In a candid interview with La Repubblica, Randal Kolo Muani, the French striker currently on loan at Juventus from Paris Saint-Germain, shared insights into his past, present, and potential future in football.
Born in Bondy, just like Kylian Mbappé, Kolo Muani reflected on their different paths: “Mbappé and I were born in Bondy just days apart in December 1998. But I’m from Villepinte, about 20 km away. For a child, that’s a world of difference. He was already the star of the area and left early, while I continued doing trials.”
The striker revealed he nearly started his career in Italy: “I was almost signed in Italy. That summer between Cremona and Vicenza, I was 16, very shy and attached to my family. It was tough. Cremonese would have taken me, but they didn’t offer what I expected. Vicenza was close to signing me, but my father wasn’t enthusiastic about me going abroad and made me return. I disagreed; I wanted to stay and chase my dream. But dad was right. Perhaps Italy was in my destiny.”
Kolo Muani’s journey took him through Nantes and Boulogne-sur-Mer, where he learned valuable lessons. He credits Sergio Conceiçao for his first call-up to the first team, remembering the coach’s words: “He told me I was too nonchalant and that I needed to work harder because he saw great potential in me.”
Reflecting on his missed opportunity in the 2022 World Cup final against Argentina, Kolo Muani showed maturity: “It was a good save by Martinez. He did what he had to do. He played as a goalkeeper, I as a striker, and he won. It all happened so fast and was a bit crazy. I know if I had scored, I would have made history. I’ve imagined a thousand times how it could have gone differently, and it took me a while to recover, but I managed. I have no regrets; that’s football.”
On his challenging time at PSG, Kolo Muani was honest: “A Frenchman at PSG, moreover costing 90 million euros, faces enormous pressure, and not everyone can handle it. I couldn’t. I had opportunities and didn’t take advantage of them. It hurts my heart, but I’ll say it again: it’s football, I have no regrets.”
Despite limited playing time under Luis Enrique at PSG, Kolo Muani holds no grudges: “The relationship with Luis Enrique was very, very good. He’s really an excellent coach, he gave me a ton of advice, it’s a fortune to have a coach like him. He played me little? I was the one on the field, not him. He gave me opportunities.”
Looking ahead, Kolo Muani seems open to staying at Juventus: “My desire is to play and have fun. But if things continue like this, why not stay? Juventus is the club that opened its doors to me. I talked a lot with Thiago Motta before coming, he explained how he saw things and how we would play. That’s what attracted me and pushed me to sign.”
On his position, Kolo Muani shows versatility: “I’m a striker, and nowadays you have to be versatile, so I’m comfortable in the center or on the wing. I prefer playing in spaces, taking depth, and using my speed, but I’m showing I can also combine in tight spaces.”
