While every position is important in football, the most mental burden is usually on the man donning the number 1 shirt. This is why we don’t see many clubs deploying young shot-stoppers in their ranks. So, when any young, talented goalkeeper rises, a great deal of attention is spent on him. This is why the rise of Toulouse youngster Guillaume Restes has garnered massive attention from everyone.
At just 19 years old, Restes became the first choice at Toulouse and performed admirably, considering his young age and the pressure of a top league like Ligue 1. Goalkeepers, especially young ones, are a rarity; therefore, the demand for such players is higher than in any other position.
So, who is Guillaume Restes, and how good is he?
Who is Guillaume Restes
Guillaume Restes was born in Toulouse, the fourth-largest city in France. Toulouse is home to Airbus, one of the two largest aircraft manufacturers in the world. Perhaps the aviation conglomerate inspired Restes to set lofty goals and fly high in the footballing world.
The shot-stopper joined the local club Toulouse FC as a six-year-old. Over the years, he slowly rose through the ranks. Being a goalkeeper in the youth ranks makes it very tough to rise, as only one player takes the spot.
However, such was the talent of Restes that he regularly played in teams far above his age. Toulouse recognised his talent early and signed him to a contract as soon as he turned 16 in 2021. He was immediately sent to Toulouse B, the reserve team that played in Championnat National 3, the fifth division of the French football system. He made four appearances for them, keeping two clean sheets.
The next season, he made 12 appearances for the team. His performance was one of the reasons why Toulouse finished second in the league: 55 points, 14 more than the previous season.
At the end of 2022-23, Toulouse faced a dilemma. After Maxime Dupe’s departure, three goalkeepers were vying for the starting spot: Alex Dominguez, Kjetil Haug, and Restes. Restes was the youngest and most inexperienced. However, he was handed the starting spot because of his talent and drive.
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Guillaume Restes stats
Toulouse manager Carles Martínez Novell took a risk by backing Restes as the starting goalkeeper, but this move has paid well. While he has only kept four clean sheets, a look at his stats say he is far better. Restes has made 74 saves this season, the tenth-most in the league.
He has also played 96 accurate balls and has a fair save percentage of 67.27 percent. However, for a goalkeeper, the one stat that matters most is his performance in big games. His true test came in the Europa League game against Liverpool, where he helped his team win 3-2. Another good performance of his came against Nice, when he made five key saves to help his team win the game 2-1.
His best game in Ligue 1, though, has to be the one against Marseille. He made six saves that earned Toulouse a well-earned point on the road. Restes’ stats do not rank him among the top goalkeepers in Ligue 1, but we must remember that he is only 19 and playing in a position where players develop until their late 20s. If Restes keeps this pace of development, then he could easily surely be playing a top club in the future.
Toulouse’s 18-year-old goalkeeper Guillaume Restes leading the ultra chants after the 3-2 win against Liverpool. ✨🇫🇷📢
— Football Tweet ⚽ (@Football__Tweet) November 10, 2023
Guillaume Restes style of play and positioning
Another thing about the goalkeeper is that outside of saving, his other major attributes are hugely determined by what tactics a team deploys. A goalkeeper like Ederson and Alisson would not be the ideal candidate for a club like Atletico Madrid that does not require their goalkeeper to be extremely talented with the ball at their feet, and the reverse is also true, as Jan Oblak wouldn’t be too comfortable with the ball at his feet.
Guillaume Restes plays in a Toulouse team that plays a very defensive system, and the statistics back it up. They have won the second-most aerial duels (389), won the fourth-most fouls, conceded the most fouls, and have received the most yellow cards.
So, Restes’ sole focus is to ensure the ball does not find the back. While his passing shows that he could be developed into a modern-day ‘sweeper keeper,’ that goal remains a distant dream for now.
His height is 1.86 metres, which, by goalkeeper standards, is a little short, but such are his reflexes and positioning that he is able to overcome this shortcoming. The most important thing is that he has that calm head that is required from a number one under a pressure situation, and that too at such a young age.
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Guillaume Restes potential
A teenager playing as a regular starting goalkeeper in a top-five league is the only statement one needs to realise the potential. And Restes has proved that he is more than capable of holding his own on the big stage. While it is only his first season, the rate at which he has risen, he is being monitored by top clubs and tracked by France’s national team setup.
After Hugo Lloris’ retirement, a host of goalkeepers are vying to be the next star between the goals for Les Bleus. While they are outstanding candidates for the role, such as Mike Maignan, Lucas Chevalier, and Yehvann Diouf, Restes has a real shot at getting the role if he keeps up his form for the next two to three years. If he does that, then he could be the main man for the 2018 world champions for more than a decade.