Malick Yalcouyé marked his Premier League breakthrough in dramatic fashion on Sunday, scoring his first goal in the competition during Brighton’s 4-3 loss to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
The 20-year-old Ivorian midfielder pulled one back for his side when they trailed 3-0, and his performance quickly became the subject of an online debate about his age.
Yalcouyé, who also played a part in the build-up to Brighton’s previous goal, scored with a powerful volley. Over the course of the match, he stood out for his work rate and his ability to escape Chelsea’s press.
His coach, Fabian Hürzeler, praised the youngster after the game: “We have known since pre-season what he is capable of.
He is of course a very young player, he still needs to improve physically, but he showed personality by imposing himself in a demanding environment.”
A prospect already closely watched in Côte d’Ivoire
According to his official civil records, Yalcouyé was born on 18 November 2005. However, several internet users questioned his age after the match, pointing to premature baldness they considered inconsistent with a 20-year-old.
On social media, Ivorian journalist Dobe Aboubacar explained that the player suffers from chronic alopecia, which causes the hair loss, and noted that Yalcouyé belongs to the same youth generation as other Asec Mimosas players, including Oumar Diakité and Bazoumana Touré.
Asec Mimosas, the Abidjan club that trained Yalcouyé, also intervened to end the speculation.
The club published photographic archives on social media tracing his progress through its MimoSifcom academy from 2018 to 2026, documenting his development year by year up to his first Premier League goal.
Trained at Asec Mimosas, a club known for producing several generations of Ivorian players, Yalcouyé is regarded as one of the great hopes of Ivorian football.
His move to Brighton, a club that invests in young talents before selling them on at a high price, placed him in one of the most demanding leagues in the world, where his performance against Chelsea confirmed the potential his coach identified during pre-season.
Source: BENIN WEB TV