Alassane Alexandre Pléa

Alassane Pléa made his name at OGC Nice, where he became a key player before two serious injuries threatened to derail his career: a cruciate ligament tear in October 2015 and a meniscus tear in February 2017 that required surgery. He recovered from both to finish his spell on the Côte d'Azur with 36 goals in 112 league appearances.

He had begun in the Olympique Lyonnais academy, making his senior debut in 2012 and winning the Coupe de France in 2012–13 and the Trophée des Champions the following season, before a loan to AJ Auxerre and a permanent move to Nice in 2014. Borussia Mönchengladbach signed him in July 2018, and he opened his account in German football emphatically, finishing his debut season as the club's top scorer with 12 Bundesliga goals. Over more than 200 appearances for Gladbach he scored 58 league goals, and his form repeatedly drew interest from other clubs across Europe.

Pléa is of Malian descent and was considered for the Mali national team, but he declined the call-up and instead committed to France, making his senior debut for Les Bleus on 20 November 2018 against Uruguay. He also came through the French youth ranks, representing the country at U18, U19, U20 and U21 level.

In July 2025 he left Gladbach for PSV Eindhoven, signing a three-year contract. The move brought immediate success: PSV won the Johan Cruyff Shield that year, and Pléa added the Eredivisie title with the club in the 2025–26 season.