Everything accelerates in a very short time for young Kyllian Antonio. Arriving in Lens during the summer of 2023, this young 16-year-old player was called up for the first time in the group of Racing professionals for the trip to Strasbourg.
Born in Champigny-sur-Marne, southeast of Paris, in January 2008, the central defender left his region and his club US Torcy during the summer of 2023 when the Racing Club de Lens was waiting for him with arms wide open. Already above the rest, Antonio had been spotted and selected to join the National Football Institute of Clairefontaine two years earlier. Another player from Torcy, Wael Sahli, accompanied him, he now plays at RC Lens. Same thing for Pitshou Etshelewho had taken his license near Sarcelles.
In three months in Lens, at 15: first in Blue, called up to the Youth League, first in U19
Lens then recovered the player a little over a year ago. Quickly, he demonstrates all his qualities one by one, notably that of breaking the lines. Shortly after his arrival at La Gaillette, he received his very first call-up to the French team, that of the U16s. On his return, he started in the U17 team, a little in difficulty, of RC Lens before being called up by Yohan Demont to play in the Youth League. Antonio will play parts of the match, the first in Seville (0-1), the second at home against Arsenal (1-0). Not so bad for a 15-year-old kid who, upon his return, will start once with the under-19s Lensois (against Montrouge, 2-0 victory).
“It’s something”
This summer, Kyllian Antonio participated in Yohan Demont’s entire U19 preparation. He was present, in the right axis of the defense, during the team’s last two meetings. And then in the absence of a good number of elements among the pros, the staff took the opportunity to see him a little closer in training. “It’s really something”we indicate on the Gaillette side. The club quickly understood this and is already drawing the camera to keep some images in the hope of seeing him one day, perhaps, follow in the footsteps of Raphaël Varane.
In the meantime, the road is still long. The young Kyllian Antonio will first experience his first call with the big boys of the Racing Club de Lens. And from Monday, he will pack his bags, heading to Portugal, with the Blues U17.
