Dayot Upamecano

Written by Luke Entwistle for Get French Football News:

Football has allowed Dayot Upamecano to find his voice. The centre-back grew up with a stutter, which he admitted made him "scared to talk". However, playing in the position he does, he was forced to be communicative. "As a defender, I had to speak. It was your role to see the game, to see all the players, so there was no choice," he told the Guardian in April 2023. On the pitch, which during his childhood represented something of a safe-space, the Bayern defender didn't stutter.  Those difficult formative years have made him the player he is today. Commanding and composed, he has found his place in Didier Deschamps' back line but lost his spot in Bayern’s starting line-up during the spring.