Tomber en avant | Yohan Benalouane | TEDxÉcolePolytechnique

Personal Journey and Experiences as a Young Footballer

• At age 11, the speaker wrote letters to French Ligue 2 clubs to introduce himself and showcase his skills, but received no responses.
• He faced criticism and homesickness at the Saint-Étienne football academy at age 13 but persevered through his father's tough love and determination.
• Despite a low success rate in the football industry, he signed his first professional contract at age 18.

Career Choices and Success

• The speaker, a former professional footballer, had offers from big clubs like PSG, Juventus, Sevilla, and Celtic but chose Tizena due to a failed medical at Juventus.
• After initial struggles, he found success at Parma and Atalanta, leading to renewed interest from top clubs.
• He faced a dilemma between stability at established Italian clubs like Roma and Inter or taking a risk by moving to Leicester City in England.
• Despite the risk of a potential salary reduction, he chose Leicester and achieved great success, including winning the Premier League, reaching the Champions League quarter-finals, and playing in the World Cup.
• He emphasizes the importance of taking risks and stepping out of one's comfort zone to achieve success.

Overcoming Adversity and Career-Ending Injury

• Patrice Evra shares his personal story of overcoming a career-ending back injury and his journey to recovery.
• He emphasizes perseverance and resilience in the face of adversity, drawing on his experience of being unable to walk or sit for three months due to a herniated disc.
• Evra highlights the value of talent, creativity, time, and love, encouraging individuals to pursue their passions regardless of the circumstances.

Giving Back and Bridging the Gap Between Sports and Entrepreneurship

• Evra discusses the significance of giving back to the younger generation and the impact he and his close friend and former teammate, Johann Benalouane, aim to make through their shared experiences and knowledge.
• He stresses the importance of athletes preparing for their post-career transitions during their active playing days, emphasizing the value of building a network, acquiring new skills, and exploring investment opportunities.
• Evra presents statistics demonstrating the growing influence of athletes in various fields and expresses his desire to bridge the gap between sports and entrepreneurship by leveraging the collective power of athletes, data, audience, influence, and financial resources.
• He concludes by describing the founding of Origin, a platform that aims to bring together athletes, entrepreneurs, and technology to create a significant impact in the world of football.

Building a Strong Off-Field Team and Encouraging Footballers

• The speaker and his team created a strong off-field team of investors, including renowned athletes like Dybala, Rinner, Kiprime, Gomis, Giroud, and Kanté.
• This team of investors represents over 160 million followers, giving them significant influence and communication power.
• The speaker encourages footballers to be open to the world, accept new perspectives, and take risks.
• He emphasizes the importance of perseverance and having faith, even when faced with challenges.