Randal Kolo Muani’s footballing story is one of ifs and buts, of nearly moments that could have altered the trajectory of his career but ultimately left only musings of what might have been.
He was one kick away, beyond the 120-minute mark in a final showdown with Lionel Messi and Argentina, from becoming a World Cup winner. Emi Martinez’s sprawling save took said tie to penalties and the rest, as they say, is history.
Fast forward to January 2025 and another transfer window took Kolo Muani away from Paris and over to Turin. While taking in a loan spell at Juventus, his parent club made history when breaking their Champions League duck.
Can Lost Spark Be Rekindled?
Randal Kolo Muani opens up about the 2022 World Cup final vs. Argentina 😳 pic.twitter.com/imoUuzJCeT
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) February 12, 2024
The France international now finds himself in England, with a move to Tottenham being made in the hope of rediscovering a lost spark. He forms part of a team that sit at 10/3 in Premier League betting to secure a top-four finish.
Spurs are earning favour in football bets that focus on the business end of English top-flight action, with Thomas Frank assembling a squad and implementing a playing style that suggests a Europa League triumph under predecessor Ange Postecoglou can be used as a springboard.
It does, however, remain to be seen how prominent a role Kolo Muani has to play in short, medium and long-term plans at Tottenham. He was a deadline day arrival, with moves made that late in the window often involving more than a hint of desperation.
If the Frenchman had been a top target in the striker market, then he would have packed bags for the English capital long before the final hours of summer business. Questions were immediately asked of where he fit into a Spurs system that tends to select a lone frontman.
No early debut was afforded to him, despite the injury-enforced absence of Dominic Solanke, with Frank settling on alternative options when shuffling his attacking pack. Kolo Muani was considered to be lacking the sharpness required to grace the Premier League.
Discussing why a man that rose to prominence at Eintracht Frankfurt in Germany is being held back by Tottenham, Fabrizio Romano said: “They are just building his fitness as he has been out of the PSG squad for a long time.”
That would suggest that he will come into Frank’s thinking, but there are still plenty of points to be proved on the training ground before a regular role can be nailed down. Another waiting game is being played.
Forget About Frustration Of The Past
“I’m a player who fights for the badge”
Randal Kolo Muani speaks for the first time as a Spurs player 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/AHkuWEO5nb
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) September 1, 2025
Having become lumped with a nearly man tag, Kolo Muani will be eager to shake that as quickly as possible. His ability remains beyond question, with 39 senior international caps not earned without having a bit of something about you.
An unfortunate trend of falling agonisingly short must be snapped, though, sooner rather than later. Having been deemed surplus to requirements at PSG, it is vital that the frustration of the past is forgotten and focus remains locked on the future.
Patience is going to be required, with nobody about to hand Kolo Muani opportunities out of pity. That persistence could be rewarded in time, but there may be a few more ifs and buts along the way.
