Layvin Kurzawa: The Champions League, Ranieri and more
Layvin Kurzawa's meteoric rise helped usher in a new era at AS Monaco and lift Paris Saint-Germain to new heights. Check in with the former French international in this lengthy interview with the Principality club.
*this article appears in complete form on ASMonaco.com.
His current situation
Hi Layvin. To start, can you give us an update?
Currently, I’m continuing to prepare for an opportunity during the January transfer window. I hope to find one soon so I can get back to playing football because I miss it terribly, and it’s all the more frustrating to be in this situation because I still have the legs and the ability. So, admittedly, I might not be ready to play as quickly as some clubs would like, but I know that with proper preparation, I can get back to my best and be ready as soon as possible. Returning to Ligue 1? Honestly, you could see me anywhere, I’m not closed to anything, simply because I have nothing lined up at the moment! I just want to play football again because it’s what I’ve done all my life and it’s something I miss enormously today.
*Kurzawa spent part of last season with Portuguese side Boavista after leaving Paris Saint-Germain in 2024.
growth despite relegation
Tell us about your two seasons in Ligue 2...
(AS Monaco were relegated in 2010/11, Kurzawa's first season in the first team)
It was tough for me because there were new coaches, a lot of changes. And then an experienced player arrived in my position at that time: Georgios Tzavellas, a warrior like I’ve rarely seen in football (smiles), but also a very good player! So during those two years in Ligue 2, I didn’t play much; I was mostly on the bench. And in the second year, I remember I was supposed to be loaned to Brest in Ligue 1 during the January transfer window, but it fell through at the last minute, even though I’d already boarded the plane. At that point, my agent called me and told me that the coach, Claudio Ranieri, didn’t want me to leave! I have an appointment with him the next morning, and he tells me: “Layvin, we have six months left to play and we’re going back up to Ligue 1. You’re not a Ligue 2 player, you’re a Ligue 1 player, and when we get there, you’ll be my starter, we’re not going to recruit anyone!”
Which players impressed you the most at AS Monaco?
I’d say James Rodriguez! He did put a couple of those past me, but above all, he was an extraordinary player with an amazing left foot! Frankly, we had a fantastic squad: youth on the wings with Yannick Carrasco, Lucas Ocampos, Fabinho, and myself, and experience Ricardo Carvalho, Jérémy Toulalan, Mounir Obbadi, and Radamel Falcao up front.
🔴🔵 Layvin Kurzawa = last defender to score Champions League hat-trick ⚽️⚽️⚽️
Angeliño 🔜❓@PSG_English | #UCL pic.twitter.com/hsQkkKyHhV— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) October 20, 2020
You remain, to this day, the only defender to have scored a hat trick in a match, this time while playing for Paris Saint-Germain…
Being a defender and scoring three goals in a match is incredible (laughs)! I’m waiting to see another defender do it, because one day it will happen. It’s not a record like Robert Lewandowski’s, who scored 5 goals in 9 minutes, even if it’s close, or Kylian (Mbappé) who scored three in 7 minutes with Real Madrid. Denzel Dumfries almost did it last season. Whether it’s equaled or even surpassed, it will remain my record and I’ll always be proud of it!
Do you think you would have had this career and these numerous titles with PSG if you hadn’t been able to develop quietly at AS Monaco?
I completely agree with that, especially since I had a choice of 5 or 6 training centers. But I chose Monaco precisely for the peace and quiet. Again, having my family nearby and being in a safe city played a role. There were so many factors that made Monaco the right place for me!
