Emma Abbes, the discreet partner of Rayan Cherki, has been by his side since his Lyon years

Rayan Cherki played his first match as a starter under Zinedine Zidane on Friday, deployed in midfield alongside Adrien Rabiot and Manu Koné in the new manager’s first match in charge of the Blues. A promotion that ends the frustration accumulated by the Manchester City player, who had been confined to a substitute role by Didier Deschamps.

During the World Cup held this summer, Cherki was able to count on the support of his loved ones in the stands, including his partner Emma Abbes. The two have been in a relationship for several years, a bond formed during Cherki’s seasons at Olympique Lyonnais.

Emma Abbes cultivates marked discretion away from the spotlight. She nevertheless appeared in public in 2022, at the Oscars for influential women organized by Wunite, an events company founded by Sarah Dossevi, the wife of footballer Mathieu Dossevi. Several other partners of professional players were present at this event, including Hanane Mendy and Virginie Demba, partners respectively of Nampalys Mendy and Jean-Armel Kana-Biyik.

Integrated into the France squad since 2025, Cherki had previously struggled to establish himself as an undisputed starter in international football. The arrival of Zidane on the French bench appears to have changed things for the French international, now deployed from the start in a midfield alongside experienced players.