Majri: France can win the tournament - FIFA WOMEN'S WORLD CUP
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| AFP |
Amel Majri is accustomed to making pacy runs down the flank, but she may even have surprised herself with the speed of her rapid rise in the world of professional football.
Having made her French First Division debut for Lyon at the age of 18, and earned her first cap for France just three years later, the tireless left-back is a player with a bright future.
The 22-year-old will soon have the opportunity to perform on the world stage at the FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015™, where her talent, athleticism and positive attitude should make her a valuable asset for Les Bleues.
As a child, the future international learned quickly that, to earn a place in local youth teams, she had to show she was capable of competing with boys, which she did with typical confidence and good humour.
“A girl who nutmegs boys doesn’t always get the best reaction,” she told FIFA.com, with a cheeky smile. “I was just as good as them, and was sometimes even better.”
As Majri’s family moved to France from Tunisia when she was just one year old, Majri grew up with a foot in two different cultures, an aspect of her childhood that she appreciates.
“Sharing two cultures certainly broadens your horizons; you end up soaking up the best parts of both,” explained the self-assured defender. “Playing football in Tunisia is not all that different from playing football in France. People don’t prejudge you and you can play without worrying about things too much.”
France first
After playing her way into the starting XI at French giants Lyon, where she developed swiftly under the watchful eye of coach Patrice Lair, Majri began to dream of international recognition. “The Tunisians spoke to me, but I’d already decided that I wanted to represent France. I was keen to defend the colours of my country.”
Current France coach Philippe Bergeroo was the man who helped her realise that dream, identifying skills, discipline and a surprising maturity in her game that would serve Les Bleues well.
“I can’t claim to have discovered Majri,” the former international goalkeeper pointed out to FIFA.com. “Two years ago, Patrice Lair said to me, ‘Listen, I’ve got a great young player here – I’ll take her under my wing, and when she’s ready to take a step up, I’ll give you a call.’ And one day, he did exactly that.”
Having flourished at Lyon alongside elite players and within a professional structure, Majri proceeded to do the same in the French set-up. “Playing international football means you have to pay more attention to things like your image, and ensure your lifestyle and diet are healthier – sweets and other rubbish are off the menu,” she said, laughing.
Athletic ability
A former athletics exponent, the energetic Frenchwoman eventually turned her back on the sport during her youth to focus on football. Rather than regretting this choice, she has found a way of applying her running skills to the beautiful game, and can regularly be seen powering down the left-hand side of the pitch.
Having previously played further up the field, she has adapted to her defensive role for club and country with aplomb, even if her opportunities of hitting the back of the net are more limited now.
“Full-backs tend to get forward quite often and so I use my dribbling skills and my ability to drive into opposition territory at both club and international level. Although I don’t get many chances to score, it’s a bit of a trade-off,” she said.
On 9 June, France, appearing in their third Women’s World Cup, will face England in their opening group match of Canada 2015.
“I don’t want to come across as overconfident, but I do think we can win the tournament, “ said Majri. “We have a nice mix of styles – we can pass the ball around really well, but we’re also good in the air. We’ve got pace and a physical presence, and we’ve shown that we can play intelligently when need be.
“Against the top teams it’s going to come down to the little things, but we’ve got a great coaching staff, and that’s obviously going to go in our favour,” she concluded with an air of confidence.