Alexandre Lacazette Reveals Why He Became a Striker After Starting Life as a Goalkeeper

Alexandre Lacazette has revealed how his mum's influence made him convert to a striker from his original position as a goalkeeper.

The Arsenal striker is one of the hottest marksmen in European football, and has made a good start to his Gunners career with four goals notched in his opening eight matches.

Things could have been so different for Lacazette, however, if his mother had not been concerned over the 26-year-old playing in goal - for fear that doing so was considered too dangerous by her - in quotes published in the Sun.

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Lacazette explained: "I did like playing in goal when I was young but my mum wasn't very keen as she thought being a goalie was too dangerous. She said that I either played as a forward or not at all!"

Given the propensity for attackers to be egotistical in nature - given their desire to score as many goals as possible - Lacazette is someone who is not in keeping with that stereotype.

Indeed, the France international has revealed that he was - and still is - quite a reserved character, and that such a personality stems from his childhood.

The Arsenal ace went on to state that he was always emabarrassed when, as a young boy, his team would trounce opponents by a hefty scoreline and how he would get extremely upset if his side ended up on the wrong side of a punishing scoreline.

He added: "Sometimes I was embarrassed for the opposition if there was a huge goal difference between the two teams but that didn't happen all the time.

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"I suppose temperament wise, I was quite reserved. I still am. I just liked playing football with my friends. If we lost, of course I was sad. I used to cry at the slightest negative thing. Don't worry, it's changed now!"

Lacazette could be in action for Les Bleus in their final World Cup qualifiers against Bulgaria and Belarus in the next five days.