The present study aims to explore the mediating effects of conscientiousness and alexithymia in the relationship between parental attachment style and alcohol use in a large sample of athletic young people.Participants included 434 French sport sciences students. Alcohol use, parental attachment style, conscientiousness and alexithymia were assessed. The hypotheses were tested by using regression and bootstrapping mediation analyses.Maternal insecure attachment style is positively associated with alcohol use. The current study highlights a multiple pathway in this relationship. The results reveal the mediating effect of low conscientiousness and alexithymia between maternal insecure attachment and alcohol use.Athletes' alcohol use seems to be the result of a complex association of underlying psychological factors.