France has never had a shortage of generational talent. From Thierry Henry to Zinedine Zidane, from Karim Benzema to Kylian Mbappé, the production line keeps humming.
But the next breakout star might already be here-and he’s only 19. Eli Junior Kroupi, the electric forward tearing through defenses for France’s Under-21s and dazzling in his early stints with AFC Bournemouth, is being hailed across Europe as the next Mbappé.
Some scouts even whisper that he combines Mbappé‘s explosiveness with Sergio Agüero‘s finishing. For the rest of the world, that’s a terrifying prospect.
A rising star who delivers when it matters
On Thursday night, Kroupi reminded everyone-again-why he’s France‘s most exciting young attacker. Coming off the bench in a EURO U-21 qualifier against Switzerland, with France trailing 1-0, he changed the match in an instant. One sharp counterattack. One perfect touch. One clinical strike into the bottom corner from 18 yards.
A 1-1 draw secured. Another statement made. France sits fourth in its qualifying group, but with only three games played-fewer than any other team. And every time Kroupi touches the field, the path toward the tournament looks a little brighter.
Anyone who has followed Kroupi‘s journey won’t be surprised by his rapid ascent. He scored his first pro goal away to Nantes, then became the youngest player to record a brace in Ligue 1 since 1974 during a thrilling 3-3 draw vs. Lyon. By the time Bournemouth came knocking, half of Europe had already noticed.
Last season alone, he scored 22 goals for Lorient in Ligue 2, powering their promotion campaign while drawing interest from Tottenham, RB Leipzig, Real Madrid and West Ham. Somehow, Bournemouth secured his signature for just £10 million plus add-ons-one of the Premier League‘s most impressive coups in recent memory.
Bournemouth saw something special
Club executives didn’t hide their excitement. “Junior fits the club’s model,” said technical director Simon Francis. “He’s shown a high level of natural technical ability and awareness… the speed he’s adapted to senior football has been very encouraging.”
President of football operations Tiago Pinto added: “We’re particularly delighted to sign him given the significant interest across Europe.” Kroupi agreed to join the Cherries back in February 2025, but part of the agreement kept him on loan at Lorient for six more months. That extra time paid off-he returned more polished, more confident, and more dangerous.
Once he finally made his first Premier League start in mid-October, he never looked back. Four goals in his first three starts made it clear: this kid isn’t just talented-he’s ready. Kroupi has represented France at every youth level-U-16, U-17, U-18, U-19, and now U-21. He played 90 minutes in last summer’s U-19 EURO final, a bitter loss to Spain, but a match that showcased his stature as one of the team’s driving forces.
Now, he’s becoming the catalyst for France’s U-21s as they chase qualification. And with the senior national team in transition behind the prime years of Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, and Antoine Griezmann, the timing is perfect.
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