Sunday October 26, at Roazhon Park, a glimmer of hope emerged in a context that had become stifling. While Stade Rennais collapsed against Nice (1-2) and the pressure intensified around the technical direction, someone had the audacity to score. Not a prestigious executive, not a sure bet in the Rennes project, but a young man of 19 years old. A weak signal, certainly, but in this tension-saturated environment, every spark counts.
Aït Boudlal, the unexpected glow of Rennes
Abdelhamid Aït Boudlal, this is the name of this Moroccan nugget who has just scored his first professional goal in the history of Stade Rennais. In the 67th minute, from a free kick, he headed in the opener for the Rouge et Noir. A technical gesture above his experienced comrades who had been struggling for weeks.
This event is not a coincidence. Trained for eight years at the prestigious Mohammed VI Academy in Morocco, Ait Boudlal embodies another generation of talents. The Guardian ranked him among the 60 greatest global prospects in 2023. He shares the same pedigree as Youssef En-Nesyri (Seville), Azzedine Ounahi (OM) or Nayef Aguerd (West Ham) – all from the same academy. Courted by Liverpool and other European giants, he chose Rennes for its expertise with young talents.
Aït Boudlal, 19 years old, already the symbol of a renewal in Rennes
A revelation that gives hope to the Rennes project
His journey is not without its rough edges. Sent off during his first official match against OM in August, returning from a training loan to Amiens, Ait Boudlal had to wait to find his place. This goal represents much more than just a goal — it is the validation of a development strategy in the face of the widespread doubt that invades the club.
While Habib Beye sees his credit eroding day after day and supporters express their discontent at Roazhon Park, the emergence of such a promise could relaunch the Rennes project on new bases. At 19, he reminds us that raw talent still exists in Rennes, even if the stars seem to have forgotten it.
