Robin Risser: Lens' next great goalkeeper
Key to RC Lens' strong start to the season, the prodigious Robin Risser is positioning himself to become the next standout for Le Sang et Or. Learn more about the young Alsace-born 'keeper in our latest One To Watch.
Alsatian roots
Born to winemakers in the town of Colmar in Alsace, Robin Risser is still just twenty years old, young for any first-team footballer in one of Europe's top five leagues, but impossibly so for a goalkeeper. Despite his youth, he's impressed at (almost) every turn in his young career, and is a major reason for the northern side's strong play to start the season.
Indeed, Lens boast the division's best defensive record, despite the departures of Kevin Danso and Abdukodir Khusanov last year. Impressive summer arrival Samson Baidoo has played a role in that, but Risser's strong play has been key as well. Born in the heart of Alsace, Risser played for local clubs before joining RC Strasbourg in 2017 at the age of 13. However, with the club's takeover by Blueco, he found opportunities limited, despite having impressed on loan at both Dijon and Red Star, with loanees Djordje Petrovic and Mike Penders having blocked his path.
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Revenu de sรฉlection, le gardien sang et or a dโores et dรฉjร retrouvรฉ le chemin de l'entrainement au sein La Gaillette Gervais Martel. ๐#FiersDEtreLensois pic.twitter.com/vQuPc6y6Ixโ Racing Club de Lens (@RCLens) November 18, 2025
Settling in well in Lens
His lack of opportunities in Racing's first team was surely disappointing for the young keeper, but he took this in stride, playing well in his loan spells and also impressing with regularity for France's youth sides. A clear part of the goalkeeping hierarchy under Patrick Vieira, he lost his place under Liam Rosenior and needed a new challenge. Confident of his talent, when Lens offered โฌ3M for his services this summer, he leapt at the chance, eager for the chance to replace French international Brice Samba.
In doing so, he has been remarkable, showing fine reflexes, a growing command of the area, and (most importantly) the confidence of his veteran teammates. The last of these was expressed in no uncertain terms by Morgan Guilavogui, who recently said of Risser, He's so comfortable here we have the impression that he's been here for ten years. He has an outstanding mentality, he's really a warrior. Despite his young age, he makes himself head. He has a very good career ahead of him."
Now, he'll have the chance tomorrow to face his former side, having recovered from a head injury suffered on international duty with France's U-21s. With Lens in third and Racing in fourth ahead of kickoff, the match is one of the most appealing on the Ligue 1 McDonald's slate this weekend, and one that will no doubt have European implications.
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