Ligue 1: in Lille, the winning return of Hakon Haraldsson

Author of the winning goal against Sturm Graz, Hakon Haraldsson has successfully returned from injury to the point of already making himself essential to Lille, which travels to Marseille on Saturday (5:00 p.m.) during the 15th day of Ligue 1.

Sitting cross-legged, Hakon Haraldsson plays a video game, virtual controller in his hands, to celebrate his victorious goal against the Lille ultras at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy. In the confines of the jubilant Lille suburbs, the attacking midfielder has just given his club victory (3-2), and a European future, in all likelihood.

The 21-year-old Icelandic had only touched the ball once, to recover it in his half, before unleashing this beautiful floating shot, a minute after coming into play. A winning change.

A few days earlier, he had already scored a goal in the victory against Brest (3-1), to celebrate his first start after two and a half months of absence due to a foot injury.

“Two goals in two matches is great, I’m very happy,” he comments soberly. I was away for a long time, so I’m very happy to give something to the team. »

“He had this difficult period where he was away from the field, when he came back, he had this desire to show everyone that he was there”underlines defender Bafodé Diakité.

Six months “acclimatization”

This injury, which occurred while he was with his selection, had brutally interrupted his constant progress in 2024 within the northern club, after a difficult first part of the season following his arrival in the summer of 2023. “We are not all the same in relation to this acclimatization period,” recalls Diakité. There are players for whom it takes more time, for him it was the case. Now he feels good. »

It’s the whole of Losc that benefits from the development of a player ” shy “ in appearance, but “good joker” actually in the Lille group, according to Bafodé Diakité.

In matches, the former FC Copenhagen player admires his silky technique and his sense of the game. “Most people who know football feel, in relation to his touch, that he has this thing, he feels football,” says Diakité. He just needs to be in good conditions for him to exploit his potential to the fullest. »

“Comfortable in all positions”

They are often combined to the extent that the player of modest size (1.78 m), although he has gained muscle during his first six months in the North, is very versatile, to the delight of his coach Bruno Genesio.

“I find him comfortable in almost all the positions in which he plays,” rejoices the 58-year-old technician. We long believed that it was on the left that he was most comfortable, we saw that on the right, it wasn’t bad either. He is comfortable playing behind the striker. He was very comfortable before his injury in a slightly more backward position, with Benjamin André. It’s a real asset to have these kinds of players in a group. »

Difficult, therefore, to guess where Haraldsson will play against Marseille in this top-of-the-table clash between the Marseille club, 2nd (29 points), and the Dogues, 4th (26 points), even if his natural qualities seem to carry him more towards the playmaker position.

“He is a very intelligent player (…) who has above-average technical ability in his sequences, his passes and who has both a large volume of play and an ability to bring vertical runs even if he is not the fastest player in the squad »lists Bruno Genesio.

Enough to quickly apply for a starting place in the Lille eleven.