“Center from Matthieu Udol, head from Odsonne Édouard… Center from Matthieu Udol, head from Odsonne Édouard.» This is undoubtedly the essential refrain of this end of the year 2025 in Ligue 1. The connection works so well that it has propelled Matthieu Udol to the forefront, to the point of seeing his FUT card boosted on the famous EA SPORTS game FC26. On his left lane, the former Messin, recruited for €3.5 million last summer after an excellent season with the Lorraine club, is no longer content to play fair: he dominates and does very badly. Author of three assists in his last two matches (and 5 in his last 6 in L1), the Lensois full-back, currently 2nd best passer in the championship, seems to have reached the full potential of his abilities at 29 years old. But if observers praise his left paw, it is another facet of the player, much more impressive, which is revealed internally.
Adrien Thomasson: “we call him the animal, because he does damage”
To understand the depth that the player has gained, you have to listen to those who deal with him on a daily basis. Contacted by us, Adrien Thomasson, captain and manager of the Sang et Or locker room, gave us an interesting testimony. Far from the image of the fragile player from his beginnings (marked by 4 cruciate ligament ruptures), Udol is in reality a war machine who played all the Sang et Or championship matches as a starter (1430 minutes played out of 1440 possible). “It’s impressive“, Thomasson tells us, emphasizing the full-back’s impeccable state of mind. “From the first day, I discovered someone very committed. Whether before, during or after training, it is always at 120%. Before training, he has a routine where he rides a bike, does a lot of core training, and does weight training. During the session, he is at full strength, from the warm-up until the final game. And afterward, he puts in more work: cycling, upper and lower body weight training…»
Impressive physically, he is also a key element of the locker room according to the number 28 of RC Lens. “He’s an example, he’s a locomotive, I would say, for all the other players, young or old, because the guy doesn’t give up. And on top of that, to make him cut a little bit, to make him breathe, I know it’s always a little complicated, because he can always be in training.» A rigor and a power which earned him quite a nickname in the privacy of the locker room, reveals the Lensois captain: “it truly is a physical beast. Sometimes among us, we call him the animal, because in his corridor, he causes damage. He hurts, he has bulging muscles in duels.» A visual impression confirmed by an image that has gone viral: the photo taken by Séverine Courbe (La Voix du Nord) during the Angers-Lens match. The photo, widely commented on social networks, was so impressed by the player’s muscular definition that some believed it was a montage. However, it illustrates pure reality.
Pierre Sage: “He sends messages to a lot of people”
This physical dimension, coupled with a rare intelligence of the game, obviously did not escape his coach. After the convincing victory against Nice (2-0), Pierre Sage was keen to praise the performance of his colt, while emphasizing his tactical autonomy. “The players have qualities, are great professionals and are capable of expressing things without the staff intervening. There are playing opportunities that they seize», Analyzed the Lensois technician, before slipping in a sentence loaded with meaning on the international future of his player: “we didn’t do anything specific with Matthieu Udol (…): he’s just a good player and he sends messages to a lot of people.»
The main person concerned keeps a cool head. Interviewed at the microphone of League 1 +Matthieu Udol used humor and caution in the face of the growing blue rumor: “it’s the holiday season, we need to give some gifts”he smiled in reference to his assists. “There’s a lot of talk about it at the moment (editor’s note: the French team), but I’m focused on what I’m doing with Lens. We have to continue like this to be able to think about this summer later.”
A boulevard opens in the left lane in the French team
This caution is to his credit, but the reality on the ground is stubborn: this rise in power comes at the right time for Didier Deschamps a few months before the 2026 World Cup. The left-back position remains one of the most unstable areas of the French team. Apart from Lucas Digne who has become unstoppable again thanks to his defensive reliability, the competition is slipping. France suffers from a chronic shortage of real specialists, often forcing the coach to tinker with shifted centrals or converted midfielders. Especially since the status of the other usual holder, Théo Hernandez, has crumbled. The former Milanese, who has been playing for several months in Saudi Arabia with Al-Hilal, is increasingly criticized for his defensive shortcomings and declining performance.
Image generation in progress
In this desert of certainties, the profile of Matthieu Udol, pure left-handed, physical “animal”, experienced in tactical demands and unwavering regularity since the start of the season, appears as a welcome anomaly. If sporting logic is respected, its regularity makes it today the most credible candidate to shake up a hierarchy that is more fragile than ever.
