1. Early life
Bradley Jean-Manuel Essolisam Barcola's early life was marked by his birth in Villeurbanne and his early engagement with football.
1.1. Childhood and education
Bradley Jean-Manuel Essolisam Barcola was born on 2 September 2002 in Villeurbanne, a commune in the Metropolis of Lyon, France. His mother is French and his father is Togolese, giving him dual French and Togolese nationalities.
1.2. Start of football career
Barcola started playing football in his hometown before joining Lyon at the age of eight.
2. Club career
Barcola's club career began with his youth development at Lyon, progressing through their academy to the senior team, before making a significant transfer to Paris Saint-Germain.
2.1. Lyon
Barcola spent his formative years and early professional career at Olympique Lyonnais, developing through their youth system and making his mark on the first team.
2.1.1. Youth career
During the 2020-21 season, Barcola began playing with the Lyon reserve team in Championnat National 2. He was also a prolific goalscorer with the under-19 team, which competed in the UEFA Youth League. In January 2021, he signed a junior contract with the club.
2.1.2. Professional debut and seasons at Lyon
Barcola was called up to the Lyon first team by coach Peter Bosz during the 2021-22 pre-season and scored his first goal against Bourg-en-Bresse. In September 2021, he signed his first professional contract, which tied him to the club until 2024.
He made his professional debut for Lyon on 4 November 2021, coming on as a substitute for Rayan Cherki in the 81st minute of a 3-0 home victory against Sparta Prague in the group stage of the 2021-22 UEFA Europa League. In that match, he provided an assist for Karl Toko Ekambi on Lyon's third goal, helping his team secure a win that made them the first to officially qualify for the round of 16 of that edition.
In January 2023, Barcola sought a loan move due to limited playing time with Lyon, with interest from Spanish team FC Barcelona and Swiss team FC St. Gallen. However, both deals collapsed as Lyon faced a shortage of attackers, particularly after Alexandre Lacazette's injury and Karl Toko Ekambi's departure. This situation led to Barcola's integration into the first-team rotation of Les GonesFrench, providing him with more playing time during the second half of the 2022-23 season. He became a significant contributor to Lyon's attack alongside top scorer Alexandre Lacazette. On 2 April 2023, he scored the only goal to help Lyon defeat league leaders PSG at the Parc des PrincesFrench. A month later, on 7 May 2023, he provided three assists for Lyon and Lacazette in a thrilling 5-4 comeback victory against Montpellier, a match that saw nine goals in total, including four from opponent striker Elye Wahi. Barcola concluded the 2022-23 season with 7 goals and 9 assists across all competitions, making him the club's second-most decisive player after Lacazette.
2.2. Paris Saint-Germain
Barcola's move to Paris Saint-Germain marked a new chapter in his club career, where he quickly integrated into the team and achieved significant success.
2.2.1. Transfer and debut
On 31 August 2023, Barcola joined fellow Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) for a reported fee of 45.00 M EUR, signing a five-year contract. He was assigned the number 29 jersey. His debut for PSG came on 3 September 2023, as a substitute in a 4-1 away victory over his former club, Lyon. This appearance marked him as the 500th player to feature for Paris Saint-Germain. On 24 September, Barcola made his first start for PSG in a dominant 4-0 win against Le Classique rivals Marseille. His first goal contribution for the club occurred on 29 October, when he provided an assist for Warren Zaïre-Emery's opening goal in a 3-2 away win over Brest. He scored his first goal for PSG on 9 December 2023 in a 2-1 victory against Nantes.
2.2.2. Seasons and achievements at PSG
On 14 February 2024, Barcola scored his first UEFA Champions League goal in a 2-0 victory over Real Sociedad in the first leg of the round of 16. His performance on 16 April 2024 in a 4-1 away victory against Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-finals second leg earned him significant praise in the media. He provided a crucial assist to Ousmane Dembélé for the equalizing goal in that match and was instrumental in Paris overturning a 3-2 deficit from the first leg. Barcola concluded the 2023-24 season with 5 goals and 8 assists in 39 appearances for PSG. On 10 June 2024, Ligue 1 recognized him as the signing of the season.
He started the 2024-25 season by scoring his first goal on 16 August 2024 in PSG's Ligue 1 opener away to Le Havre, a match that ended in a 4-1 victory for the Parisians. On 23 August, he achieved the first brace of his career in a resounding 6-0 win over Montpellier at the Parc des PrincesFrench. On 22 January 2025, Barcola contributed a goal and an assist in a 4-2 victory over Manchester City.
3. International career
Barcola has represented France at various youth levels before making his debut for the senior national team, participating in major tournaments and setting new records.
