-back, there is no doubt many see him as one of the best right-backs in the world at the moment, especially after his remarkable at the full-back role in the last World Cup. In fact, he has started nearly half of the 166 professional games he’s played yet as a center-back. He’s also played not less than a handful of games at left-back and in defensive midfield.
His outrageous versatility can be attributed to his resilience, intelligence and ability to read the game. Interestingly, he draws his insipration from the legendary Lilian Thuram.
“A defender must first defend well,” he told Goal in 2018.
“Of course, as a left or right back, I have to attack more, but for me, it’s the same. I can play well in all these positions.”
“The question could be asked, for sure, but for me it is not a problem. Before, there was Lilian Thuram who also played as a centre-back in club and as a right-back with the national team. I feel good as a centre-back, and I also enjoy to play at right. So why not do the same career as him?”
En route Bayern’s treble-winning campaign, Pavard was quite instrumental, registering 4 goals and 7 assists in 47 appearances. Safe to say a player who’s got a World Cup medal and won a proper treble (including the Champions League) has completed football. At 24? – that’s super impressive. But Pavard is yet hungry for titles and there’s no doubt there’s much more to come the way of the Frenchman.
“You have to win, win, and win again,” he told French TV in 2018.
“In two years, there’s the European Championship – I want to win it. I want to win everything. The World Cup several times, the UEFA Champions League, all the possible titles. I want to be a player with a huge number of honours. I’m savouring it but after that we’ll go back to battle.”
He’s achieved quite a lot in the few years he’s spent at the top – a player worth paying attention to as he’s a legend in the making.
