Nicolas Pays
French footballer (born 2003)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Nicolas Pays (born 7 July 2003) is a French professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Ligue 2 club Montpellier.[1]
| 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 | 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 | 15 | (1) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 25 October 2025 | |||
Career
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
- 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
US Blavozy
- Coupe de la Haute-Loire: 2022–23[4]