One To Watch
Jim Allevinah: A slow rise to the top continues
Now thirty years old, and having taken the proverbial long road to Ligue 1 McDonald's, Angers winger Jim Allevinah showed his skill in helping side to a vital win over Nantes. Learn more about his story in our latest profile.
Moving through the leagues
Born in the small southwestern French city of Agen, Allevinah remarkably didn't play football professionally until he was 25. After coming through the academy at his local club, he played in the third fourth and fifth tiers, eventually coming to prominence with Le Puy in National 2. From there, he joined Clermont ahead of the 2019/20 season. Then playing in Ligue 2, the Auvergne side, led by Pascal Gastien, were known for playing attractive and dynamic attacking football.
With a possession-based style that suited Allevinah's pace as an outlet on the counter, Les Lanciers finished fifth in his first campaign, missing out on promotion owing to COVID-19. However, better things were to come in the following season, as the club finished second, scoring 62 goals, including 12 by Allevinah. While he would fail to reach those goal-scoring numbers in the top flight, Allevinah proved himself a capable presence and despite Clermont's relegation, he signed on with Angers in the offseason.
Un but et une célébration tant attendus pour @jimalvnh 🤝 pic.twitter.com/Y0WfBQDJX5
— Angers SCO (@AngersSCO) May 5, 2025
success for Gabon, and a move WEST
Financially limited Angers had done well to bring in a player who had not just featured nearly one hundred times in Ligue 1, but had also become a vital player for his country. Having made his debut for Gabon in 2019, Allevinah has also racked up more than thirty appearances for his country, while scoring vital goals as they chase a place in the 2026 World Cup. Still with amateurs Le Puy at the time of his debut, he was somewhat overawed by the occasion -- "Playing with players like [Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang, [Denis] Bouanga, when you're an amateur, frankly, it's something." In the time since though, he has become a key element, with nine goals for Les Pantheres.
A regular under Alexandre Dujeux with his club, he leads Le SCO with three assists, but had yet to find the back of the next until this past weekend, when he scored the only goal, coming off the bench to help his team to a 1-0 win over Breton rivals Nantes. Despite his struggles this season, Allevinah underscored that success was only possible with the support of the fans, saying, "They helped us a lot today. They came in large numbers, they made a lot of noise. As soon as we warmed up, they energized us. We talked about it after the warm-up, that it gave us chills. Thank you to them -- it is also their victory.”
Changing his mind (state)
Speaking post-match to l'Équipe, Allevinah also alluded to how his mental health has become a priority, and he has worked on translating it onto the pitch, saying, "I've changed my outlook on things. I learned that I self-sabotaged a lot; I was too much of a perfectionist, not kind enough to myself. I dwelled a lot on what I was doing wrong and not at all on what I was doing right, and I've also started meditating, which feels really good. These are my moments to myself, once or twice a day. There's no music; I do it at home, alone, for fifteen to thirty minutes. I can sit or lie down; it's a way of clearing my mind, connecting with the present moment."
With a clear, more positive mental state, Allevinah is ready to help Angers face down their battle to avoid relegation, starting this weekend against the league's in-form team, Strasbourg.
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