Le Havre: Interview with Gautier Lloris

Do you remember your first football shirt?
A Zidane Juventus shirt! As I lived in Nice with my family, we regularly went to the Italian side. One day, we went into a soccer store and my parents let me choose between a pair of shoes and a jersey. I chose Zizou's home shirt, number 21.
 

What was your first match at the stadium?

It was a Nice-Wasquehal match at the Stade du Ray, in the early 2000s, in Ligue 2. I must have been 7-8 years old, and I went with my brother Hugo and my father.
 

Who was your childhood idol?

Fernando Torres, in his Liverpool days. I liked the way he looked, the way he connected with Steven Gerrard... It's nothing to do with my position, but strikers always attract more attention than defenders. But I've never really had an idol. As my brother Hugo soon joined the pro world, it helped me to demystify the whole thing.

Do you have a role model in your position?

I don't really have a role model, but I do look at certain players more than others, especially left-sided central defenders like Chiellini and Dante. I'm trying to understand how he manages to last despite his age (laughs). When I started out as a professional at Nice, he was there, and he's still going strong today.
 

Who's the most impressive opponent you've faced?
The one with the biggest name is certainly Zlatan Ibrahimovic. With Nice, we played a pre-season friendly against PSG and he was physically impressive, even if he wasn't at his best given the match. More recently, I'd like to mention Jonathan David, who unfortunately scored two hat-tricks against us. And Mbappé, Dembélé...
 

What's your favorite thing to do on the pitch?

I'm a simple player, so I'm going to say a nice sliding tackle, close to the line, to cover my flanker. After that, I don't have a huge range of skill moves (laughs).
 

You score relatively often for a defender. What's your favorite of the goals you've scored?

The one in the Normandy derby at Caen in Ligue 2 two years ago. The stadium was full and it was the opening goal, so the crowd were a bit chilled! And after that, we got a big result in the sprint for the top (2-1 victory, end of April 2023).
 

What's the best atmosphere you've ever experienced?

At Lens last season. It was pretty intense in the tunnel, before we got onto the pitch. That's what soccer's all about. Next, I'm going to say Marseille, but I still preferred Lens.
 

When you turn on the TV to watch a match, what do you pay attention to?
I like to watch the first periods - and only the first periods - of games that are quite tactical. When the games have just started, it's more closed, the coaches are setting up their tactics. At 0-0, that's when it's most interesting. I analyze how defenders behave when the ball comes out or when they defend high against fast players. I try to pick up tips that might come in handy.

Who's the teammate you get on best with?
Arthur Desmas and Mathieu Gorgelin. I don't know if it's because of Hugo, but I'm more at home with goalkeepers! In soccer, I started out as a goalkeeper, but my father talked me out of it because there was already a goalkeeper in the family and it was too stressful for him! In secondary school, I was a handball goalkeeper for two years too, but at some point I had to choose between soccer, tennis and handball.
 

What job would you have done if you hadn't been a footballer?

I don't know, but I've often asked myself that question, especially during the period when I was injured a lot. I would certainly have gone on to study, but I don't know in what field. It's a good thing I succeeded in soccer, because it's hard to find your own path. But the end of my career is slowly approaching, so I'll have to think about it.
 

What's your favorite sport outside soccer?

Tennis! It's been my second sport for as long as I can remember. I play it on vacations with Hugo, when we're in Nice. The best of both of us? For the official version and so as not to offend him, we'll just say that it's generally disputed (laughs). I've also taken up padel, a sport that's fun to play with friends.
 

Do you have a nickname?

My fitness trainer Thomas Joubert has been calling me Franco Baresi or Beckenbauer for four years now, but I don't agree with that. I have nothing to do with them, but it makes me laugh.
 

You've known Mathieu Bodmer for a while... What's your first memory of him?

My brother had just signed for OL and I went to see one of his first training sessions. In one of the games, Mathieu put a free-kick into the top corner! It made quite an impression on me! And then, when he came to Nice, we had this affinity because he had played with my older brother, so he was one of the old hands who helped me acclimatize in the pro group.
 

Would you prefer Los Angeles Galaxy or Los Angeles FC?

Los Angeles FC! Since Hugo signed there, I've been to see him play once. It was last June. It was fun. The atmosphere is different from European soccer. Did I go sightseeing? Well, a little. I mainly went to see my brother and his little family, as I don't often get the chance to spend time with them.