He is 22 years old and is one of the great hopes of his training club En Avant Guingamp. Loaned this season to Stade Lavallois to save playing time,Mehdi Boudjemaa quickly imposed itself in the tango midfield. The hard-working midfielder, who defines himself as a box-to-box, retraces with us his career since his debut at Beauvais and talks about the rest of his season. Interview with a player to follow.

Hello Mehdi, can you quickly introduce yourself??

Hello, I am 22 years old, I am a Guingamp player loaned to the Lavallois stadium this season. I was born in Cergy but I started football in Beauvais, where all my family is. Both my parents grew up there and I played there for 5-6 years. In U14 I went to the suburbs of Strasbourg, to Schiltiggheim, where I had a good season which went really well. Then I returned to Beauvais who had contacted me to be upgraded to U17 Nationals, so I did my season there except that I didn't play a single game! After that I left to play in the U17 Nationals at Saint Quentin and I had a good season at the end of which Guingamp recruited me.

Your arrival in Brittany and your debut at Guingamp went well

I arrived at Guingamp in U19 first year and it went really well. Brittany I did not know and it is really endearing. I had good coaches there and it was my training club, the one that allowed me to sign my first professional contract, in February 2019, a 2 and a half year contract.

How did you experience this signature

At first you know you don't realize too much. I remember it was at the end of a training session with the pros, and the president at the time Bertrand Desplat comes up to me and asks me what day it is. We were supposed to be on the 10th, I answer him, and he says listen to me, on February 10th we are happy to offer you your first pro contract and then he hugged me! I didn't realize too much, it's weird because you want to sign pro but when you have the pro contract you don't realize too much. And then in fact when it happens you understand that it is the hardest part that begins.e.

How do you define your playing style?

I am a box to box midfielder, I like attacking as much as defending even if I think my main quality is recovery. I have the grinta, I'm always on my toes, I work hard in training, I train like I play.

You have a model?

I really appreciate Adrien Rabiot's game, he is also in box to box. He will recover and when he attacks I like his little technical touch with his left foot, I really like his game.

After 8 days of championship you feel fit physically?

Not yet, I'm starting to come back well. I had a complicated start to the season since I took a red in a friendly which meant that I played the first 2 games and then I was suspended. There I have my 3rd match in a row so I'm coming back well, but I'm not 100% yet, it's coming back little by little.

The period of confinement and the cessation of competitions were complicated to manage?

Yes, it was quite complicated, especially since I had just been loaned out (note: at Quevilly Rouen Métrolole). I only had time to play 5 games, so it was quite frustrating, but hey, it allowed me to bounce back well with Stade Lavallois and come back stronger.

You adapted well when you arrived in Laval?

We were 9 or 10 recruits so quite a few new ones. The coach had kept a base from last year and the club only recruited players who had already tasted the National Championship. Honestly, it's going very well, we're tied for first with SC Bastia, the group is doing well, we have good cohesion and we're training well. We must continue like this.

There are big deadlines coming...

Yes, Monday we have a trip to Bastia so it's first against second, it's going to be a big game. Thursday we receive Boulogne sur Mer which is also aiming for the climb I think, so also a big match. And on Sunday we have the Coupe de France, we are going to Angers to play an R1. It will be three games in one week, so we will have to rest well and recover well.

How did you hear about FOOTBOKS?

I learned about the concept thanks to a friend, Moussa Guel, who was advertising for FOOTBOKS. I discussed it with him, I tested, and frankly I liked it. I took somecaffeine energy gels and I felt the effects directly in the game. Now I also takerecovery drinks at each end of a strong training session and after each match, andenergizing chewing gum during trainings, it boosts well. Thanks to all that, I don't have too many aches the days after the matches and with the caffeine gel I can get straight into the matches.

There is a particular FOOTBOKS product that you recommend?

If you're having trouble getting into your matches and you're not very hot, I really recommend the caffeinated energy gels before the match and an electrolyte gel at halftime. With that I found my little routine and I think I will keep it for a very long time. If you want to perform, put all the ingredients for it. FOOTBOKS is a real performance aid.

What can we wish you?

A rise in Ligue 2 with my club but above all a victory in Bastia!