Rayan Cherki was born on 17 August 2003 in Lyon, France, and came through the youth academy at Olympique Lyonnais, where he was regarded as one of the club's most promising graduates. He made his professional debut in October 2019 at the age of 16 and quickly made headlines by becoming the youngest player ever to score a senior goal for Lyon, netting in a Coupe de France victory over Bourg-en-Bresse in January 2020. That same year he became the youngest player to feature in a Champions League semi-final when Lyon faced Bayern Munich.
His final season at Lyon, 2024–25, was his most complete. He finished as the top assist provider in both Ligue 1 (11 assists) and the UEFA Europa League (8 assists), won the inaugural Ligue 1 Dribbler of the Year award, and earned a place in the UNFP Team of the Year alongside the Europa League's Young Player of the Season honour.
An incisive, left-footed attacking midfielder comfortable on either flank, Cherki signed for Manchester City in June 2025 on a five-year deal for a reported fee of €36.5m, inheriting the club's number 10 shirt. He marked his Premier League debut with a goal in a 4–0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers and helped City lift the EFL Cup in the 2025–26 season.
Cherki made his senior international debut for France in June 2025, scoring and assisting in a Nations League semi-final against Spain. He also represented France at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where the team won a silver medal.