At 23, Thierno Barry is making a name for himself on the other side of the Channel. The French striker from Everton stood out again on Sunday, during the draw against Hull City (2-2), by scoring a goal in the 68th minute which allowed the Toffees to take the advantage. Served after an interception by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, the 1m95 player finished his action perfectly to sign his sixth achievement of the season in eight appearances in all competitions. With three goals in the Premier League and a hat-trick in the League Cup against Preston (0-4), the Lyonnais has already almost made up for his record from the previous year, which ended with eight goals. Everton, undefeated in the league and fifth in the standings after six days, can count on their center forward, despite a lack of efficiency which still resulted in a few missed opportunities against Hull.
To understand this rise in power, we must return to a path that is far from linear. Passed by Toulon, Thierno Barry joined Sochaux in 2021, but never managed to join the first team and played with the reserve. While he could have gotten bogged down, he took charge of Belgium and SK Beveren in the summer of 2022. This is where he really exploded: 20 goals and 5 assists in 33 matches, in all competitions, allowed him to reveal himself and land a new opportunity. FC Basel then opened its doors to him in 2023. In Switzerland, he confirmed his potential with 12 goals during his first season in all competitions, before a more mixed second year. He finally joined Villarreal in the summer of 2024 and discovered La Liga, where he scored 11 goals in the league, before finally discovering the Premier League and Everton. From the Sochaux reserve to the English elite, his rise was built step by step, without taking the most traditional route…
A winding journey
But behind the center forward’s statistics, there is above all a story of perseverance. In a video published on YouTube by content creator Just Riadh, the international hopeful looked back on his beginnings, marked by several position changes. “When I was little, I told my coach that I wanted to be a striker, he told me: “All young people want to be a striker, you are going to be a defender.” Despite everything, I finished top scorer in my category in U11. Then, I played right side and left side in U16. Then, when I arrived at Toulon, I said I was number 10: they left me in midfield, but I dribbled too much… So, I started playing on the side and in front. And there was an agent who came to look and he said to me: “Your profile could interest a club, but have you ever played as a striker in your life?” I answered yes. And after that, it was Sochaux. » A revealing anecdote from a journey where he had to adapt before finding his place in front of goal.
His character also began to be noticed in England. Against Hull, Barry celebrated his goal with a “dab”, a gesture popularized in French football by Paul Pogba. The former midfielder also reacted to the Frenchman’s publication. On the pitch, his association with Jack Grealish, Brennan Johnson and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall contributes to Everton’s ambitions. The latter, decisive passer on Barry’s goal, summed up their relationship with humor at the microphone of Sky Sports : “we have a love-hate relationship because I expect so much from him!” » A sentence which echoes the opportunities missed by the attacker before finding the flaw. Barry also displays an assertive temperament, as summarized in this statement: “I never know who we’re playing in advance. I don’t look at the calendar, I don’t care. »
A CR7 mentality
This frankness is found when asked about the current great figures of football. Regarding Kylian MbappĂ©’s candidacy for the Ballon d’Or, Barry did not hide his support for the French striker: “MbappĂ©: top scorer in the World Cup, La Liga, Champions League… in the same year! But has it ever happened? Tell me where has this happened before. (…) In truth, for me, everyone has a chance to win. (…) It’s a Ballon d’Or that I love, because everyone has a chance. » An assumed position, like a player who does not seek to smooth over his opinions. In the same interview with Just Riadh, he also recounted his admiration for Lamine Yamal: “the best I’ve faced?” Lamine Yamal, without hesitation… On the first leg and on the return leg, I started both matches on the bench (with Villarreal). He really impressed us with what he was able to do on the field. As soon as he touched the ball, the fans stood up from their seats. He was simply exceptional. And what’s more, he’s still very young… For me, it’s clearly him. »
Finally, Barry assumes a clear preference when it comes to choosing between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. The French recognize themselves more in Portuguese, particularly for its relationship to work: “I think I’m more pro CR7. (…) I am in the same matrix as him. I refer more to a player like him because it’s the work that gets done. But he still has talent. No matter how much you work, I know lots of brothers who have worked, it doesn’t work. » A vision that sticks to his own journey: that of an attacker who was not propelled to the forefront very early on, who had to reinvent himself and who is now moving forward with ambition. At 23, Thierno Barry still has a lot to prove, but his start to the season in the Premier League offers him an opportunity to establish himself permanently among the attackers to watch in the Premier League.
