Neither Esteban Lepaul nor Younes Ebnoutalib has followed the most predictable path. Both are now part of the biggest national teams in the world.
Even now, many casual fans probably have never heard of Esteban Lepaul or Younes Ebnoutalib. This is regardless of the fact that Lepaul was actually the highest scorer in Ligue 1 last season, bagging 20 goals for Stade Rennais. He still missed out on the World Cup, though, with then-coach Didier Deschamps instead selecting Jean-Philippe Mateta and Marcus Thuram as reserves.
Ebnoutalib, too, could have been at the World Cup last summer. He would not have represented Germany, his home country, but rather Morocco, a team he had played for at youth level. Injuries derailed the end of his season with Eintracht Frankfurt, and the striker did not make the squad for the Atlas Lions.
A few years ago, either of these strikers being on the radar of two giants in Germany and France would have seemed ridiculous. Both were near unknowns playing in the lower leagues. And yet, when France faces off against Türkiye and Germany play the Netherlands later this week, Lepaul and Ebnoutalib will be there.
Until January, Ebnoutalib had never even played in the top flight. He bounced around German academies, none of which are particularly well-known, until joining Italian side Perugia in 2022 as a 19-year-old. It was there that he debuted in Serie C, Italy’s third tier. However, in December 2023, he suffered an injury, leading him to terminate his contract to return to Germany and seek treatment.
His injury in Italy actually proved to be his big break. Several months later, he returned to the pitch, joining Regionalliga Südwest side FC Gießen. After his long absence, Ebnoutalib was reborn in Germany’s fourth tier, scoring six goals in half a season and earning a move to 2. Bundesliga side SV Elversberg.
Elversberg are a prime example of the benefits of scouting in Germany. The club relies on loans and undervalued players, rapidly climbing up the ranks as a result. Ebnoutalib was a big hit, bagging 12 goals in half a season before Eintracht Frankfurt came calling in January, going from the fourth tier of Germany to the top flight in just one year.
His first half-season in the Bundesliga was short-lived. Ebnoutalib scored on his debut vs Borussia Dortmund, but injuries limited him to just four more appearances and no additional goals as Frankfurt limped to an eighth-place finish. Meanwhile, Elversberg capitalized on their strong start, earning a first-ever promotion to the Bundesliga.
This season, though, has been a different story. After scoring a hat-trick in the opener against Union Berlin, Ebnoutalib found the net against SC Freiburg on Saturday right before the international break to take him up to four goals this season. The 23-year-old is currently the joint-top scorer in the Bundesliga.
Esteban Lepaul has gotten off to a similarly hot start in Ligue 1. The 26-year-old started the season with a goal in a 2-2 draw with defending champions PSG. One week later, he scored a brace, including a late winner, in a 3-2 win over Le Mans. He hasn’t scored since, but remains with a very respectable three goals from five games.
Lepaul started in one of France’s best academies with Lyon, but in 2020, at the age of 20, was released. He joined SAS Épinal in France’s fourth tier, scoring five goals in eight games in a COVID-shortened season. Lepaul spent the next two-and-a-half years in France’s third tier, first with Orléans and then Épinal again, scoring a total of 22 goals in that time.
The second spell with Épinal was particularly inspired, with Lepaul scoring an impressive 12 goals in 16 games. The striker left in January, moving to SCO Angers in Ligue 2. While the initial impressions were underwhelming, with Lepaul starting only six matches, he did score three goals as Angers returned to Ligue 1.
From there, Lepaul hit the ground running. In his first season, he bagged nine goals with Angers, helping the club stay in the top flight. After scoring in Angers’ opener last season, Stade Rennais came knocking, paying a reported €15 million to sign the Frenchman. He’s been a revelation, scoring 20 goals last season as Stade Rennais finished sixth.
France has no shortage of attacking options, but the emergence of Lepaul is a welcome one nonetheless. He offers a different profile for new coach Zinedine Zidane and, with many of France’s other options struggling, could solidify his spot as the backup nine for Les Bleus.
Over in Germany, Ebnoutalib is more necessary. Over a decade later, the Germans are still looking for a Miroslav Klose replacement, with several much-hyped nines falling flat. It’s perhaps alarming that only injuries resulted in Ebnoutalib returning to Germany in the first place, and also not representing Morocco last summer, but luck is on Jürgen Klopp’s side.
Ebnoutalib is not the only example. There is real talent in the lower leagues, especially in Germany. Deniz Undav, who starred off the bench last summer, was playing in the Regionalliga with TSV Havelse as a 20-year-old. Even Miroslav Klose got his start with FC Homburg in the Regionalliga, albeit a long time ago.
The same is true in France. At 21, Le Mans midfielder Adil Bourabaa has just become an Algeria international. He has three goals and two assists in France’s top flight this season. Last year, he was playing in France’s fourth tier with AS Beauvais. Several players in Ligue 1, including ex-Les Bleus man Jonathan Clauss, have done similar.
Even in England, where there are so many teams that it seems impossible for talent to slip through, it still happens. Winger Abdul Abdulmalik, 23, just became the most expensive sale in National League history after joining Swedish side Djurgårdens IF. The previous record was Jamie Vardy’s Leicester City move.
There is real talent in the lower leagues, and teams that have figured that out, like Elversberg, have benefited. Neither Lepaul and Ebnoutalib were expected to be here, but they have managed to pass far more expensive, highly-rated prospects. In a few days, they’ll have their chances to make a name for themselves in front of the world. More than a few teams will now regret not paying attention to the unknown strikers from Épinal and Gießen several years ago.
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Image from SAS_EPINAL (X).
