Gady Beyuku’s journey has taken him from local fields to the spotlight of the French national team. Last month, the Clichy native received an unexpected call-up for the U20 World Cup in Chile. It took 48 club rejections for Bernard Diomède to introduce the Modena defender, a standout revelation of the tournament, who had long been overlooked by French training centers.
“I tried many clubs in France during my U18 year at Versailles (2022/2023). I was rejected by Sochaux, Auxerre, Reims, Troyes, Paris FC, Bastia… After each rejection, I wondered what I needed to do. Did I need to be Messi?” reflects the 19-year-old right-back, now represented by MYG INVEST, which also manages the interests of French U21 international Nathan Zézé and promising Junior Diaz. Back then, his situation didn’t seem ripe for attracting a renowned agency. Filled with doubt, he watched friends join clubs like Lens, Lille, or Paris FC without similar luck.
Documentary Changed His Life
However, a turning point came when he watched Nicolas Anelka’s Netflix documentary. “I often told my dad I wanted to go pro, but I spent a lot of time focusing on others. One day, he said: ‘That’s great for your friends, but when will we talk about you?’ That made me think. The documentary was a wake-up call. It changed my mentality when Anelka claimed he was the best. Even if someone was better, he refused to admit it out of pride.” His father, his first supporter, adds emotionally: “At 13, a coach told him, ‘go be an assistant referee, you’ll end up as one someday’. His whole team mocked him. He didn’t stand out back then, but I watched him grow through challenges, sometimes facing humiliations.”
Today, it’s his character, more than his talent, that opens new doors. “People see me as crazy. Sometimes, they ask: ‘if you face this player, what will you do?’ I tell them I will shut him down. They also say, ‘won’t it be too tough in the national team since the players are in Ligue 1?’ I respond that I will show them I belong here.” He proved that to his coach, Bernard Diomède, who quickly recognized his potential. The 1998 World Cup champion values form over CVs, quickly making him an essential part of the team. In fact, only Elyaz Zidane played more minutes than him at the U20 World Cup this month (616 minutes compared to 646).
No One Knew Him
“I didn’t follow the same path as the players in the selection. Some play for PSG or OM… I kind of did a ‘heist’, or ‘broke the system’ as they humorously say. When others asked where I trained, I replied, ‘nowhere’. That’s why they didn’t know me.” In the Paris region, players identified from a young age usually know each other well, linked to their local clubs. “I wasn’t strong. I played at lower levels, was even a substitute in local leagues, and no one knew who I was. In U11/U12, I was even called ‘supersub’,” he recalls, despite eventually reaching the 4th round of the Clairefontaine INF competition—another surprising success.
“In my group of 9, I was the ninth pick. Some had signed with Paris FC, Caen, or Lens. To me, INF was my only chance because I was just a substitute at my club.” He is the only one from that group to go professional so far. His father notes that his success is a testament to his dedication. “We spent about €30,000 on his sports study program over three years. Even after the rejected trials, he always said he would turn pro. He got his chance.” He felt indebted to his parents, who sacrificed a lot for his education. His daily routine revealed his ambitions: “I was on a mission for them; they tightened their belts to pay for my sports studies. I’d wake up at 4:45 AM, run for an hour, hit the gym at 6 AM for strength training, attend school from 7 AM to 2 PM, and then train at FC93 in the evening.”
Third Top Scorer in U19 Nationals… Playing as a Fullback
This past U19 Nationals season saw him affirm his place as captain, scoring six goals and confirming his talent, highlighted by a standout match at 17 years old in N1. “That year in U18 R1, I couldn’t complete my BAC because of ongoing trials at clubs. When all the tests came, I could pretty much choose where to go. I thought I’d land at a pro club but was disappointed. Meanwhile, Versailles offered me a spot in Senior R2… It reminded me of when Joinville rejected me in U16, saying I wasn’t talented enough. Luckily, I bounced back at Bobigny after Versailles.”
His impressive performances, especially against training centers (Strasbourg, Sochaux, Valenciennes, Paris FC, Auxerre, among others), caught the attention of foreign scouts. He became the third top scorer in U19 Nationals… while playing as a fullback (six goals). In January 2024, he received a call from Triestina, a Serie C Italian club. “To this day, I still don’t know how Italian clubs noticed me. I also had unsuccessful trials with SPAL and Genoa. Triestina felt like my ‘last chance’,” he notes. Not willing to let it slip away, he quickly outgrew the reserve team, then playing in D6, and established himself as a starter in Serie C, helping his team finish second after starting sixth, missing promotion in the playoffs. This setback opened new doors: “I had the game of my life that day, and that’s when Modena’s sporting director, Alessandro Consolati, spotted me and signed me in July 2024.”
Interest from Lorient and Juventus
Just two years ago, his dreams seemed distant, but now they are materializing: walking the Serie A pitches. After 10 games, his club is at the top of Serie B, ahead of Monza. “Italy feels like my second home today. At Modena, I have a very French-speaking environment with Grégoire Defrel (formerly of Sassuolo and Roma), who I consider a big brother, along with Yanis Massolin, who played in L1 with Clermont, and Steven Nador, trained at Lille. I enjoy it here, but I’m working hard to get picked up by a big club one day. Why not aim for something even more prestigious?” Modena is not looking to sell him on the cheap. A year after acquiring him for free, the club hopes for a sale between €3 and €5 million. Ali Khaldi, the scouting director for MYG INVEST, elaborates on the player: “He has the qualities of a modern fullback, including speed, power, and dribbling ability. Defensively, he is reliable, and his experience in Italy has been valuable. His main area for improvement is managing his physical efforts over 90 minutes.”
According to our sources, his profile has recently attracted interest from Juventus, Stuttgart, Basel, Salzburg, and Lorient, who have observed him multiple times. A return to France could boost his visibility, especially with his dream to someday represent the national team. “That is my primary goal. I’m too old for U20 now, so if I must go through the U21s first, I’ll do whatever it takes. I’ve tasted selection and don’t want to leave it,” he admits. However, he’s learned through experience that being called up also means facing scrutiny, like when he missed a penalty against Morocco in the U20 World Cup semi-finals. “Some messages and mockery hurt; it’s human. It’s unfortunate because I scored all my penalties in training, which is why the coach chose me for the second one. I even scored the next day… just missed the wrong one.” He may have missed a penalty, but he hasn’t lost his determination to rise again—an essence that defines his journey.
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