Mohamed-Ali Cho, Angers
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Mohamed-Ali Cho, Angers' prodigious winger

Mohamed-Ali Cho, Angers' prodigious winger

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Publish on 08/16 at 23:53

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Olympique Lyonnais - one of the early-season favourites - were humbled 3-0 by Angers SCO on Sunday, and Mohamed-Ali Cho was a large part of the season why...

Still just 17 years old, Cho was the busiest player at the Stade Raymond Kopa. He may not have got on the scoresheet himself, but he forced Marcelo's own goal for 2-0 and drew the foul which saw a frustrated Maxwel Cornet sent off on 65 minutes.

 

An England youth international who already has Paris Saint-Germain and Everton on his footballing CV, what else is there to know about the promising young winger? Ligue1.com takes a closer look.

 

Back story:

 

Born in Stains, a northern suburb of Paris, in January 2004, Cho was just a week old when his Moroccan mother and Ivorian father moved to London for work, and he took his first footballing steps with West Ham.

 

Another family move when the youngster was six saw them back in France, and Cho spent four years in PSG's academy ranks, but he returned to England with Everton at the age of 11.

 

He became an England youth international during this time, but seeing his path to Everton's first team blocked, Cho gambled on his talent and joined Angers in May - becoming the youngest Ligue 1 Uber Eats professional ever when he signed his contract just three-and-a-half months past his 16th birthday.

 

Mohamed-Ali Cho, Angers'

 

Style of play:

 

Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee? Cho certainly has the first half of namesake Muhammad Ali's famous quote down pat, able to drift past his opponents at will, but it would be fair to say that he is still working on the latter - his final product.

 

Nominally left-footed but able to use his right to go past his marker, Cho's anticipation and turn of pace look almost impossible to contain, however. Still less than 500 minutes into his French top-flight career, a first goal or assist is surely only just around the corner…

 

Current campaign:

 

… especially if Sunday's victory over Lyon is anything to go by. As well as forcing the Marcelo o.g., Cho nearly scored an early goal of the season contender, chesting down Thomas Mangani's cross before unleashing a left-footed volley which required every inch of Anthony Lopes' frame to save.

 

Cho also started the opening day 2-0 victory over RC Strasbourg Alsace, and already looks set to be a mainstay in the team with Girondins de Bordeaux up next, despite having the likes of Sofiane Boufal and Angelo Fulgini for company in the final third with les Scoïstes.

 

Watch: Highlights of Angers' 3-0 win over Lyon 

 

 

What they said:

 

"You can't expect him to improve the team at his age, even if that can happen. Most of all we ask him not to weaken it. From what I see from him every day, that's the case. He'll continue to improve, albeit in a slightly quicker way than others."

 

- Stéphane Moulin, after handing Cho his debut last season.

 

"Frankly, I haven't decided on that yet. I'm well aware of the options I have and we'll see later."

 

- Cho, who remains eligible for four nations, on his international future.

 

"One thing that doesn't lie is the attitude of the other players. When someone is very good, you can see it in the attitude of the other players, in the way they communicate, their attitude toward him."

 

- Angers academy director Abdel Bouhazama.

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