It must have been hard to imagine a career at any of the other top-flight London clubs after Marcel Lavinier was released by Chelsea, spending his formative years at the team. A North London boy who spent twelve important years learning everything he knows with the Blues.

It all started at the age of three when Lavinier started playing football with his dad. Playing non-stop as a child, his passion for football expanded and at the age of seven he was picked up by Fulham. A year later he moved to Chelsea where he would play until he was 20. During his time at Chelsea, Lavinier spent the most part of his life surrounded by top footballing professionals “An elite academy with very high standards enabled me to develop into the player that I am today” says Lavinier, “I was really fortunate to be there from such a young age” he adds. It was his time playing with the u18’s that really stands out as a pivotal moment in his career – the squad went onto win the quadruple that year when they beat Manchester United in the national final. Playing alongside the likes of Callum Hudson-Odoi, Billy Gilmour and Tariq Lamptey, a team full of eye-watering potential.

Following the news of being released by Chelsea after playing for the under-23’s and understandably being disappointed, Lavinier didn’t let his feelings of dismay get the better of him. He turned a rejection into a successful redirection when he earned a contract at Tottenham after impressing managing staff on trial. 

A year on from when he joined Tottenham and after successful guidance from his peers and manager at the time, Jose Mourinho, Lavinier made his first-team debut in the Europa League as a substitute for Matt Doherty in a home win against Wolsberger AC, in the second leg of the round of 32 tie. 

Making appearances internationally at youth level for England and training with Portugal, it’s notable how unimaginably gifted Marcel Lavinier is. Making it to a professional level in any capacity is almost impossible in football, but when you’ve spent your career with two of the highest ranking Premier League teams, your natural ability is somewhat of a gift. 

A question that goes out to most footballers in the modern day – What music do you listen to? “On match days I listen to gospel music. I’m quite a religious person and it puts me in a relaxed state of mind”. A rare answer only given by someone as down to earth as Marcel Lavinier. When asked who inspires him the most he talks about how his family has continuously supported him throughout the years and have driven him to reach his full potential. 

Since one of his goals as a footballer is to make his family proud and that has already been achieved ten-fold, the next is to make his debut in front of the home fans at The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. 

Something we very much hope to see in the near future.

Styling, creative direction and production: Nayaab Tania

Photography: Akash Khada

Video: Gaat Dom

Player Booking: 1ONECONCIERGE

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