There are careers that are built in silence, far from the spotlight and set paths. That of Bertrand Fourrier belongs to this category. At 28, the French striker is having the best season of his career in Bulgaria, at Septemvri Sofia, with 10 goals in 18 matches, fourth top scorer in the championship. A late success, the fruit of years of doubts, struggles in French amateur football and above all of deep mental work.
Unsuccessful visits to Marseille and Nice
Born in Douala, Cameroon, Bertrand Fourrier left his bearings very early to try his luck in France. His career took him to prestigious training centers, first at OM before he was recruited by OGC Nice. A promising trajectory, which he speaks of with pride. “ For someone who didn’t grow up in France, it was a source of pride to be in this kind of training center, to play against the best players of your generation. “, he confides. But very quickly, the attacker realizes what he is still missing. “ I wasn’t ready for professional football yet. Mentally, I had a lot of stages to go through. »
Despite these high-level environments, Fourrier fails to reach the milestone. Today he analyzes this period with lucidity. “ It’s like I wanted to be pro, but I didn’t really know what that entailed. The slab you must have. The little extra thing to have confidence in myself. I lacked a lot of self-confidence “, he admits. Some of his generation already seem armed, as the latter confesses to us today: “ mentally, I wasn’t ready. People like Malang Sarr, although younger, knew exactly what they wanted to do. » He will have to take a longer path and leave the Nice training center after two seasons.
Years of struggle with an inner trigger
Then begins a long journey through French amateur football. Bertrand Fourrier continues his experiences in Martigues, Aubagne, Moulins-Yzeure, Puy Foot and even SC Toulon. Clubs, projects, but a persistent feeling of plateauing. “ I had given up on the N2, N1, Ligue 2, Ligue 1 route. In France, there are many profiles like me. I didn’t feel like I was going to explode like that. I needed something else “, he explains. Football remains his objective, but the horizon seems blocked in France.
However, a first major change is taking place in France for him. Paradoxically, it is during the COVID period that everything changes. The forced shutdown becomes a time for reflection and reconstruction. “ The COVID period has done me a lot of good. Mentally, I was able to build myself differently », says Fourrier. The change is not immediate, but it is profound. “ It didn’t materialize directly. I continued to work. » He then learns to train, live and think like a professional. To achieve this, he surrounds himself with professionals and leaves nothing to chance. Alongside his mental trainer, Stéphane Darmon, the striker explodes and finally becomes the player he dreamed of becoming.
Bulgaria as a land of rebirth
The opportunity to prove it then arrives from Bulgaria discreetly, “through the back door”. Head to Septemvri Sofia. “ With small means, I understood that it was my moment. I had to find my space to express myself. And I felt directly that I would have everything to succeed in Bulgaria “, he explains. In a championship that he considers observed and rich in individualities, Fourrier flourishes fully. “ Everything depends on confidence for an attacker. They trust me, I put things in place. The results follow and I am very happy “. The numbers speak for him: 10 goals in 18 matches, fourth top scorer in the championship, at 28 years old.
Installed in Sofia with his partner, Fourrier discovers a living environment that he never imagined. “ It’s a European capital, I don’t want for anything. There were already four French people, so you’re doing well », he smiles. Sportingly, the future remains open in a club with a sales policy. But an ambition is now clearly asserted. “ Playing for Cameroon? It was a dream a few years ago, it’s now a goal “, he says. After years of patience and doubts, Bertrand Fourrier is now moving forward with one certainty: he has finally found his way. A return to France is possible for the 28-year-old striker who is being closely observed by many clubs according to our information.
Pub. the
– UPDATE
