Amir Richardson: Fiorentina’s New Midfield Metronome
There are few things more exciting in football than seeing a footballer with a unique profile. Imagine a lanky, press resistant, left-footed midfielder standing at 6’6, with excellent technical ability and close control, a profile so rare you have to witness it to believe it.
Yet, out of France where midfielders abound, emerged a player with this exact profile. Born in France to an American father and a Moroccan mother, Amir Richardson came through the OGC Nice youth system before joining Le Havre as a 17-year old where he went on to sign his first professional contract.
The son of 4-time NBA all-star, Michael “Sugar” Ray Richardson and Ilham Ngadi, who also played basketball, it is hardly a surprise that Amir is so tall. Many probably the son of the legendary Sugar Ray to take up basketball, but Amir chose football because of his mother, who wanted him to play an outdoor sport and “get some fresh air”. That decision would set him on a path to defy stereotypes associated with his height.
Football has had its share of supremely talented, technically gifted tall outfielders, from Zlatan Ibrahimovic to Paul Pogba, but it is still a surprise every time another one emerges. It is a widely accepted opinion that tall players are unlikely to be technically gifted or able to manipulate the ball in tight spaces because their centre of gravity makes it hard to do so. In truth, it is a reasonable explanation that very few have been able to defy.
It is perhaps why many end up as goalkeepers, where their height is more of an advantage than a disadvantage. It takes a supreme level of skill to stand at 6’6 and be able to do things with the ball that are better suited to players 5’9 and below. Amir is one of the special ones in this regard. He grew up idolising Olympique Marseille star, Lucho Gonzalez, who was 6’1 and consistently excellent in the heart of midfield.
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A young Amir started to model his game around his idol, although he is now built a bit like Moroccan teammate, Azzedine Ounahi, who himself is 6’0 and who was the star of Morocco’s incredible 2022 World Cup run. Amir is slender with nimble feet and long legs that make it easy to win possession without tackling, adapting brilliantly to his own body type.
Richardson is able to create a force field around himself with those legs, protecting the ball when in possession and keeping it with a mix of strength and close control. This is what makes him a domineering presence in midfield, sometimes even unplayable.
The most striking thing about Amir, height aside, is his ability to appear on both ends of the pitch and impact it. He is able to cover a lot of ground in a short time, a deceptive quickness that isn’t immediately apparent. When in the attacking third, he takes up smart positions that enable him to be a goal threat.
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His ball-striking allows him to pop up with the odd goal every now and then. When in the half-spaces, he has the footwork-cut-in-and-shoot ability that elite inside forwards tend to have. In the defensive third, he offers technical security that aids build-up play, an ability to keep the ball no matter how intense the press is, play out of the press and break lines. He can also carry the ball himself, riding challenges like Yaya Toure used to. An adept duel winner, his profile is tailor-made for the elite level.
When Stade de Reims shelled out €2m to sign him from Le Havre who were in Ligue 2 at the time, it was a clear indication that they had seen huge potential in him. Reims hardly make mistakes when they spend that much on relatively unknown youngsters and this was another example. After a further year in Ligue 2 with Le Havre, he came into the Reims side for the 23/24 season poised to repay the investment made on him.
His debut came against Marseille, the club he supported as a child. It was a fine performance, in which he completed 91% of his passes and won 2/5 duels. He lasted only an hour on the pitch before being substituted, just after picking up a yellow card, but the signs were good. In their next game, at home to Clermont, he starred and provided his first-ever assist in the top flight as they ran out 2-0 winners.
From that point on, everything just clicked. Throughout the season, he enjoyed a lot of game-time, starting 14 of the 28 he played in. By the time the season was done, he was already being hailed as the next big thing. What further boosted his reputation was his performances at the Olympic Games for Morocco. In particular, his performance against Spain in the semi finals had clubs around Europe salivating. He won a penalty, completed 3/3 dribbles and won 9/12 duels.
The Atlas Lions ended up losing but he was the star of the show for his country. The Spanish midfield couldn’t get anywhere near him. Morocco eventually lost the game, but Reims must have been counting their blessings. It didn’t take long for concrete interest to turn into a transfer. Fiorentina were the club to go all the way, signing him for around €9-10m. Within 2 years – with one out on loan in the second division – Reims had made almost 5 times what they spent on him. Now at his new club, he is being eased in
So far, Richardson has made 16 appearances for Fiorentina, including seven starts. His talent is undeniable and everyone can see the bags of talent he possesses. It wouldn’t be long before he cements a starting spot and has the whole of Europe looking his way again. Ultimately, his potential suggests that he could end up at an elite club within the next three years.
Still only 22, the future is bright for Amir Richardson. The thing about players with unique profiles is that they are always sought after, especially when they are capable of delivering the kind of excellence that we have seen from Amir on various occasions. The sky is just the starting point for him, and one can expect him to reach the very pinnacle of the sport in no time if he continues to develop properly. Watch out for him.
By: Astorre S. Cerebróne / @Cerebrone
Featured Image: @GabFoligno / Gabriele Maltinti / Getty Images