They were born in the 21st century and embody the offensive future of a French team in renewal: Sandy Baltimore, Melvine Malard, Naomie Feller and Kessya Bussy, European champions in young people now reunited with the Blue, continue their apprenticeship Tuesday 26 October at 5 p.m. in Kazakhstan, before dreaming of Euro-2022.
The long hours of flight to Nur-Sultan, where the French continue their qualifications for the World-2023 so far without a hitch, have not been right for the freshness of these four neo-internationals.
Bound by their continental coronation in the under-19s won in 2019 in Scotland, these attackers share an appetite for goal and dazzling excesses, all qualities appreciated by Corinne Deacon, a breeder in search of new blood less than nine months from the start. ‘Euro in England.
“There were four totally different profiles, and very complementary,” remembers Gilles Eyquem, the title coach in “U19”. “This offensive potential is what made us strong. We were looking for strong girls defensively to ensure behind, and we let our attackers make their talent speak in front,” he adds for AFP.
Baltimore-Malard, already at the top
The 2019 World Cup in France? Melvine Malard and Sandy Baltimore, too young, therefore follow her from their TV … Before illuminating the Under-19 Euro a few days later: four achievements for the first, crowned top scorer of the tournament, and a goal decisive for the second in the final against the Germans (2-1).
Two years later, at both 21 years old and six selections among the “big girls”, they do not only symbolize the future of the Blue, but already their present.
Baltimore, explosive wing of small stature (1.56 m) with “phenomenal left foot” according to Gilles Eyquem, toasted the stages of the highest level in a few months at Paris SG, winning a trophy of best hope of the D1 Championship feminine last season and scoring, already, two goals in the selection.
Malard, “generous player who needs space” according to her former coach, has made her way in the competitive environment of Olympique Lyonnais to a starting place, barely more than five years after leaving his native Reunion.
Already well established in Clairefontaine, the Baltimore-Malard duo found in October two former teammates of the youth selections, their one-year younger daughters: Kessya Bussy and Naomie Feller.
Players from the Stade de Reims in D1, Bussy (20 years old, 2 sel.) And Feller (19 years old), who celebrated his first cap against Estonia (11-0) on Friday, were on the trip to Scotland in 2019 and found among the Blue almost logically, a few months after their elders.
“Young people to find a place, I will not be patient for long,” said Deacon Friday. On the synthetic turf of the covered enclosure of the Astana Arena, facing the 82nd nation in the world, there are undoubtedly a few minutes to take for these two new faces, friends in life and who have no shortage of arguments on the lawn.
When you put yourself in danger playing for mid-table teams, it hardens
“Kessya is a player who will be in the avoidance, in the dribbling, with a good finish. She is above all a player capable of running long, fast and endlessly for 90 minutes,” explains AFP Amandine Miquel, his coach in Champagne.
As for “Nao” Feller, back from a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament of the left knee which made her miss an entire season, “she would have been a starter for a year with the Blue without her injury!” assures the Reims coach, impressed by “the exceptional speed with the ball at the foot” of this “strong, strong in duels, good head” center forward.
Less exposed than the Parisians and the Lyonnaises, these two Rémoises (6th in D1) compensate by “connections” and “a much more complete game panel”, born from less unbalanced oppositions on a daily basis, according to their coach, who also records the summons of defender Océane Deslandes (21), another representative of this rising generation.
“When you put yourself in danger by playing for teams in the middle of the table, it hardens,” she continues. Place for confirmation in selection?
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