Randal Kolo Muani of Eintracht Frankfurt discusses what it means to be competing in European football’s elite men’s competition after a meteoric rise to stardom.
Kolo Muani only joined Frankfurt in the summer, moving from Ligue 1 side Nantes in France to the UEFA Europa League holders, who are also in their maiden season in the Champions League.
Reflecting closely, the Paris-born striker admits he will always remember his first goal against Marseille on Matchday 5, as confirmation that he had arrived on the grand stage in club football.
“It’s the goal that matters to me – I relish that because it was my first Champions League goal,” he says.
“That goal gave us three very important points; it doesn’t matter that it’s against Marseille and I’m from Paris.
It’s the first goal I scored in the Champions League. It brought something to the team, so to me it was really important to have scored.”
“it is incredible,” grinned the 24-year-old when asked how it feels to make an impression at this level.
He continued:
“Now I can say it’s real. I am living in this moment. It’s the present. So I just enjoy it and I value it.
“You can’t really have your head in the clouds, you need to stay focused because everything goes really fast.
“The championship goes even faster and there are a lot of matches to play. I have mixed feelings, because while you do enjoy it, at the same time you tell yourself, ‘There’s another match in two days’, so you need to be focused.”
His rapid rise has come a long way from his early life spent learning the game in the Parisian area of Bondy, that also helped raise fellow stars Kylian MbappéAMP, William Saliba, and Jonathan Ikoné.
“It was the only thing I wanted to do with my life,” Kolo Muani reflects. “I started football very young, when I was six. My parents supported me a lot and often came with me. It was my dream to play football.
“I played football at any given opportunity. Even if I could play at home on my own, I would. Ronaldo, then [Zinédine] Zidane and Ronaldinho were my favourite players.
Considering his remarkable growth, it would not be surprising to see Kolo Muani make a much bigger impact on the Champions League, like his heroes, but as of now, he is content to be at the top table of European club football.