Interview: Meet Le Havre's Étienne Youté

Don't miss the in-depth interview Ligue 1 had with Youté, who just signed a contract extension with HAC until 2026.

To start off, what are your measurements?

“I’m 1.95 meters tall and weigh 91 kilos. You might be surprised, but most of my family isn’t tall! Only one of my older brothers and my dad are slightly taller than me. The rest are pretty short.”

Were you always the tallest in class?

"Always! And it was the same in my football teams—I was always the tallest, except once. Two years ago at Olympiacos, there was a goalkeeper who was just a bit taller than me."

Since you were usually the tallest on your team, does that mean you were always playing up an age group?

"At a certain point, yeah. For example, when I was in the U13s, I got bumped up to play with the U15s pretty quickly. After that, I also played with the U16s and U17s from time to time. And when I was supposed to be in the U17s, I moved up to the U19s. I was almost always playing two years ahead, but I usually started the season with my age group before getting moved up later on."

What challenges did playing with and against boys two years older bring at that time?

"Honestly, it didn’t make much of a difference. I got used to playing up pretty early, so it became the norm for me. On the field, I didn’t really notice any challenges, and off the field, I didn’t feel out of place either. When you’re young, you don’t really overthink those things."

Did your height mean you were always a central defender?

"No, I actually started as a forward and gradually moved back. I went from midfield to central defense around 13 or 14. My coaches pushed me to drop back, but in the end, it made sense. At first, they put me up front because I was tall, and they’d just send long balls my way. I liked it because I scored a lot thanks to my height. But I’ll be honest, technically, I wasn’t the best (laughs). So I moved back, and over time, after playing more games in defense, I got comfortable there."

What stereotypes do people have about tall players like you?

"They often say that tall players are slow and clumsy with the ball. Personally, I wouldn’t call myself fast, but I’m not slow either; I’d say I’m pretty average in terms of speed. A lot of the time, people who see me play for the first time are pleasantly surprised. Even those who know me well can be surprised, too, because during training, you don’t often get to do a 50-meter sprint. So when it happens in a match and I perform well, it can catch them off guard."

Does challenging these stereotypes motivate you?

"Absolutely! It feels great to prove the doubters wrong. It shows that what I accomplish on the field is genuine. These stereotypes are everywhere. Before playing in Le Havre, I was in Greece and Italy, and it was the same there. In fact, the stereotypes might have been even stronger in Greece because the overall level is lower, so the defenders over 1.90 meters I faced were often slow and not very technically skilled."

For those who haven’t seen you play, how would you describe your style?

"I’m technically strong, so I feel comfortable with the ball, especially when starting plays. I’m good at reading the game and anticipating what will happen next. I also excel in duels. As for my weaknesses, I sometimes lose focus and can struggle with my positioning. But my coach sets up specific training sessions to help me improve in those areas."

When you're tall, do you have to be good in the air?

"Absolutely! I actually wasn't very good in the air before. Last season, it showed in quite a few matches. So, we focused a lot on that with the coach this season, whether through specific drills on crosses or video analysis. My defensive heading has really improved because of it."

You mentioned the 2022-23 season and your six months in Ligue 2 BKT. It's often said that the league is very physical, even more so than Ligue 1 McDonald's, yet you managed to establish yourself that season. How do you explain that?

"I find it easier to play in Ligue 1. There's more space and time. In Ligue 2 BKT, it feels like a battle all the time! There are duels happening constantly!"

You played a lot in central defense alongside Gautier Lloris, who is also over 1.90 meters tall. Does playing next to another tall player force you to adjust your game?

"Not really. Gautier is fast when he gets going, so we haven't had to change much about how we play together."

Is it more challenging for you to play against smaller players?

"Yeah, it can be a bit tricky, but I’ll say again, I’m not slow. It’s true that when it comes to changing direction, smaller players are usually quicker than me, but it doesn’t really bother me. Defending against someone like Samuel Grandsir or Yassine Kechta feels the same as going up against Mohamed Bayo."

But you’d think it must be challenging to face players like Wissam Ben Yedder or Kylian Mbappé, especially in Ligue 1 McDonald's this season…

"That’s true. Mbappé is a bit different because you can’t really mark him closely; you only see him coming at the last second. As for Ben Yedder, he’s probably the one who gave me the most trouble this season (2023-24). Defending against him is tough because he’s so good at finding space."

What about your previous clubs?

"At Olympiacos, I had to defend against Mathieu Valbuena, and that was definitely challenging! He’s quick with his changes in pace and direction, so you always have to stay alert. At Inter, Lautaro Martínez was the one who caused me the most problems—no contest! And Alexis Sánchez was also one of the best at that kind of play."

In a different context, how do you handle a striker as strong as you are I’m particularly thinking of Romelu Lukaku…

"When I faced him in training, it was pretty challenging! He’s so powerful that if you’re behind him and try to get in front, you can’t win the ball. You really have to play smart. During my first training sessions against him, it was tough, but over time, I learned how to better manage different situations and how to disrupt him. For example, when he’s about to receive a ball in the air, it’s hard to win it by challenging him directly; it’s better to step in when he’s about to control it."

At Inter, you trained with Romelu Lukaku, but you also had Milan Škriniar as a teammate. Did you find yourself drawing more inspiration from him because of his position and build?

"It’s true that I observed what he did, but surprisingly, I actually focused even more on the midfielders. I really admired how Marcelo Brozović and Stefano Sensi played. I tried to take inspiration from their passing ability and game vision."

Earlier, you mentioned your father, Étienne Kinkoué, who was also a professional player. Does he give you advice on how to leverage your physique?

"Not really. He mainly gives me guidance on off-field matters, like managing my career and what to pay attention to. My dad played in Turkey, Russia, and for PSG’s youth teams, but unlike me, he was an attacking midfielder. That might be why we don’t discuss the game as much."

Finally, do you ever get teased about your height?

"Not really! In fact, people often compliment me!"

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