PROFILE | Irreplaceable Laurent Abergel is Lorient’s Mr Consistent

The last 18 months has seen Lorient’s midfield ball-winner and motor, Laurent Abergel, emerge as one of France’s leading exponents of his role as surprise package, FCL challenged for a European place for much of last season. In truth, however, Abergel’s quality is nothing new to Ligue 1 observers and he again is one of the more worthy but less famous names populating this year’s GFFN 100.

Now pushing 31, Abergel’s rise to Ligue 1 took longer than it should have. The Frenchman’s top-flight debut arrived as long ago as the 2013/14 campaign for Marseille, where the locally-born midfielder had emerged from the youth ranks. That two-minute cameo against Valenciennes nearly a decade ago was Abergel’s only top-flight action until 20/21, following Lorient’s promotion after the shortened covid-affected season.

Abergel had been forced down into Ligue 2 to make his way in the French game. Firstly with Ajaccio and then Nancy where he would become captain and often carry the struggling second-tier side who were flirting with relegation despite playing Ligue 1 football as recently as 2017. Being used all over the pitch at Nancy, Abergel stood out in both his tireless defensive work and playmaking from deep. Having struggled via 6th and 7th placed finishes since their relegation, Lorient snapped up one of the second tier’s standout players in 2019, winning the division in Abergel’s first season.

Having dominated Nancy games both in and out of possession, in Ligue 1 Abergel is a primarily scrappy hustler of a midfielder, covering significant ground in front of his defence to halt attacks and recycle the ball efficiently. While his team’s form has fluctuated over the last four seasons, Abergel’s hasn’t; always proving a committed,