3.1. Youth and senior teams
Barcola was first selected for the France under-18 team in January 2020 to play two friendly matches. However, most junior encounters were canceled during the subsequent seasons due to the COVID-19 pandemic, limiting his appearances at that level. He later played for France's under-21 and Olympic teams. His club, Paris Saint-Germain, denied him permission to compete in the 2024 Summer Olympics on home soil, a decision also applied to his teammate Warren Zaïre-Emery.
On 16 May 2024, Barcola received his first call-up to the France national team for UEFA Euro 2024. He made his senior international debut on 5 June 2024, coming on as a substitute for Marcus Thuram in the 81st minute of a 3-0 friendly victory against Luxembourg at Stade Saint-Symphorien in Metz. In this match, Barcola recorded his first goal contribution for France by assisting Kylian Mbappé's goal, which was the third of the match.
3.2. Major tournament participation
Barcola made his first start for France on 25 June 2024 during his UEFA Euro 2024 debut, a 1-1 draw with Poland in the third group stage match. He made two additional substitute appearances in the tournament: 15 minutes against Portugal in the quarter-finals and 30 minutes against Spain in the semi-finals, which ended in a 2-1 defeat. Despite his limited playing time, Barcola was praised for making a "strong impression" during the tournament.
3.3. International match records
On 6 September 2024, at the Parc des PrincesFrench in Paris, during a UEFA Nations League match against Italy, Barcola scored his first international goal just 12 seconds into the game. This set a record for the fastest goal scored by France in the past 90 years, and also marked the fastest goal ever conceded by Italy. He scored his second international goal on 10 October 2024, in a 4-1 victory against Israel at the Bozsik Aréna in Budapest, Hungary.
4. Style of play
Barcola is a versatile forward capable of playing on both sides of a front three or as a centre forward. He is widely regarded as one of the most promising young players in world football. Barcola is a quick, talented, and technically gifted winger, possessing strong dribbling skills, good vision, and explosive speed and acceleration. Although he is naturally right-footed, his preferred position is on the left wing. This allows him to effectively beat opponents in one-on-one situations, cut into the center onto his right foot, and either shoot on goal, create chances for teammates, or make attacking runs into the penalty area. Barcola has mentioned drawing inspiration from players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang; in 2020, he stated that he believes his playing style is similar to theirs.
5. Personal life
Barcola's personal life reflects his dual heritage and family connections within professional football.
5.1. Nationality and family
Bradley Barcola holds dual French and Togolese nationalities. His brother, Malcolm Barcola, is also a professional footballer and plays for the Togo national team.
6. Career statistics
Bradley Barcola's career statistics provide a detailed overview of his performance at both club and international levels.
6.1. Club
| Club | Season | League | French Cup | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Lyon II | 2020-21 | National 2 | 4 | 2 | - | - | - | 4 | 2 | |||
| 2021-22 | National 2 | 14 | 3 | - | - | - | 14 | 3 | ||||
| 2022-23 | National 2 | 4 | 0 | - | - | - | 4 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 22 | 5 | - | - | - | 22 | 5 | |||||
| Lyon | 2021-22 | Ligue 1 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | 13 | 0 | |
| 2022-23 | Ligue 1 | 26 | 5 | 5 | 2 | - | - | 31 | 7 | |||
| 2023-24 | Ligue 1 | 3 | 0 | - | - | - | 3 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 40 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | - | 47 | 7 | |||
| Paris Saint-Germain | 2023-24 | Ligue 1 | 25 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 39 | 5 |
| 2024-25 | Ligue 1 | 24 | 12 | 4 | 2 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 39 | 17 | |
| Total | 49 | 16 | 7 | 2 | 20 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 78 | 21 | ||
| Career total | 111 | 26 | 12 | 4 | 22 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 147 | 34 | ||
6.2. International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| France | 2024 | 11 | 2 |
| Total | 11 | 2 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 September 2024 | Parc des Princes, Paris, France | 6 | Italy | 1-0 | 1-3 | 2024-25 UEFA Nations League A | |
| 2 | 10 October 2024 | Bozsik Aréna, Budapest, Hungary | 8 | Israel | 4-1 | 4-1 | 2024-25 UEFA Nations League A |
7. Honours
Barcola has achieved several team titles with his clubs and has also received individual accolades.
7.1. Club honours
Paris Saint-Germain
- Ligue 1: 2023-24
- Coupe de France: 2023-24
- Trophée des Champions: 2023, 2024
7.2. Individual honours
Individual
- UNFP Ligue 1 Player of the Month: September 2024
- Ligue 1 Signing of the Season: 2023-24