Enzo Molebe, ready to roar
Regarded as one of the most promising French talents of his generation, the striker, on loan from OL, arrives in the Hérault region with humility, ambition and a desire to gain experience whilst helping his new team.
This winter, he joined the ranks of the many players (22 in total) who have worn the shirts of both MHSC and Olympique Lyonnais, the club to which he belongs and which has loaned him to the Pailladins until next June. From Fleury Di Nallo to Rémi Vercoutre, via Jean-Marc Valadier, Henri Bedimo and Anthony Mounier, the list is long and prestigious, not to mention Robert Nouzaret and Laurent Blanc, who have both sat on the Rhône-based side’s bench. Yet it was another player who surprised Enzo Molebe. “The other day, when I looked up after lacing my boots, I saw a photo of Daniel Congré – it felt a bit strange,” smiles the new Montpellier striker. “So I did some digging and found out he’d played here for a long time. I’ll have to give him a call. ”
Whilst we wish Enzo the same success as the former MHSC player and current sporting coordinator at OL (325 appearances for us), the context will inevitably be different. Firstly, because this is only a six-month loan, and secondly because Enzo Molebe far prefers to torment opposing defences than to shore up his own.
My formative years in Lyon were incredible
On the lookout for another attacking midfielder and, having gained a deep understanding of the market for high-potential young players during his time with PSG’s U19s, Montpellier coach Zoumana Camara had long since ticked Enzo’s name off the list of players he’d like to manage – players who were likely to add something extra to MHSC thanks to his pace, dribbling ability and a goal-scoring instinct already highly developed for his age.
It must be said that the young man is one of the most promising players of his generation. Born in Evry-Courcouronnes, in the Essonne department (like a certain Elye Wahi), Enzo Molebe cut his teeth at RC Arpajonais, then in the youth teams of Paris FC, before spending a few months at ACBB during the season cut short by the Covid crisis. Always on the lookout for the talent that abounds in the Île-de-France region, Olympique Lyonnais seized the opportunity and signed this forward—who can play on the wing or in the centre—at the age of 13, without him having to go through Clairefontaine. “Those formative years in Lyon were incredible,” says our interviewee. “I had top coaches who helped me improve year after year.”
At OL, Enzo Molebe has excelled in every youth age group, whilst also being selected for all the French youth teams, in a 2007 cohort that nevertheless includes highly promising players such as Quentin Ndjantou (PSG), Robinho Vaz (formerly of Marseille, now at Roma), Daryl Bakola (formerly of Marseille, transferred to Sassuolo this winter) and his teammate from the OL Academy, Khalis Merah. “We grew up together with Khalis,” says Enzo Molebe. ‘I was a bit faster than him at the start, but now he’s the one in the lead. Kalys is like a brother to me.’
As we were leading 4–0 away from home at that point (the final score was 4–1, on 28 November 2024, Ed.), I thought it would be relatively easy, but I soon realised it wasn’t. I certainly did run my legs off that day!
A little sooner, in fact, as the new Pailladin made his professional debut during the 2023–24 season; Pierre Sage even gave him his first minutes on the professional team during Lyon’s victory at Qarabağ in the Europa League; a moment that was, of course, quite special: “I was 16 at the time. I’d been in quite a few bands, but never made it through, so when they sent me out to warm up, I thought to myself: “Be realistic, you’re not going to come on. That’s just how it is; that’s the pecking order. There are players ahead of you,” but when the coaching staff signalled for me to come on, the pressure suddenly mounted,” recalls Enzo. “As we were winning 4-0 away at that point (4-1 in the end, on 28 November 2024, Ed.), I thought it would be relatively easy, but I soon realised it wasn’t. I really had to run my legs off that day! That’s when I realised what sets top-level youth teams apart. ” Since then, over the last 18 months, whilst his mate Khalis Merah has been getting more playing time under Paulo Fonseca, Enzo Molebe has seen his own dwindle away under the Portuguese manager: “Honestly, it was tough,” admits the 18-year-old. “When you train every day and you know you’re not going to play, you start to question yourself and wonder if you’re really up to the standard. I started playing for the reserve team – something I’d never done before – but my performances weren’t good because my confidence had taken a knock. It was tough, but I was able to count on my family and friends, who were there for me.”
In Montpellier, I’ve met some great people, both on and off the pitch, such as Alexandre Mendy and Téji Savanier, to name but a few. I’ve only been here for four weeks, but it already feels like I’ve been here much longer. My new teammates have made me feel very welcome and they’re brilliant to me.
Consequently, the loan deal—designed to give him more playing time—seemed the most beneficial solution for both parties, and Enzo Molebe joined MHSC with renewed determination: “I didn’t really know the team, but I didn’t hesitate for a single second, and I can assure you that I haven’t regretted my decision for a moment,” says Enzo. “In Montpellier, I’ve met some great people, both on and off the pitch, like Alexandre Mendy and Téji Savanier, to name but a few. I’ve only been here for four weeks, but it already feels like I’ve been here much longer. My new teammates have made me feel really welcome and they’re brilliant with me. When I make a mistake, they encourage me; they tell me to keep going, to persevere, that it’ll all work out… Honestly, they’re great people.”
