Not long ago, Bradley Barcola’s rise seemed to hit a wall. After earning rave reviews and a starting spot at Lyon under Peter Bosz, the 20-year-old winger slipped out of favour when Laurent Blanc took over in October 2022 and found himself with the reserves.
L’Equipe reported that Barcola was close to a January 2023 loan to Swiss side St Gallen to secure minutes—until a teammate’s flash of frustration helped open the door for his return. With Lyon struggling, fans focused their anger on first-choice forward Karl Toko Ekambi. The situation deteriorated further when the Cameroon international stormed down the tunnel and kicked a bin after being substituted in a 2-1 home defeat by Strasbourg. The incident, caught on camera, proved to be his final act for the club.
That vacuum created an opening Barcola seized. He started most of the season’s remaining matches, scored five goals, including the winner away to Paris St-Germain in April 2023—and, five months later, signed for PSG.
His reported £38.5m transfer—made two weeks after Neymar left Paris for Saudi Arabia—came with Lyon struggling in the table and hamstrung by financial rules that limited replacements.
“Barcola’s first appearance for PSG was back in Lyon,” L’Equipe journalist Pierre-Etienne Minonzio told BBC Sport. “He was booed because the move had just happened. Luis Enrique asked if he was ready; he said yes, came on, and looked impressive.”
Nicknamed “the grasshopper” for his speed, agility and slender build, Barcola has since collected three Ligue 1 titles and won consecutive Champions Leagues during his three seasons in Paris. He broke into the France squad two years ago and scored three times at this summer’s World Cup as they reached the semi-finals.
With Liverpool now sealing a £123m deal for him, Barcola is headed for the Premier League. It’s a remarkable journey from schoolyard kickabouts in Vaulx-en-Velin, on Lyon’s eastern edge, to a nine-figure star—one marked by resilience and ambition.
“Barcola is extremely driven,” Minonzio added. “He’s part of a generation of French talents willing to put in the work to become the best version of themselves. They don’t overcomplicate it—they just do what it takes.”