Trained in the Paris region, he kicked his first balls at the age of 4 with his club Blanc-Mesnil. He discovered goalkeeping at the age of ten, and very quickly realised the responsibility of the position, with growing pleasure and ambition. In 2020, he joined the INF Clairefontaine pre-training academy for two seasons alongside Christian Bassila and Franck Raviot. The Red and Black adventure began in 2022. An all-round player with an imposing frame at just over 94 metres tall, Ayoub has a presence on the line, is strong in the air and precise on his feet. He has won 5 caps for the French U16, U17 and U18 teams.
By signing his first professional contract with Stade Rennais F.C., the man who has Manuel Neuer as his ultimate reference will continue his progress on the banks of the Vilaine.
Ayoub Akabou :
« It's a very special day for my family, my loved ones and me. It's only a stage, but it's one that had to be taken. It's a marathon, you have to climb the steps little by little, not rush into anything and do everything you can to get there. It's a lot of years of hard work and dedication, and it's an honour to sign my first contract at Rennes. I'm in a job that's very tough in terms of the work you have to do, you always have to do more than the others. My father always told me: ‘Whether it's football or everyday life, the key is hard work’. I'm very well surrounded, both at the Academy and when I train with the pros. Steve Mandanda is a very good person, he gives us a lot of advice on his ability to read situations, and we benefit from his experience. I try to take as much as I can. It's a pleasure to play for SRFC, and I'd like to thank everyone who helps me to progress on a daily basis. »
Denis Arnaud, Directeur de l'Académie :
« We know that we have the capacity to develop good outfield players. We have developed the project to train goalkeepers with high potential for Stade Rennais. We're proud to be able to put into practice the work of our coaches and recruiters. As we said about the other players who signed recently, this is just a first step. There's a long way to go, and I'd say it's even longer for the goalkeepers. A player can play in several positions, but a goalkeeper cannot. We'll need to be patient, but they have some great qualities. We're going to continue to work hard with them to get them to the pros and to Roazhon Park. He's a boy who's matured mentally, and he's got very good footwork, which is essential in top-level football today if you want to get back into the game. He is decisive and still needs to become more reliable and professional, but in any case he has the mentality of a competitor. These are the foundations on which we need to continue to build. »
