Ludovic Blas
Ludovic Régis Arsène Blas (born 31 December 1997) is a French professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Ligue 1 club Nantes.[3]
| Blas with Nantes in 2022 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Ludovic Régis Arsène Blas[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 31 December 1997 | ||
| Place of birth | Colombes, France | ||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[2] | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
Current team | Nantes | ||
| Number | 10 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2003–2005 | Domont | ||
| 2005–2009 | Rambouillet | ||
| 2009–2013 | Montrouge | ||
| 2013–2015 | Guingamp | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2014–2017 | Guingamp B | 33 | (4) |
| 2015–2019 | Guingamp | 109 | (6) |
| 2019– | Nantes | 120 | (31) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2013 | France U17 | 1 | (0) |
| 2016 | France U19 | 11 | (6) |
| 2016–2018 | France U20 | 14 | (1) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 12 February 2023 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 7 June 2018 | |||
Club career
EA Guingamp
Ludovic Blas arrived at Rambouillet FC, then in district, at the age of 7. Blas already stood out from the crowd and was systematically outclassed. His trainer at the time already praised his dribbling skills and his vision of the game.[4]
Following his father's professional transfer, he joined Montrouge FC, allowing him to travel the region and facilitate contacts with professional team scouts. Ludovic Blas was thus spotted by several clubs including AS Monaco and Guingamp. He went through all the stages of the Guingamp training during his first three years at the club before joining the professional group during the training camp of the 2015-2016 season.[5] The coach of the reserve team, Claude Michel, particularly appreciates the technical quality of the player and his ability to make the right choices, quickly. In order to perfect his defensive folding problems, he regularly plays as a defensive midfielder with the B team, even if his profile corresponds more to a relay midfielder or a playmaker.
He made his first appearances in Ligue 1 during the 2016–17 season and signed his first professional contract in October 2015. He played his first professional match the following December 6 as a starter against the Girondins de Bordeaux and then scored his first professional goal on the 24th day of Ligue 1 on February 3, 2016, during a big win against ES Troyes four goals to nil. He played most regularly on the right wing but also made a few appearances in the center of midfield.
His second season goes without a bang and he scored his only league goal on Saturday, March 11, 2017 in a 5-0 win over Bastia, the Breton club's biggest win in Ligue 1.
He began the 2017-2018 season with a goal against Metz on the first day.
Already under contract until 2020 with Guingamp, Ludovic Blas signed for an additional season with the Armorican club on August 8, 2018.[6]
Nantes
On September 2, 2019, he signed for five years at FC Nantes.[7][8] On 31 October 2019 he scored his first goals under his new colors in the national Cup, against Paris FC (8-0), a historic victory of Nantes concluded by a double of Ludovic Blas,[9] followed by his first goal in Ligue 1, ten days later against AS Saint-Etienne (2-3).[10] In Nantes, he took a step forward in terms of progression. In his first year in 2019–20, he inserted himself to the squad by scoring 5 goals and making an assist in 24 games played as a midfielder. He exploded in 2020–21, his second season at Nantes, where he became one of the club's key players and played all 38 games of the season, with 11 goals and 4 assists. Despite his improving, Nantes had a difficult season endend competing play-outs against Toulouse.[11] In the 2021–22 season, after 28 games played, 9 goals scored and 3 assists, he contributes as a key piece to the success of the FC Nantes team. He also helped them win the Coupe de France and scored the winning goal, a penalty, in the final.[12] At the start of the following season, he played in the french supercup 4–0 loss against Paris Saint-Germain, that took place at Bloomfield Stadium in Tel Aviv, Israel on 31 July 2022.[13][14] On 8 September 2022 Blas made his debut in UEFA competitions, in a 2–1 win over the greek side Olympiacos.[15] On 27 October he scored his first goal in UEFA Europa League against Qarabağ.[16][17]
On 12 February 2023 Blas became the second FC Nantes' top scorer in Ligue 1 in the 21st century (30), after Emiliano Sala (42).[18]
Style of play
Blas is a technically gifted winger known for his close control in confined spaces and spell-binding skill in 1v1 situations.[19] Despite standing at about 5’11, is capable of competing aerially.[20]
