In Le Parisien, Yohan Cabaye, now director of the Paris Saint-Germain youth academy, highlights the high standards placed on the club’s young players. He cites Warren Zaïre-Emery (19 years old) and Senny Matulu (19 years old) to remind us that the emergence of these young talents relies as much on talent as on discipline and academic commitment.
Cabaye: “Patience is an important virtue”
“Warren is exceptional; we can’t use him as a role model, he’s truly exceptional. On the other hand, we can also talk about Senny (Matulu). He grew so fast that he was sidelined, but he had such a strong will that he always came back and played. Patience is an important virtue. If a player doesn’t put in the effort in school, he’ll face the consequences on the pitch.”
Cabaye isn’t trying to shatter the myth, but rather to bring a touch of seriousness to the euphoria surrounding the young players at Paris Saint-Germain. His message is crystal clear: Warren Zaïre-Emer is not the norm but an absolute exception, a rare talent whose meteoric rise should not be used as a model to be copied.
Conversely, he praises the more traditional progression of 19-year-old Senny Matulu, whose learning curve has been marked by setbacks, returns, and unwavering determination. For Cabaye, this is where the true essence of the sport lies: PSG develops players, but also responsible individuals, where academic effort counts as much as on-field performance. He emphasizes that a lapse in any area has sporting consequences, proof that the club aims to build lasting careers, not fleeting flashes of brilliance.