For their part, MHSC – and particularly their manager, who has been keen for many weeks to bring in a player of Tanguy Coulibaly’s calibre following his move to Turkey – are delighted to welcome him and to secure one of the most promising French talents of his generation in his position, a player capable of bringing pace and playing both on the wing and in central midfield. “I’ll never say no because, no matter where I’m put, I’ll give my all, but I like playing in the centre, or on the left wing, on my weaker foot, so I can cut inside or stay on the touchline to cross with my left foot,” explains Enzo Molebe when describing his playing style. “I also really enjoy playing in the centre with a second striker. Alexandre Mendy does a brilliant job in that role. He’s not the sort of striker you’ll see dribbling, but he really plays for the team. It’s never easy to hold up the ball with your back to goal, but he does it extremely well, whilst also being very clinical in front of goal. Playing up front with him, moving around him and making runs into space could be really nice, because holding up the ball with my back to goal is more difficult for me.” A remark full of clarity and humility that leads us to discuss the areas for improvement for our new recruit: “I need to slow down a bit and learn to make the right choices at the right time,” he says. “I also need to improve my stamina and cardio.” A surprising admission that the young man explains openly and with a sincerity that does him credit: “I was almost always playing against older lads and I relied heavily on my technical ability and power, because I think I was better in those areas at the time and I was bigger and stronger than the others, which sometimes made things easier,” he explains. And when asked if it was a mistake to always be playing against older opponents, he doesn’t want to go that far. “I’m not going to say it was a mistake, but it was a step, and, again, that’s just my view. I think I could have taken things a bit slower, because I really skipped all the stages. When I went straight from the U19s to the first team, without going through the reserves, it was a shock because I didn’t know what it was like to play against adults… and that’s what I need to learn now, even though I’ve made a few appearances in the National 3 with OL since the start of the season.”
His introduction to ‘top-flight football’ began with his first appearance for the MHSC first team at Geoffroy-Guichard – a nice nod for a player who came through the ranks at Lyon – before continuing with the visits from Le Mans and then Reims. “My initial impressions are good; I’m feeling better and better, but I realise I still need a bit more time to feel at my best,” he admits. “Even though, just before I arrived, I was racking up matches and goals with OL’s second team, I can tell that in Ligue 2, the intensity isn’t quite the same. Even though I’ve played very little in Ligue 1, I can tell that Ligue 2 is a different league, where you have to think fast and play fast if you want to avoid getting knocked about.” He continues: “You have less time to make your decision.”
To be honest, the standard has taken me by surprise. When you leave Lyon, you might think it’s going to be a bit easier, but it’s actually not at all. On top of that, there’s the physical aspect, as I mentioned earlier, but we’ve been working hard with the fitness coaches since I arrived here to get me ready as quickly as possible. I’m doing extra work, running, cycling, and they tell me to put in a lot of intensity, even during the small-sided games in training, and I hope all of this will eventually pay off.”
I’m doing extra work, running errands, cycling, and they tell me to really push myself, even during the small-sided games in training, and I hope it all pays off in the end
f that is the case, Enzo Molebne should continue to get more and more playing time in upcoming matches, starting with the away game at Nancy this Friday (8pm, Matchday 26 of the league). A strong finish to the season would allow him to continue his development at the highest level and put himself in contention for a place in the France U19 squad for the European Championship, the finals of which are scheduled to take place from 28 June to 11 July in Wales. “That’s one of my goals, along with getting more playing time and gaining experience by playing against adults here in Montpellier. I’ll say it again, I’m delighted to be here. For me, even though they were relegated to Ligue 2 last spring, MHSC remains a Ligue 1 club, with a good manager, excellent facilities and a great project. Admittedly, our recent results have been a bit inconsistent, but I love the intensity and the attitude of my new teammates. They’re real hard workers.”
A bit of a homebody off the pitch, who enjoys playing on his PlayStation but above all spending time with his family, girlfriend and friends – “At certain times in my life, if I hadn’t had them by my side, things would have been difficult,” he admits – Enzo Molebe is, in any case, very happy to be embarking on his new adventure in Montpellier: “I’d like to thank the club, the coach, the staff and my teammates for the trust they’ve placed in me by allowing me to join MHSC this winter. As I said earlier, I’ve only been here a short while, but it feels like much longer,” he says, before sending a message to the Pailladins supporters: “Discovering the Stade de La Mosson took me by surprise. From the bench, you think it’s normal, but the more time passes, the more you see that the atmosphere is electric and that the fans are right behind their team. So, you don’t want to let them down,” he adds before concluding:
I’m delighted to be here. As far as I’m concerned, even though they were relegated to Ligue 2 last spring, MHSC is still a Ligue 1 club, with a good manager, excellent facilities and a brilliant project
“I’m asking the fans for a little patience, but I’m going to fight for this team and, I hope, give my all and make people happy. I want to score, to show the fans, my teammates and the club’s management that I haven’t come here for nothing. As a team, I’m convinced this squad has the potential to reach the play-offs, and I hope we can achieve that together. ” That would undoubtedly be the best way to prove that Enzo Molebe’s loan move to MHSC is a win-win deal.
