Superb close control, electric dribbling skills and a sweet left foot, Gautier Kanga Akalé has all the trappings of a classic left-winger, and at Auxerre the Ivory Coast international is finally fulfilling his immense potential. Born in the West African country’s capital, Abidjan, Akalé’s dream of becoming a professional footballer in Europe followed the well-worn path of many of his African predecessors.

At just 17, he took off for Switzerland following a contract offer from FC Sion; however, the dream quickly turned into a nightmare.

Unable to adapt sufficiently quickly to life in Europe, the teenager was left out in the cold by Coach Paul-André Dubosson, who considered him too small, too inconsistent and not physically or mentally strong enough to make the grade. Luckily for Akalé, after an entire season without even making the bench in Sion’s first team, Gilbert Gress at FC Zurich decided to take a chance on the mercurial ‘gaucher’.

Over the next three seasons Akalé would slowly establish himself at the club, making a total of 67 League appearances and scoring eight goals.

But it was with the national team that Akalé first caught the eye of Auxerre assistant Coach Daniel Rolland. Ivory Coast boss Robert Nouzaret was not the first person to appreciate the winger’s silky skills and impressive change of pace, but importantly, he realised how to get the best out of a young man already marked by his negative European debut.

“He fitted in perfectly to my system of 4-4-2 where he would attack, dribble and provoke the play,” explained Nouzaret. “He’s an incredibly good player, but he has to feel the people around him have confidence in him. He needs to be built up," he added.

After signing for Auxerre in December 2002, a knee injury limited Akalé's appearances from the substitute’s bench to just five. Competing with France international Olivier Kapo and Senagal playmaker Khalilou Fadiga for a place in the starting eleven, Akalé quickly appreciated the need to knuckle down after realising that natural talent alone would not be enough.

But in 2004/05 he enjoyed his most consistent campaign. “I’ve got the backing of my Coach and the players, who know that at any moment I’m capable of giving them that killer pass or slicing through the defence,” he says.