Terrier was already established in the Lyon squad when Cherki made his first steps into the senior environment, and the forward was struck by the teenager’s confidence and maturity.
Manchester City midfielder Cherki was only 16, but Terrier felt he behaved like a much older player inside the dressing room.
“He was 16, and I had the impression he was 25,” Terrier told So Foot. “In the dressing room, it wasn’t that he lacked tact, he was himself, and that’s what’s beautiful. He was fresh, he spoke to everyone as he would speak to his friends.”
Terrier also rejected any suggestion that Cherki’s personality created problems among his teammates.
“I never saw any disrespect from him, or a bad attitude,” he said.
The strongest impression, however, came from Cherki’s technical ability. Terrier was particularly surprised by the youngster’s ability to use both feet naturally and perform different set-piece duties with either one.
“The first time, I thought: ‘What is this guy?’ It’s not normal, he had both feet, like Ousmane,” Terrier recalled. “He took a corner with his right, then a penalty with his left.”
Terrier said Cherki’s style stood out because it was instinctive rather than overly controlled by modern tactical and analytical demands.
“I love watching Rayan play. He’s a magician, it’s real football,” he said. “This kind of player tends to disappear with all the video analysis. It’s good, it’s part of the evolution of football, but there is less spontaneity.”
According to Terrier, Cherki represented the opposite of a player whose every action is prepared in advance.
“Everything is prepared in advance. He is the complete opposite. It’s instinctive,” he said.
Terrier ultimately described playing alongside Cherki as a privilege, arguing that his combination of personality, technical ability and spontaneity made him unusual even at a young age.
“That’s why Rayan is unique. It was a pleasure to play with him,” Terrier said.