Kenny Lala

Kenny Lala

Lala with Lens in 2015
Personal information
Date of birth	(1991-10-03) 3 October 1991 (age 33)
Place of birth	Villepinte, France
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	Right-back
Team information
Current team	Brest
Number	27
Youth career
2004–2008	ES Parisienne
2008–2010	Paris FC
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2010–2011	Paris FC	33	(0)
2011–2015	Valenciennes B	29	(0)
2011–2015	Valenciennes	61	(1)
2015–2017	Lens	71	(2)
2017–2021	Strasbourg	111	(13)
2021–2022	Olympiacos	31	(0)
2023–	Brest	50	(2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 02:08, 20 May 2024 (UTC)

Kenny Lala (born 3 October 1991) is a French professional footballer who plays as a right-back for Ligue 1 club Brest.

Club career

Lala began his career with local amateur club ES Parisienne before signing with semi-professional club Paris at the age of 17. Prior to signing with the club, Lala had trials with professional clubs Lille, Caen, and Valenciennes. ^[1] After two seasons playing on Paris' reserve team, he was promoted to the club's senior team for the 2010–11 season. ^[1] A successful campaign, in which Lala made 33 league appearances, resulted in the player being linked to several Ligue 1 clubs, most notably Valenciennes who offered Paris €100,000 for his services. ^[1]

Despite declining the initial offer, on 15 June 2011, Paris reached an agreement with Valenciennes on a transfer for Lala. He signed a four-year contract with the Northern outfit. ^[2] Lala was assigned the number 18 shirt by manager Daniel Sanchez and was placed onto the club's first team, though he has played on the club's reserve team in the Championnat de France amateur. Lala made his professional debut on 6 November 2011 in a 1–1 draw with Rennes appearing as a substitute. ^[3]

On 30 June 2015, he signed a three-year contract with Lens. ^[4] In June 2017, Lala joined Strasbourg on a two-year contract. ^[5] In his time at the club, he was a regular starter. ^[6]

On 1 February 2021, the last day of the 2020–21 winter transfer window, Lala moved to Super League Greece club Olympiacos. ^[6] In October 2022, he terminated his contract with the club after being unable to make a single appearance in the 2022–23 season. ^[7]

In January 2023, he joined French side Brest on a free transfer, and in July that year, he extended his contract with the club until 2025. ^[8] On 13 August 2023, he scored his first goal in a 3–2 win over his former club Lens on the opening matchday of the 2023–24 season. ^[9] On 19 May 2024, he scored the last goal in a 3–0 away win over Toulouse on the final matchday of the season, helping his club to secure a third-place finish in the league and first ever qualification to the UEFA Champions League. ^[10]

International career

Born in France, Lala is of Martiniquais and Malagasy descent. ^[11] In early March 2024, Lala was called up by the Madagascar national team. ^[12]

Personal life

Lala was born in Villepinte and grew up in the 18th arrondissement of Paris near the Porte de Clignancourt. ^[1] He has two sisters. Lala's mother previously worked as a saleswoman for Zara and was also his sports agent having handled the player's four-year fédérale contract he signed with Paris FC. ^[1] She now works for the public management and construction company l'Opac de Paris. ^[1]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played on 19 May 2024

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National cup		League cup		Continental		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Paris FC	2010–11	Championnat National	33	0	2	0	—		—		—		35	0
Valenciennes	2011–12	Ligue 1	2	0	0	0	0	0	—		—		2	0
	2012–13		7	1	0	0	0	0	—		—		7	1
	2013–14		17	0	1	0	0	0	—		—		18	0
	2014–15	Ligue 2	35	0	2	0	0	0	—		—		37	0
	Total		61	1	3	0	0	0	—		—		64	0
Lens	2015–16	Ligue 2	33	1	0	0	1	0	—		—		34	1
	2016–17		37	1	2	0	1	0	—		—		40	1
	Total		70	2	2	0	2	0	—		—		74	2
Strasbourg	2017–18	Ligue 1	31	3	4	0	2	0	—		—		37	3
	2018–19		34	5	1	0	5	0	—		—		40	5
	2019–20		25	2	2	0	2	0	4 [lower-alpha 1]	0	—		33	2
	2020–21		21	3	0	0	—		—		—		21	3
	Total		111	13	7	0	9	0	4	0	—		131	13
Olympiacos	2020–21	Superleague Greece	5	0	2	0	—		4 [lower-alpha 1]	0	—		11	0
	2021–22		26	0	2	0	—		12 [lower-alpha 2]	0	—		40	0
	Total		31	0	4	0	—		16	0	—		51	0
Brest	2022–23	Ligue 1	17	0	2	0	—		—		—		19	0
	2023–24		33	2	3	1	—		—		—		36	3
	Total		50	2	5	1	—		16	0	—		55	3
Career total			356	18	23	1	11	0	20	0	0	0	410	19

1. Appearances in UEFA Europa League
2. Three appearances in UEFA Champions League, nine appearances in UEFA Europa League

Honours

Strasbourg

• Coupe de la Ligue: 2018–19

Olympiacos

• Super League Greece: 2020–21, 2021–22

Individual

• UNFP Ligue 1 Player of the Month: December 2018
• UNFP Ligue 1 Team of the Year: 2018–19 ^[13]

References

1. "La révélation Kenny Lala". Le Parisien (in French). 4 September 2010. Retrieved 28 November 2011.
2. "Kenny Lala officiellement au VAFC". Valenciennes FC (in French). 15 June 2011. Retrieved 28 November 2011.
3. "Dijon v. Valenciennes Match Report". Ligue de Football Professionnel (in French). 6 November 2011. Retrieved 28 November 2011.
4. "Kenny Lala, 3 ans à Lens" (in French). L'Équipe. 30 June 2015.
5. "Kenny Lala rejoint le Racing Club de Strasbourg". L'Équipe (in French). 12 June 2017. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
6. "Kenny Lala quitte Strasbourg pour l'Olympiakos". Foot Mercato (in French). 31 January 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
7. "Kenny Lala a résilié son contrat avec l'Olympiacos" (in French). L'Équipe. 30 October 2022.
8. "Kenny Lala prolonge à Brest jusqu'en 2025" (in French). L'Équipe. 12 July 2023.
9. "Brest 3–2 Lens". ESPN. 13 August 2023.
10. "Brest secures final automatic Champions League spot in French league, PSG wins without Mbappé". The Washington Post. 19 May 2024.
11. "Non, Kenny Lala ne devrait pas partir en sélection avec Madagascar - Foot Amateur Bretagne". footamateur.letelegramme.fr. 5 March 2024.
12. "Kenny Lala appelé pour la première fois avec Madagascar". Boursorama. 3 March 2024.
13. "Mbappé Wins Awards Double". www.ligue1.com. 19 May 2019. Retrieved 19 May 2019.

External links

• Kenny Lala at Soccerway
• Kenny Lala – French league stats at LFP – also available in French (archived)
• Kenny Lala at L'Équipe Football (in French)
• Profile at Valenciennes FC