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The French defender possesses a track record for starting strongly. At his previous club, which he entered as a teenager and spent ten years at before his summer move to the south coast club, his debut saw him be introduced from the bench against Monaco. The fixture culminated with him delivering a cross with a powerful left-footed cross and then finding the back of the net for the victory. At eighteen years old, Truffert directed his effort beneath the opposition goalkeeper, who now visits Bournemouth with his current club. “I dashed off in joy and celebrated on the turf,” Truffert remembers, “just as one fantasizes as a kid after getting your inaugural strike.”

A Seamless Start in England's top flight

Truffert has excelled for Bournemouth right from the start, starting with a fearless team performance at Anfield where he handled the Liverpool star. In that match, he also performed better than the player he replaced and has played every minute in the league this season.

“We know we lost,” he comments of that match, “so it cannot be perfect, but I feel we played very well. I was thrilled because it was my debut and it was a fantastic occasion. We have started positively, but now we must keep going and get a result in the upcoming match.”

The Secret to Adjusting

Hearing Truffert discuss his multi-million pound transfer, the initial move of his career, it is understandable he has slotted in so seamlessly. Team officials talk of an bright character and he is obviously astute. He recognized the advantages of joining early in the summer, to bed in during pre-season, and has spent the past two years studying the English language, knowing how useful they would become if he realized his dream of making it to the Premier League.

“That’s why I can communicate in English,” says the 23-year-old, a humble statement given this first major interview is fully in English. “I think it is vital to do something outside of football, to shift your perspective and consider other aspects of life.” When suggested to him that this speaks volumes of his character, he doesn't look for praise. “Maybe, but it was my family who instructed me it was significant.”

Family Roots

Truffert's family, including his younger brother Florian, a midfielder at his former club, were present with him when he finalized the deal. It could have been meant to be. Not only because Bournemouth had landed a longstanding target but because Truffert had resided in the area as a infant. He was a native of Liège, Belgium, but when he was half a year old, his mother and father transferred to the South Coast due to his father's work as a research facility head. They lived for two years in the locality.

“My parent states that I walked for the first time on the beach in Bournemouth,” Truffert comments. “After those two years, we returned to Belgium for six months and then moved to France.”

National Team Achievements

He has earned a cap once by Didier Deschamps's side, in the year 2022, and last year he was in the France team that finished second at the Olympic Games, the award resulting in a French knighthood. “I have the certificate to show I have the knighthood,” he says, showing a proud grin. His colleagues in the squad included a number of stars, some of whom he was familiar with at Rennes. His coach also was his idol.

“Thierry Henry, one of the best French players,” Truffert says. “When I was a youth I played as a left and sometimes right winger, so that’s why I looked up to him. When I was about in my late teens I switched to left-back. At the Olympics I played primarily in defense, so Gaël Clichy was my main point of contact, but when it was a collective meeting he [Henry] taught me a lot. His knowledge of the game was remarkable, you could sense his know-how and he was eager to share it to us.”

Style of Play

The club recognized him as an perfect match for Andoni Iraola's style, which is built on relentless pressure. “When you display higher energy than your opponent, I think it’s the best way to win,” Truffert states. “You have to execute additional tasks, of course, but if you begin with coming out on top in challenges than your rival, you have a much better chance to win. We cover a lot of ground because each player aims to go forward, but each also desires to defend.

“For us it’s not solely the defense's job and attackers who attack. It’s the entire team. We like to perform all tasks collectively on the pitch – and that’s the best way to win.”

Captaincy and Know-How

Truffert was captain at his former club the previous campaign and at Bournemouth he sets the standard; he trains how he plays and is seen as a perfect professional. He is also highly seasoned for his years with over two hundred career appearances and has played in the Europe's elite competition, UEFA's secondary tournament and third-tier European competition. In the 2022-23 season, his previous club completed a league double over a star-studded PSG side. The English top flight, he says, was the following obvious progression.

He consulted friends and former teammates, including a top player. “I think he’s a top 1v1 players I’ve seen. A world-class forward was also difficult to face and you learn a lot against individuals of this caliber because they can alter the outcome,” Truffert says. “Now at his current club, he operates on the left flank, but when he was at our former club he featured on the opposite flank so I had to compete against him regularly in training.

“It was positive for my growth to improve. He told me the intensity is distinctly higher to Ligue 1. In France, it is possibly more technical – here all fixtures you have to cover ground, no rest.”

Life Off the Pitch

The free time Truffert has had since relocating to permanent accommodation last month has allowed him to explore the locality with his partner and their pet. “We like to {walk around the town|stroll through the area|expl