A goalscorer with team spirit

Born on 3rd May 1994 in Mont-de-Marsan, Gaëtan Laborde is a graduate of the Bordeaux youth set-up. The young striker was first drafted into the CFA team in 2011, and in the following season played twenty matches and scored 7 goals. He was part of the side that won the Coupe Gambardella in 2013, starting every game in that epic cup run and scoring the only goal of the final against Sedan.

A pacy striker with natural goalscoring ability, Gaëtan was sent out on loan to Red Star (National) to bulk up his match-day experience. He made a total of 24 appearances for the Paris-based side, scoring 14 goals. He then signed his first professional deal in 2014, before embarking on another season-long loan to Ligue 2 side Stade Brestois. He played 26 matches in Ligue 2 and 4 in the Coupe de France, scoring 4 goals.

Gaëtan returned to Bordeaux in summer 2015 as a more mature player. He finally made his Ligue 1 debut and even got a taste of Europa League action, scoring a goal against Rubin Kazan. In the January transfer window he was sent out on loan again, this time to Clermont (Ligue 2). He played virtually every game in the second half of the season, scoring 8 goals and winning many admirers in Clermont.

He is now one of the Girondins' pool of first-team strikers, regularly selected by manager Jocelyn Gourvennec. Gaëtan's contract with the Girondins has been extended until 2019, proof of the club's faith in his attacking abilities.

So far, that faith has been repaid in spades. In 2016/2017, in only his first full season in Ligue 1, he was the club's top scorer (13 goals in all competitions). Gaëtan Laborde set out his credentials right from the very first match against Saint-Etienne, scoring one goal and creating another with an assist for Diego Rolan. The Bordeaux native was also joint top scorer in the league cup, an accolade he shared with Edinson Cavani (4 goals).