Leny Yoro’s football career took a significant turn when he had to fill in for Baptiste Rolland, a centre-back who was sent off in the 79th minute of a match between Lille Under-19s and Sevilla in the UEFA Youth League on October 20, 2021. Yoro, then 15, moved from midfield to defence for the remaining minutes of the game, marking his first appearance for Lille’s U-19s. His impressive performance made clubs such as Liverpool and Monaco take notice of his potential. He was subsequently invited to train with Lille’s first team. Yoro, who grew up playing football in a Parisian suburb, had joined Lille in 2017 from local side Villeneuve-d’Ascq.
Yoro had joined Villeneuve d’Ascq, or VAM, shortly after moving to Lille from Bormes-les-Mimosas on France’s south coast with his mother and siblings, following his parents’ separation. “The club is located in a working-class neighbourhood,” recalls Aboubacar Sankhare, the club’s former general manager. Even from a young age, Yoro had demonstrated quick adaptability and maturity. Following VAM’s financial troubles and eventual dissolution, Yoro and his brothers joined professional clubs, words of his talent rapidly spread. However, it was at Lille that he began to play as a defender.
Yoro trained at Lille under Olivier Szkwarok. Despite initially lacking speed, Szkwarok recounts Yoro’s laudable technique and potential. But, Yoro faced obstacles. After a growth spurt, he continually suffered minor injuries. After altering his training regimen, he started to fully participate and excelled in all games. As he had not been a particularly speedy player in his early years, this period helped him develop his ability to read the game — a skill typically possessed by experienced players.
Yoro’s big break came in 2021 when he was moved to centre-back during Lille’s match against Sevilla in the Youth League, replacing the dismissed Baptiste Rolland; a catapult to his progress. In May 2022, at only 16 years of age, he debuted for Lille’s first team, surpassing Eden Hazard as the club’s youngest player. This debut led to an invitation to start the summer 2022 pre-season training with Lille’s first team under its new manager, Paulo Fonseca. Within two days, Fonseca had seen enough to predict that Yoro would excel.
However, his early foray into the professional game was not entirely smooth. His full professional debut resulted in a Toulouse goal due to a negligent pass from Yoro. Despite hurdles and initial mistakes, Paulo Fonseca’s assistant, Tiago Leal, remarked that Yoro’s maturity, focus, and consistent improvement were commendable. Yoro and Fonseca set a clear course for his development, understanding initial mistakes were a part of his journey.
In his second professional season, Yoro demonstrated a marked improvement. He went on to start 30 league matches under Leal’s and Fonseca’s guidance. He was eventually included in the Ligue 1 team of the season, and scouts identified him as one of the most promising centre-backs in Europe. This earned him a move to Manchester United for a record sum for a player aged 18 or younger, potentially reaching £59m. With Yoro’s demonstrated ability to adapt swiftly to new challenges, Leal foresees another successful phase for Yoro in the English Premier League, provided he gets the right environment at Manchester United.
