Corentin Issanchou-Roubiou has signed his first professional football contract with Ligue 2 club Rodez Aveyron Football on a one-year deal.
The 21-year-old right midfielder from Tarn-et-Garonne agreed to the contract on June 18, 2026, with an option for an additional year. His parents, Thierry Issanchou and Isabelle Roubiou, accompanied him to Rodez for the signing.
Issanchou-Roubiou began playing football in Verdun-sur-Garonne before spending five years at AS Bessens from age five to 10, where his father served as his coach. He later spent one season at Les Coquelicots Montechois FC before joining Montauban to play at the highest regional level.
Youth career and early challenges
During his time at Montauban, Issanchou-Roubiou earned a spot at the Pole espoirs in Castelmaurou, an academy designed to prepare 13- and 14-year-old players for high-level youth development and professional club academies.
Issanchou-Roubiou said he had dreamed of becoming a professional player since childhood and realized he had an opportunity once he entered the training center. However, his time at the academy presented significant physical and emotional difficulties.
He struggled with Osgood-Schlatter disease in his knee, which kept him off the pitch for a long period. The Covid pandemic also caused repeated interruptions to sporting activities. Leaving home at age 13 for boarding school added emotional strain.
Issanchou-Roubiou said he felt uncomfortable living far from his parents and recalled crying all week while telling them he wanted to quit football. Moving from the countryside put him alongside players from Toulouse and Montpellier. He persevered with support from his family and his sister Mailys.
Development at Rodez
Issanchou-Roubiou joined Rodez in 2020. Guillaume Miquel, who coached him in the under-18 team and now serves on the professional coaching staff, praised his work ethic.
Miquel said that out of thousands of players he had evaluated, Issanchou-Roubiou ranked in his top five for commitment. Miquel noted that although the midfielder needed technical and tactical improvement early on, he developed into a consistent player who earned team respect through quiet effort.
Issanchou-Roubiou played two seasons in the Ligue 2 squad without professional status before securing his contract. He previously served as an established starter and captain for the youth teams at Rodez.
First team breakthrough
Rodez Aveyron Football operates on one of the smallest budgets in Ligue 2 and stood as the only club across Europe's top five major leagues to remain undefeated in official competition during 2026.
Issanchou-Roubiou said the team experienced a turning point in December 2025, when players set higher goals and raised concentration and demands during training. He stated that he elevated his own level alongside the squad, which contributed to earning his professional deal.
During the 2025-2026 season, Issanchou-Roubiou appeared on the Ligue 2 matchday sheet more than 20 times. He made seven substitute appearances and earned his first league start on September 1, 2025, against Boulogne-sur-Mer. He said he now aims to secure maximum playing time to reward his years of effort.
