“The World Cup has brought him forward in his personality, in his self-confidence and self-image. I find him even more present,” said his former manager at Eintracht Frankfurt, Oliver Glasner. Once a shy character, Randal Kolo Muani arrived at Eintracht Frankfurt from Nantes in 2022 and his performances in the Bundesliga resulted in the versatile forward representing France at the World Cup.
A standout player for Les Bleus at the World Cup, he recorded two goal contributions (one goal and one assist) in 180 minutes of football, assisting Kylian Mbappé in the final against Argentina to mount their comeback before almost winning the game for Didier Deschamps with the last kick of the game. Although losing out on penalties, upon returning to Hessen, Glasner noticed a change in the player’s personality from January 2023: “I have the impression that he is going out of himself. He’s become a bit louder in the exercises, which is positive.”
There’s no question that France has emerged as a hotbed for attacking talent over the last five years and Kolo Muani is the latest player from the conveyor belt. The forward’s place in GFFN’s 100 is largely down to his performances at Eintracht Frankfurt in the second half of the season, post-World Cup, which resulted in a move to Paris Saint-Germain in the summer. Formerly of Nantes – where he scored 12 goals in 36 games in his final season – it’s in Germany where Kolo Muani enjoyed a breakout season that put the forward in the spotlight with a stellar campaign.
Kolo Muani enjoyed post-World Cup glow
Upon returning to domestic football after the World Cup, Kolo Muani strutted around with a certain grin on his face. He left a strong impression at Eintracht’s training camp in Dubai despite being the player with the shortest break, and scored a brace in SGE’s behind-closed-doors friendly against RB Leipzig, scoring in training and was joyous in football tennis after pulling off an overhead kick. Kolo Muani had a newfound personality, and it elevated his game further.
In the Hinrunde – first half of the Bundesliga season – Kolo Muani scored just five league goals but upon returning from Qatar, the Frenchman netted 10 in 18 games. He created a fruitful trio alongside Jesper Lindstrøm and Mario Götze in an Eintracht front three that dazzled. Each player interchanged positions and was telepathic, which was reminiscent of the SGE trio of Ante Rebić, Sébastien Haller and Luka Jović, only this one under Glasner was infinitely superior.
A modern day forward, Kolo Muani is dynamic and comfortable playing off both wings as well as leading the line as a classic No. 9. A two-footed forward, the Frenchman can score from a variety of angles on both feet and at 6’1 he is effective in the aerially and is good attacking balls in the air. Off the ball, Kolo Muani is excellent at peeling off and finding space in the box, often at the back post.
In possession Kolo Muani has good link-up and can play one touch, he also likes cutting in from the left where he displays great close control. Kolo Muani scores on many occasions by shifting the ball and flashing shots quickly but is equally adept at opening his body up and looking for the far corner, he is generally a creative forward with a natural instinct and good improvisation – his excellent touch and volley against Sporting CP in the Champions League typifies this.
A tall, lengthy forward with a long stride, many defenders may be fooled by Kolo Muani’s awkward-looking, less conventional build, but when he gets going he is a force to be reckoned with. He excels at playing on the counter and running off the shoulder. His build, explosiveness and directness are not dissimilar to AC Milan starboy Rafael Leão.
Kolo Muani’s time at Eintracht Frankfurt yielded a return of 26 goals and 17 assists in 50 games across all competitions, which ignited interest from Europe’s biggest clubs and, as per Transfermarkt, the player’s market value had an incredible rise from €20m to €80m.
Kolo Muani struggling for rhythm at PSG
Despite interest from Manchester United, it was PSG who landed Kolo Muani. But at one point, it looked as though the move was off completely. Hugo Ekitike’s reported refusal to sign for the Bundesliga side as a replacement for the former Nantes man had scuppered PSG’s efforts, and then Eintracht Frankfurt raised their asking price later in the evening, but an agreement was finally reached on deadline day for a reported €90m.
However, since signing for the Parisien club, it hasn’t been as plain sailing for Kolo Muani alongside Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé. Kolo Muani has struggled in the wide areas, a position he flourished in at Eintracht, while he hasn’t attacked the final third as we were accustomed to seeing him do in Germany. It could well be a case of struggling to embed himself at the club, and at the time of writing, Kolo Muani has five goals and two assists in 18 games across all competitions at PSG.
Kolo Muani still posts credible numbers for 2023 with 0.25 expected assists per 90, which puts him in the 95th percentile, while the forward uses his explosive pace and neat dribbling to beat opposing players, averaging 2.18 successful take-ons per 90 while showcasing an ability to carry the ball with the Frenchman in the 96th percentile (3.13/90) for progressive carries.
Tied down with PSG on a five-year deal, Kolo Muani’s near future lies with the Parc des Princes outfit. It does feel like a confidence issue with Kolo Muani, rather than a talent one and it will be up to the Bondy-born forward to find his form in 2024.
