Ligue 1: Skelly Alvero, the ‘2.02 Wembanyama’ who is already ‘scoring’ goals for Lyon

Olympique Lyon is going through one of the worst moments in its recent history: It is bottom with 4 points out of 30 possible. He still doesn’t know what it’s like to win this season. Neither with Laurent Blanc nor with Fabio Grosso. However, the draw ‘in extremis’ against Metz (1-1) left some good news: the debut as a goalscorer in Ligue 1 of Skelly Alvero (Stains, 2-5-2002).

The middle, signed this summer from Sochaux for 4 millionreceived from Cherki in front of the large area and He scored with a tight left foot shot near the post. “I realized that I had to have a more offensive role and I was rewarded,” he acknowledged.

I realized that I had to have a more offensive role and I was rewarded

Skelly Alvero

Alvero, of Angolan ancestry, He defines himself as an “atypical” midfielder. “I prefer to play as a defensive midfielder and go forward, but I consider myself a versatile player, capable of doing many things on the field,” he says. His 2.02 meters of height make him the tallest footballer in the history of ‘OL’. He is closer to the 2.24 of Victor Wembanyama – raised at ASVEL Villeurbanne – than to his teammate Nicolás Tagliafico (1.72).

“I grew up when I was 13 or 14 years old. At 15 years old I was already 1.97 meters tall… but I was never good at basketball. Almost all my friends were the same height as me. In fact, they knew us for that, but I was the biggest of all,” he admitted in an interview with ‘L’Est’ Republican’. “Until I was 17 I played as a forward, then I became a midfielder and now I’m a pivot,” he reveals.

At 15 years old I was already 1.97… but I was never good at basketball

Skelly Alvero

“You have to see it as an advantage. My size has never been a weakness. I have considered balance and timing a lot. I’m pretty good at duels, not just aerial ones. Furthermore, I consider myself a leader on the field,” he points out when detailing his strengths and weaknesses.

The former Red Star youth player was already, according to ‘Opta’, the player who won the most duels last season counting the five major leagues and their Second divisions. Lyon’s number 80, then in Sochaux (Ligue 2), scored 213. He surpassed, by a landslide, Guido Rodríguez (167) and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (166).

Alverto was called to play for ‘OL’. He was born the day Lyon won the first League in its history: “It was destiny. I have loved this team since I was a child and I am the only player who was born on that date. Furthermore, I consider myself a fan of the 2008 generation: Lisandro, Bastos, Källstrom…”. Now it is he who hopes to mark an era, although it has not started well…