Nicolas Pays
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 7 July 2003 | ||
| Place of birth | Le Puy-en-Velay, France | ||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Attacking midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Montpellier | ||
| Number | 18 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2015 | US Blavozy | ||
| 2015–2018 | Le Puy | ||
| 2018–2022 | Clermont | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2021–2022 | Clermont B | 8 | (1) |
| 2022–2023 | US Blavozy | ||
| 2023–2025 | Le Puy | 36 | (8) |
| 2025– | Montpellier | 9 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 25 May 2025 | |||
Nicolas Pays (born 7 July 2003) is a French professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Ligue 2 club Montpellier.[1]
Career
[edit]Born in Le Puy-en-Velay, Pays grew up in the nearby commune of Blavozy, where he played for local team US Blavozy.[2] In 2015, he signed for Le Puy, before joining the academy of Clermont in 2018.[3] He went on to play for Clermont's reserve side in the Championnat National 3 prior to returning to his hometown club US Blavozy for the 2022–23 Régional 1 season.[4] In 2023, Pays returned to Championnat National 2 club Le Puy.[3]
On 21 December 2024, in the round of 64 of the Coupe de France, Pays scored in a 4–0 Le Puy victory over Ligue 1 club Montpellier.[5] His performance impressed Montpellier head coach Jean-Louis Gasset.[4] On 29 January 2025, Pays signed for Montpellier for no transfer fee.[6][4] He made his Montpellier and Ligue 1 debut as a substitute in a 2–0 defeat away to Strasbourg on 9 February 2025.[7]
Career statistics
[edit]- As of match played 19 April 2025
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Clermont B | 2021–22 | National 3 | 8 | 1 | — | — | — | 8 | 1 | |||
| Le Puy | 2023–24 | CFA 2 | 21 | 5 | 7 | 2 | — | — | 28 | 7 | ||
| 2024–25 | CFA 2 | 15 | 3 | 6 | 3 | — | — | 21 | 6 | |||
| Total | 36 | 8 | 13 | 5 | — | — | 49 | 13 | ||||
| Montpellier | 2024–25 | Ligue 1 | 9 | 0 | — | — | — | 9 | 0 | |||
| Career total | 53 | 9 | 13 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 66 | 14 | ||
Honours
[edit]US Blavozy
- Coupe de la Haute-Loire: 2022–23[4]
References
[edit]- ^ Nicolas Pays at Soccerway
- ^ "Qui est Nicolas Pays, la nouvelle recrue du MHSC ?". AllezPaillade.com (in French). OneFootball. 30 January 2025. Retrieved 1 March 2025.
- ^ a b "Nicolas Pays : de Panassac à Massot" (in French). Le Puy Foot 43 Auvergne. 15 June 2023. Retrieved 1 March 2025.
- ^ a b c d Georgeault, Nicolas (29 January 2025). "Nicolas Pays, le numéro 10 du Puy Foot, va rejoindre Montpellier en Ligue 1". France Bleu (in French). Retrieved 1 March 2025.
- ^ Jacquet, Lucas (28 January 2025). "Nicolas Pays va s'engager avec un club de Ligue 1 et quitter Le Puy Foot". L'Éveil de la Haute-Loire (in French). Retrieved 1 March 2025.
- ^ "Nicolas Pays rejoint le MHSC !" (in French). Montpellier HSC. 29 January 2025. Retrieved 1 March 2025.
- ^ Jacquet, Lucas (9 February 2025). "Football : Nicolas Pays (ex-Puy Foot) a disputé son premier match de Ligue 1 avec le MHSC". L'Éveil de la Haute-Loire (in French). Retrieved 1 March 2025.