Sabbi, his work – France – Le Havre AC

You don’t need to be called Xavier Gravelaine or Kevin-Prince Boateng to be a fan of traveling. You can in fact have only played three clubs in your career, but have traveled almost everywhere and at only 26 years old. This is the case of Emmanuel Sabbi, striker from Le Havre, of whom he is incidentally the second top scorer in this season of return to Ligue 1 (5 goals). A few pawns registered against Lyon or Nice – with a missile in the skylight – celebrated by two somersaults in homage to Nani. Honorable figures for a first experience in one of the major European championships, but above all the sign of a career finally launched after a slow blossoming.

Blurring the tracks on the pitch as in life

“ It’s quite mild in Le Havre. The sea is calm and dark, it’s relaxing. » In a good mood after training, Emmanuel Sabbi sums up his new life in Seine-Maritime quite well, having moved there last summer from Odense in Denmark. The following weekend, the American extended this good mood by participating in the precious success of Le Havre against Strasbourg (3-1). A victory obtained in front of a packed Océane stadium and in style, since the HAC then distanced itself from the red zone. In this race to maintain, Sabbi says this: “ ready to grit your teeth »even if it means “ playing against the odds and sacrificing yourself for the team. » This speech full of goodwill is therefore that of a player with a particular profile, originally a winger, but often at the conclusion in the box. “ He’s a player who moves really well on the attacking front, so it’s also easier to be able to play, combine and move forward alongside a player of this quality »analyzes Mohamed Bayo, attacking partner, joined by his trainer Luka Elsner: “ Emmanuel has rare versatility. He is a player who can start on the wing, then quickly come to support his striker. Just as he can also step back to help the bloc collectively. »

This tactical sketch therefore has enough to sow discord among any defense. This is good, since its trajectory is also difficult to follow. To find the beginnings of this, we must not turn our heads towards the United States, but towards the other country of pizza, Italy. “ I was born in Vicenza, in the north of the country, details the person concerned. And I grew up in a small village called Schio. It really is the Italian village you imagine, with cobbled streets, the mountain in the background, and a large square that looks like it was built expressly for playing football. » The youngest of five children (three older brothers, one older sister), Emmanuel therefore kicks his first balls on the oratorio, under the impetus of this Italian culture and the Ghanaian origins of his parents: “ My father played at semi-pro level in Ghana, so for him football was an integral part of life. This is how he transmitted the virus to one of my older brothers, who also had a small amateur career in Italy. Then it was my turn. » There dolce vita However, it will only last as long as it is carefree. In 2002, “Manu” was 5 years old and moved to the USA. This first uprooting, dictated by family obligations, will therefore forge the kid’s future career, always on the move.

American Boy

From Venetian calm, the Sabbi family moves into American frenzy. Specifically in Columbus, Ohio. “ I really felt the change, even at 5 years old. In the United States, schools are big, businesses are big, people are big. You move from your comfort zone in Italy to an accelerated pace of life. Especially since it took me a while to speak English. At home, I spoke Italian and especially Twi (pronounced ‘tshi’)one of the Ghanaian dialects. » Integration then takes place via football and Blast FC, both to learn the language and to pass the time. At home, the big brothers and the big sister are busy with studies, while the dad goes to work. Emmanuel says: “ It’s simple, I didn’t see my father for a full day. He always had two or three jobs at the same time. For him, it was essential that we lack nothing, so he sacrificed himself… He was a trader, a worker, and did handling. » Taking refuge in football, the teenager progressed, joining Ohio Premier – one of the major structures in the state – before making a name for himself on a National scale. Winner of the USYS National Championships (United States U17 championship) in 2014 in Maryland, he was also crowned top scorer and MVP there.

More than enough to attract the attention of the Chicago Magic training center, his last step before the professional world. “ I was 16 at the time, and my parents didn’t want to let me go to Chicago on my own. Because the city is considered dangeroushe specifies. It was ultimately one of my sisters-in-law who was able to convince them. » The Chicago experience went wonderfully, allowing Manu to accumulate his first caps in the youth categories of the USA (U18 and U20) and to obtain, at the age of 18, a scholarship for the university of Akron. A dilemma, since at the same time, scouts from Las Palmas who came to tour across the Atlantic are committed to signing the winger in Spain. “ I had the choice between college or signing pro in Spain. I chose the second option. When I told my dad I wasn’t going to go to college, he almost fell over. » Landed on the Canary Islands with his only letter of parental authorization for company and housed with “ a Spaniard and a Venezuelan » forcing him to quickly learn the language of Cervantes, Emmanuel Sabbi finally gets a taste of the professional world. But unlike Chicago, the adventure turns sour.

The power of the port of Le Havre

If, on the pitch, everything goes as planned – with training alongside Kevin-Prince Boateng or Jesé – outside, the administration deprives him of all pleasure, the fault of a work permit refused by the embassy American. Like a breath of fresh air, his call-up for the Under-20 World Cup in the summer of 2017 allows him to avoid going under the radar of potential recruiters. Paper problems forcing him to leave Spain, the exit door opens in Denmark. “ My former agent had a contact in the USA, specializing in the Scandinavian championships. So he suggested that I spend a trial week at Hobro, a small Danish D1 club, which obviously no one has ever heard of. I accepted, on the sole condition that at the end of this trial, I sign my first professional contract. » This was done seven days after his arrival in the north of the country, where he discovered the harshness of the defenders and the icy wind. “ Hobro was ideal for a first professional adventure. Because there wasn’t much to do outside, I only saw my family twice a year and we struggled to keep up. So that pushed me to stay focused. » The relegation life lasts three years, before Hobro goes down to D2. Not for Manu, who remained in the elite.

The summer period of 2021 is in fact that of a transfer to Odense, the third Danish club behind FC Copenhagen and Brøndby. Sabbi savors: “ It was strange to enter a “comfortable” moment after these messy years. In Odense, I lived to the rhythm of a big club, with great infrastructure, a race for Europe, and the discovery of pressure. » The discovery of the A selection, too, with a cape obtained on January 29, 2023 during a friendly against Colombia. This positive combination certainly appealed to the leaders of Le Havre when it came time to complete its signing. Not really expected upon his arrival, Emmanuel Sabbi can therefore legitimately enjoy his life as an experienced player. “ Joining a major European championship was a goal, it is now achieved with my arrival in Ligue 1. Barely two years ago, I was watching Ousmane Dembélé on television, and today I am playing against him, that’s it. is to tell you the outcome. So I’m enjoying the moment. I want to stabilize Le Havre in Ligue 1, and why not think bigger, by becoming a regular member of the national team. » New big bet.