14 February 2022. On this Valentine's Day, it's not just restaurants that are fully booked to celebrate this romantic occasion - handball fans are rushing to the doors of the Palais des Sports in Orléans, which is sold out for a gala match. And with good reason: after four seasons in the second division, the Septors are back and taking on the French champions. However, the 3,200 spectators have no idea that they are about to witness the beginning of a beautiful story.
On that day, less than a month after celebrating his 20th birthday, Wallem made his professional debut with the club whose youth academy had taught him all he knew. Playing away at Saran, he even took the opportunity to mark his baptism of fire by scoring his first goal in a commanding 27-34 victory. It was his first goal for the club, but not the first in his career, as the young talent from the capital club has already been a star player in France's youth teams for several years.
In 2019, he made his debut with Les Bleus in Baku during the European Youth Olympic Festival. Called up to the U17s alongside several of his teammates from the Rouge et Bleu youth academy - notably Baptiste Clay, Valentin Bzdynga and Léo Villain - Wallem showed his potential by scoring three goals in his debut against Iceland (37-31). A few days later, however, the task proved more difficult, with Wallem and co. unable to find a way past a Danish team that was able to count on the immense performance from goalkeeper Mikkel Lovkvist as they claimed a 28-21 victory.
Playing mainly in Nationale 1 to continue his development, Wallem Peleka received sporadic call-ups to reinforce the senior team. Called up but not fielded in the Champions League match against Veszprém at Coubertin in March 2022 (39-40), Wallem neded up making his continental debut almost a year later. Away to Zagreb, our youngster played his first minutes in Raul Gonzalez's men's victory over the Croatians (30-33).
However, it was during the following season that Wallem Peleka truly revealed his talent to France - and Europe. Promoted to the senior team following Yoann Gibelin's injury during the summer tour of Japan, the young left-back quickly made a name for himself. In March 2024, the capital club secured the future of its protégé by offering him his first professional contract, running until 2027.
At the end of his first season with the senior team, he had scored 10 goals and made seven assists in 25 matches. It was an encouraging start, which would turn into a meteoric rise the following season.
"Signing my first professional contract is not the end goal. The next step is to continue performing well, continue giving my best, and learn to be consistent."
If the 2023-2024 season was one of revelation, the following season was one of confirmation. He scored 33 goals and provided 14 assists, without missing a single league match. These performances earned him his first call-up to France's senior team, with whom he made his debut against Sweden in the EHF Euro Cup on 7 May.
After being handed his start with the senior team by Raul Gonzalez, Wallem Peleka has often had to fill in on the left wing in recent years due to injuries sustained by his teammates. With Mathieu Grébille now back in top form and Sindre Heldal joining the capital club last September following the injury to new Parisian Emil Mellegard, Peleka can now fully express himself as a full-back, his preferred position.
The difference is striking, and the man from Stains is on track for a record-breaking season. At the half-way point of the campaign, Wallem has already scored 30 league goals - just three fewer than in his entire last campaign! More skilful in front of goal, yes, but also making more of a difference for his teammates, with 26 assists in 15 appearances.
Beyond his attacking contributions, it is in defence that the Parisian full-back really makes the difference. Having always wanted to be "an important part of the defence", he now forms a formidable partnership with Karl Konan. At 24, Wallem Peleka is already a pillar of the Rouge et Bleu squad, and the wole club is thrilled that such an important player has opted to stay on.
He serves as a role model for the many other academy talents who are working hard to climb the ranks into the first team - just as the capital club's No.42 did, arriving at Coubertin in the U18s after pre-training at Arnouville, FB2M and Entente 95. The story that began on 14 February will therefore continue in Rouge et Bleu until at least 2028, much to the delight of handball fans.