On the side of Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni in Guyana, Serge Jean-François could not hide his emotion when he saw his daughter Oriane enter the field in the 79th minute of play against North Macedonia (11- 0), last Friday.
The 19-year-old Paris FC midfielder, youngest of the group at this gathering of the France team, honored his first selection in A. “I find myself with great players that I saw on TV there is another month, ”smiles the young girl, holder of a scientific baccalaureate and a student in the 1st year of physiotherapy.
It was also in progress, Thursday, October 15, when she learned of her summons to the list of Corinne Deacon.
“I was moved and I had to isolate myself so as not to cry in front of everyone,” smiles Oriane, who immediately called her family in Guyana.
“At first, my dad thought I was playing a joke on him.
I replied:
hang up and look at the Internet
.
When he called me back, he was crying… ”“ Yes, I let go of my little tear, recognizes Serge Jean-François.
It is certainly a source of pride for our family, but also for all Guyanese mothers and women.
Oriane is the first Guyanese to be selected for the French team.
She is very determined but also very humble.
When we speak, she always says:
our goals, not my goals
.
"
"When I was 12-13 years old, I had already prepared to go to France"
Oriane is very attached to her family and to Guyana, which she left in 2016 to come to France.
“The Guyana League supports me a lot and wants to make me the ambassador of football in Guyana.
It's weird because I'm only 19 that gives me responsibilities, I have to be exemplary.
In Guyana, we can feel a little neglected because we are far away.
In our country, women's football has fallen far behind, there were no teams for young girls, we played in mixed teams.
But my journey shows that you must always believe in your dreams, persevere and that everything is possible if you give yourself the means.
"
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The first 🤩 thank's Lord 🙏Beautiful team victory +3 ✅ #fieredetrebleue 🇫🇷
A post shared by Oriane JEAN-FRANÇOIS 🇬🇫🇫🇷 (@oriane_jf) on Oct 24, 2020 at 12:57 pm PDT
The midfielder, who also practiced boxing and taekwondo, started football at the age of 6 at Cosma Foot in Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni with her uncles.
"We are a family of enthusiasts, my father was also vice-president of a club," he says.
Very early on, I was told that I had the skills.
At the age of 12-13, I had already prepared to go to France.
I had already been noticed in international tournaments in Brittany.
It was a difficult choice, I left everything but had no choice.
My family encouraged me.
At first, it was very hard.
But this selection shows that I have still made a good little progress in 4 years.
"
A great strength of character
Autonomous - she has lived alone in a studio since the age of 18 - Oriane exudes great maturity.
After joining the hope pole of Tours and the club of Juvisy (now Paris FC), she had to overcome a big setback during her 2nd year with a rupture of the cruciate ligaments.
But she showed great strength of character.
In July 2019, in the wake of her first steps in women's D1 when she was only 17 years old, she won the title of European U 19 champion with the France team.
“Everything went very quickly, recognizes the one who signed a first professional contract for 3 years in October 2019. At Paris FC, everyone helped me a lot.
I'm still a baby (
laughs
).
Gaëtane Thiney took me under his wing.
Being around great players helps you progress faster.
Being in the France A team was a childhood dream which will give me even more experience.
I will do everything to stay there.
But I do not forget the U 20 World Cup in January (in Costa Rica and Panama) if it is maintained, that was my big goal of the season.
Even if today, she can now dream bigger.