During his spell at EA Guingamp under Jocelyn Gourvennec Blas was often played in midfield double pivots in order to organize the second phase of build-up and evade pressure in dangerous areas, he also played as wingback in Gourvennec’s 5-3-2.[19] Under Antoine Kombouaré, Blas played on the wing, in a midfield two and a midfield three, and behind the striker.[19]
Due to his qualities he has been compared to Riyad Mahrez.[20]
Career statistics
Club
- As of 16 February 2023[21]
| Club | Season | League | Coupe de France | Coupe de la Ligue | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Guingamp | 2015–16 | Ligue 1 | 14 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 16 | 1 | ||
| 2016–17 | Ligue 1 | 24 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 29 | 2 | |||
| 2017–18 | Ligue 1 | 31 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 33 | 3 | |||
| 2018–19 | Ligue 1 | 34 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 40 | 1 | |||
| 2019–20 | Ligue 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 7 | 0 | |||
| Total | 109 | 6 | 9 | 0 | 7 | 1 | — | — | 125 | 7 | ||||
| Nantes | 2019–20 | Ligue 1 | 24 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | — | — | 28 | 7 | ||
| 2020–21 | Ligue 1 | 36 | 10 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 2[a] | 1 | 39 | 11 | |||
| 2021–22 | Ligue 1 | 35 | 10 | 6 | 5 | — | — | — | 38 | 14 | ||||
| 2022–23 | Ligue 1 | 23 | 5 | 2 | 0 | — | 7[b] | 3 | 1[c] | 0 | 32 | 8 | ||
| Total | 120 | 31 | 11 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 141 | 41 | ||
| Career total | 229 | 37 | 19 | 5 | 9 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 265 | 47 | ||
- ^ Appearances in Ligue 1 relegation/promotion play-offs
- ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa League
- ^ Appearance in Trophée des Champions
Honours
Nantes
France U19
Individual
References
- ^ (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 9 January 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 December 2018. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
- ^ . FC Nantes. Archived from the original on 25 July 2022.
- ^ Ludovic Blas – French league stats at LFP – also available in French
- ^ "Blas est prêt à enflammer le Roudourou". sofoot.com. 30 July 2016..
- ^ "En Avant de Guingamp : Premier contrat professionnel pour Ludovic Blas". lechodelargoat.fr. 21 October 2015..
- ^ "Ludovic Blas prolonge jusqu'en 2021 avec Guingamp". lequipe.fr. L'Équipe. Retrieved 8 August 2018..
- ^ "Transferts : Ludovic Blas (Guingamp) signe cinq ans au FC Nantes" (in French). 2 September 2019. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
- ^ "FC Nantes : Blas signe cinq ans, Trebel arrive en cas de départ de Rongier ?" (in French). 2 September 2019. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
- ^ "LES IMAGES DE LA QUALIFICATION (8-0)" (in French). 31 October 2019. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
- ^ "Diretta Nantes - St. Etienne" (in Italian). 10 November 2019. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
- ^ "Barrages : malgré la victoire de Toulouse (0-1), Nantes sauve sa place en Ligue 1" (in French). 30 May 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
- ^ "COUPE DE FRANCE 2021 - 2022 - FINALE" (in French). 7 June 2022. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
- ^ "Trophée des Champions: PSG-Nantes in Tel Aviv". 31 July 2022. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
- ^ "PARIS REMPORTE LE TROPHÉE DES CHAMPIONS". 31 July 2022. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
- ^ "LE FC NANTES À LA HAUTEUR DE L'ÉVÈNEMENT !" (in French). 8 September 2022. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
- ^ "LE FC NANTES S'OFFRE LE DROIT DE RÊVER !" (in French). 28 October 2022. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
- ^ "FC Nantes. Les joueurs au crible face à Qarabag : Blas le moteur, Ganago le finisseur" (in French). 28 October 2022. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
- ^ Kilian Robart (12 February 2023). "Ludovic Blas devient derrière Emiliano Sala le 2eme meilleur buteur du FC Nantes en Ligue 1 au 21eme siècle" (in French). Retrieved 18 February 2023.
- ^ a b c Zach Lowy (12 December 2021). "Player Analysis: Ludovic Blas". Retrieved 31 January 2023.
- ^ a b Thomas Millman (17 June 2020). "LUDOVIC BLAS – PLAYER REPORT". Retrieved 31 January 2023.
- ^ "L. Blas". Soccerway. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
- ^ "Technical Reportfinals" (PDF). UEFA.com. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
External links
- Ludovic Blas at the French Football Federation (in French)
- at the French Football Federation (archived 2018-10-02) (in French)
- Ludovic Blas – French league stats at Ligue 1 – also available in French