1. Early life and background
Mathis Rayan Cherki was born on 17 August 2003 in the 3rd arrondissement of Lyon, France. His parents are of Algerian descent, with his father, Fabrice, also being of Italian descent. Growing up in Lyon, Cherki quickly immersed himself in football, demonstrating exceptional talent from an early age.
2. Club career
Mathis Rayan Cherki's club career began in the youth ranks of Olympique Lyonnais, where he rapidly progressed through the system, eventually making his mark on the senior team.
2.1. Youth and early professional career
Cherki began his youth career at AS Saint-Priest from 2009 to 2010 before joining the Olympique Lyonnais youth academy in 2010. He was considered one of the club's most promising prospects, consistently impressing coaches with his technical ability and offensive prowess. At just 15 years old, he began playing for Lyon's reserve team in the Championnat National 2. On 7 July 2019, at the age of 15, Cherki signed his first professional contract with Olympique Lyonnais, committing to the club until 2022.
He made his professional debut for the senior team in a Ligue 1 match against Dijon on 19 October 2019, which ended in a 0-0 draw. He entered the match as a substitute for Maxwel Cornet in the 83rd minute.
2.2. Breakthrough and major milestones
Cherki's early career was marked by a series of impressive achievements and record-breaking moments. After scoring four goals in the 2019-20 UEFA Youth League, he made his senior European debut on 27 November 2019, appearing in a UEFA Champions League group stage game against Zenit at 16 years and 102 days old. He became the youngest player born in 2003 to play in both Ligue 1 and the UEFA Champions League.
On 4 January 2020, Cherki scored his first senior goal as a substitute in a Coupe de France match against Bourg-en-Bresse, a game Lyon won 7-0. This made him the youngest player to score a senior goal for Lyon, at 16 years and 140 days. Two weeks later, on 18 January, he delivered a stellar performance in another Coupe de France match against Nantes, scoring two goals and assisting two others in a thrilling 4-3 victory, being involved in all four of Lyon's goals.
On 19 August 2020, Cherki made history again by becoming the youngest player ever to feature in a UEFA Champions League semi-final, appearing as a substitute against Bayern Munich. Lyon ultimately lost the match 3-0 to the eventual champions. Cherki scored his first Ligue 1 goal on 2 May 2021, securing a 3-2 victory for Lyon against Monaco with a late game-winning goal.
3. International career
Due to his parents' heritage, Mathis Cherki is eligible to represent both France and Algeria in international football. He has primarily represented France at various youth levels.
Cherki first played for the France national under-16 team in 2018, making two appearances in friendly matches against Denmark. He later progressed to the France national under-19 team in 2021, where he made one appearance, scoring two goals. Cherki also represented France at the 2024 Summer Olympics, where the team achieved a silver medal.
4. Playing style and characteristics
Mathis Cherki is primarily known for his versatility in attack, playing as an attacking midfielder or winger, and occasionally as a forward. Standing at 69 in (176 cm), he is predominantly left-footed, which complements his agile and creative style of play. Cherki is highly regarded for his exceptional technical attributes, including close ball control, dribbling ability, and vision to create scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates. His assessed talent and potential have positioned him as one of the most promising young players in French football.
5. Career statistics
This section details Mathis Cherki's appearances and goals for his club teams across various competitions, including league, domestic cups, and international club competitions.
5.1. Club
| Club | Season | League | Coupe de France | Coupe de la Ligue | Europe | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Lyon B | 2019-20 | Championnat National 2 | 10 | 5 | - | - | - | 10 | 5 | |||
| 2020-21 | Championnat National 2 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | 1 | 0 | ||||
| 2021-22 | Championnat National 2 | 2 | 0 | - | - | - | 2 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 13 | 5 | - | - | - | 13 | 5 | |||||
| Lyon | 2019-20 | Ligue 1 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 3 |
| 2020-21 | Ligue 1 | 27 | 1 | 3 | 3 | - | - | 30 | 4 | |||
| 2021-22 | Ligue 1 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 4 | 2 | 20 | 2 | ||
| 2022-23 | Ligue 1 | 34 | 4 | 5 | 1 | - | - | 39 | 5 | |||
| 2023-24 | Ligue 1 | 33 | 1 | 6 | 2 | - | - | 39 | 3 | |||
| 2024-25 | Ligue 1 | 19 | 5 | 2 | 0 | - | 8 | 2 | 29 | 7 | ||
| Total | 135 | 11 | 19 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 4 | 170 | 24 | ||
| Career total | 148 | 16 | 19 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 4 | 183 | 29 | ||
6. Honours
Mathis Rayan Cherki has earned several distinctions throughout his career with both his club and national teams.
Lyon
- Coupe de France runner-up: 2023-24
- Coupe de la Ligue runner-up: 2019-20
France U23
- Summer Olympics silver medal: 2024
Orders
- Knight of the National Order of Merit: 2024