It's been almost 13 years since OM last won against PSG at the Vélodrome, and the series will continue with the Parisian victory this Sunday evening. Even more edifying, Marseille's last goal against Paris in a Classic at the Vélodrome dates back to October 2017 and a goal from a certain Florian Thauvin. A little flashback to remember where the football world was at that already very distant time…
Cristiano Ronaldo was still a Real Madrid player
Arriving in 2009 at Real Madrid, Cristiano Ronaldo had not yet experienced new adventures. No departure at Juventus Turin, big failed comeback at Manchester United after almost signing for Manchester City. And even less signing at Al-Nassr. CR7 left for his last season in Madrid, concluded with a victory in the Champions League.
France only had one World Cup
Florian Thauvin, while scoring at the Vélodrome on this day in October 2017, could not have known that a few months later he would be part of a completely crazy adventure. Despite a substitute role, the Marseille winger was with the France team that won the World Cup in the summer of 2018 in Russia. At the time of his goal at the Vélodrome, France only had one star on its jersey.
Mbappé considered Neymar the leader of PSG
Kylian Mbappé, in October 2017, had just arrived at PSG and despite the 180 million for his transfer, the star of the capital club was undoubtedly called Neymar. Which Mbappé easily recognized. “The club has chosen. The leader is Neymar. For the moment at PSG, there is no question of me being the leader. The club has chosen,” Mbappé even assured a year later.
Lamine Yamal was only 10 years old at Barça…
In October 2017, Lamine Yamal was only 10 years old. Born on July 13, 2007, he was then a child who was starting to stand out in the youth categories of FC Barcelona. At that age, he was playing in the Catalan club's “La Masia” academy teams, but was obviously not yet in the spotlight.
Bellingham was at Birmingham City
The Real Madrid star, at the time, was only 14 years old. Born on June 29, 2003, he then played in the youth teams of Birmingham City, in England. Bellingham was already regarded as an outstanding player within the club's academy, but only made his professional debut in 2019 when he made his first team debut aged just 16, becoming the youngest player in the history of the club.
Messi had won nothing with Argentina
No Copa America, won twice since, nor World Cup, won many years later. With the Argentina A team (since he had won the Olympic Games before), Lionel Messi was still this living legend of Barça incapable of helping his country win. A Lionel Messi who had only won “only” five Ballon d’Ors at the time. Before conquering three more later.
Clean record for Guardiola at Manchester City
Pep Guardiola, who arrived the previous season on the Manchester City bench, was only at the start of his incredible journey on the Citizens bench. If he subsequently won six English championship titles, two Cups, four League Cups, a Champions League or even a Club World Cup, Guardiola had not yet won anything at the time of Thauvin's goal…
Haaland only played for Molde
In October 2017, Erling Haaland was 17 years old and playing for Norwegian club Molde FK in Norway. Haaland joined Molde at the start of 2017 from Bryne FK, his training club. Under the guidance of then-Molde coach Ole Gunnar Solskjær, Haaland continued to develop his game and began to attract the attention of European scouts. His transfer to Red Bull Salzburg will not come until later, in 2019.
Benzema: ni leader du Real, ni revenu en Bleu
Karim Benzema was still a player far from what he would become a few years later, culminating in the Ballon d'Or. Despite his status as an important Real player, Karim Benzema was still overshadowed by CR7 and far from becoming the captain of the Merengue club. In the French team, the Nueve was also in disagreement with Didier Deschamps, far from making his return with the Blues for Euro 2021.
Pelé, Maradona, Fontaine and Müller were still alive
Years have passed between October 2017 and 2024 and inevitably, in the meantime, football has lost many of its legends. It's impossible not to think of King Pelé, who died at the end of 2022 while Diego Maradona left in 2020. Among the legends still alive in October 2017, we can also think of Gerd Müller, Just Fontaine or even Gianluca Vialli , all of whom died in the following years.
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To summarize
OM have not scored at the Vélodrome against PSG since… October 2017. Where was the football world at the time? The observation is quite crazy. The French team had not yet won the World Cup while Cristiano Ronaldo was still playing for Real Madrid.
