France Ligue 1

THERE was a heartwarming tale in Paris last night as Ethan Mbappe made it onto the pitch to make his Paris Saint-Germain debut. The 16-year-old, the younger brother of superstar Kylian, entered the pitch in the final moments of the 3-1 win over Metz.
Kylian Mbappe netted as brace as younger brother Ethan made his PSG debutCredit: Getty

And Ethan’s introduction meant there was a hat-trick of sorts for Kylian as he celebrated his 25th birthday.
Kylian scored an expert brace against the Ligue 1 relegation battlers to put PSG five points clear at the top of the table going into Christmas.
His first saw him score from outside the box with a stunning curling effort that crashed in off the bar.
That made meant Mbappe was the first PSG player to score on his birthday for six years – after he also netted on his 19th birthday.
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He nabbed his second of the evening when he rushed onto a poor back pass and poked the ball around the goalkeeper who had come rushing off his line before passing the ball into an empty net.
Just nine minutes later, younger brother Ethan was introduced to share the pitch with his older brother for a brief spell.
The 16-year-old has made 18 appearances for PSG’ Youth side this season.
Playing from centre-midfield, he has scored three goals and added two assists in the National U19 Group A.
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He has also made six appearances in the Uefa Youth League.
The Mbappe brothers are not the only big brother-little brother duo who have rising stock in football.
Jude and Jobe Bellingham, who star for Real Madrid and Sunderland have had a meteoric rise in the last 12 months.
There are also Chelsea brother and sister Reece and Lauren James, as well as Serbian national team duo Sergej and Vanja Milinkovic-Savic.
Kylian Mbappé gifts a goal on his birthday 🎁A 𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 strike from the birthday boy doubles Paris Saint-Germain’s lead! pic.twitter.com/Sg2IqSQxnw— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 20, 2023 More

SHAMAR NICHOLSON says he was told he would die or end up in jail trying to avenge his father’s MURDER – now he is an international football star.The 46-cap Jamaica forward is currently with Ligue 1 side Clermont on loan from Spartak Moscow.
Shamar Nicholson has opened up on his tragic childhood in JamaicaCredit: Getty
And the boyhood Arsenal fan, 26, even held transfer talks with Watford during the summer.
Nicholson previously played for Belgian side Charleroi after landing his first European break with Slovenians Domzale.
But the striker has a tragic past after his dad Wayne was killed in Kingston’s notorious Trench Town ghetto.
Speaking to So Foot, Nicholson revealed: “Football is my life. I began playing aged seven – Cesc Fabregas was my idol, as I supported Arsenal.
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“It is thanks to football that I could escape gangs and violence. It was the only option for me.
“When my father was killed I was at my lowest point and I quit football. He was my idol.”
Nicholson then admitted: “My only thought was to avenge his murder. I hung around with bad guys, and thought about killing people.
“Even before his death I was a troublemaker who looked for fights.
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“I could easily have got a gun. My family told me I would either die or end up in prison.
“But instead I took the sensible route of following my dream of becoming a footballer.”
Nicholson continued to explain: “I began with Boys Town in Jamaica, playing without pay, then went to Slovenia as it was my dream to play in Europe.
“I could have gone to play in the MLS in America, but as a kid I always watched the Premier League on TV.
“It was tough at first in Slovenia. I would go back to my hotel after training and cry.
“My family stopped me from doing stupid things, and they saved my life.
“When I became a footballer I decided to give them better lives and help them out of the ghetto.  
“I’m proud that now my mum, aunt and grandmother live in much better surroundings.” More

PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN goalkeeper Alexandre Letellier was attacked by burglars in the early hours of Tuesday morning.According to French outlet RMC, the 33-year-old, his wife and their two children were kidnapped and held at knifepoint.
Alexandre Letellier was attacked by violent burglars in the early hours of Tuesday morningCredit: Getty
The goalkeeper’s wife was hit in the face by the attackersCredit: Instagram @alexandre_letellier30
The attackers then demanded money and jewellery before hitting Letellier’s wife in the face.
However, the police were quickly able to intervene and three of the four intruders – two minors and an adult – were arrested.
Letellier and his partner were awoken at around 2am after a security alarm was triggered.
They immediately called the police, but the attackers had already made their way into the garden.
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One police officer suffered an injury to the knee while at the scene.
Three suspects – one 21-year-old and two 16-year-olds – have since been placed in custody.
Letellier and his wife live in Yvelines, Northern France.
They have two children aged two and six.
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The Frenchman is currently PSG’s third-choice goalkeeper.
He is yet to make an appearance for the Ligue 1 champions this season. More

AN FC Nantes supporter was stabbed to death after violence broke out ahead of the club’s Ligue 1 fixture with Nice on Saturday.A group of Nantes supporters are understood to have attacked Nice fans who were on their way to the Stade de la Beaujoire shortly before 8pm local time.
A Nantes fan lost their life after being stabbed to death prior to the club’s Ligue 1 fixture with Nice on SaturdayCredit: Getty
Violence broke out between the two sets of supporters along the Cours des Cinquante-Otages, one of the main roads that leads to the Stade de la BeaujoireCredit: Getty
The victim, 31, was reportedly a member of the club’s most notorious fan group, Brigade LoireCredit: AFP
The victim, 31, was killed by a taxi driver after attacking his vehicle full of Nice supporters, according to French outlet Ouest.
The report adds that cars were being shaken as they travelled along the Cours des Cinquante-Otages, one of the main roads that leads to the stadium.
The taxi driver reportedly stabbed the victim in the back as the attack broke out between the two sets of fans outside the Saint Georges Bar near the ground.
The assailant has now subsequently turned himself in.
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According to Get French Football News, the Nantes fan was a member of the club’s most notorious fan group, Brigade Loire.
It’s been reported that responders attempted to give him CPR after arriving at the scene, before transferring him to the University Hospital of Nantes where he subsequently passed away.
Speaking to French media, Nantes public prosecutor Renaud Gaudeul said: “Shortly before 8.00pm, several vehicles carrying Nice supporters were attacked by FC Nantes supporters.
“During these events, in circumstances which remain to be determined, a 31-year-old man, a FC Nantes supporter, collapsed.
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“The very first forensic investigations show that the victim had a wound on his back, possibly caused by a bladed weapon.”
Nantes have also issued a statement following the incident.
It read: “In circumstances which are the subject of an ongoing legal investigation, the 31-year-old collapsed, hit in the back.
“Despite the intervention of emergency services, the supporter could not be saved.
“The Public Prosecutor’s Office has announced that an investigation into intentional homicide has been opened.
“Numerous witness interviews are underway and will continue into the night.
“The Club can only deplore that a person lost their life in such circumstances.”
“FC Nantes would like to express its most sincere condolences to the victim’s family and those close to them.”
Despite the incident, the match still went ahead as the home side recorded a 1-0 victory – inflicting Nice’s first league defeat of the season.
However, there were muted scenes inside the stadium as news broke out.
After the game, Nantes manager Jocelyn Gourvennec said, per Ouest: “I only found out after the match.
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“I can’t imagine that we come to see a football match, sometimes as a family, and that we could be between life and death.
“The players talked about it a lot in the locker room. We will pray for him.”
Nantes ran out 1-0 winners as they ended Nice’s unbeaten start to the seasonCredit: AFP
There were muted scenes inside the stadium following the incidentCredit: Getty More