In Football, you always have to make choices. Go through dilemmas, which can sometimes pay. Like this challenge, Emelyne Laurent will take up the challenge. In January, the young Montpelliéran U19 sign with the first team of Bordeaux, at this time in an uncomfortable position and relegation plausible. But the situation will be reversed and the team manages to save and stay in D1 in the last game against Paris, for his first exercise in the elite. The French international U19 is for many, since it will offer important victories, like that against Marseille (1-0). An explosive speed and an almost perfect finishing ability make her a formidable player. Interview.


Hearts of Foot - In Montpellier you trained with the group of D1 but you played with the U19?
Emelyne Laurent - Exactly, I trained with the D1 squad and I played matches with the U19 team.


Soccer Hearts - You could have continued with the U19, but you wanted to play young in D1 and quickly?
EL - Indeed, I could have continued in U19 but this season we went down to excellence (four groups, and a level below the elite U19) but I did not want to stay at that level because compared to the elite (composed of two groups) it is less attractive to me, even if there are beautiful formations all the same.


Soccer Hearts - It's a half-season we'll say for you, but who has been rich in learning? It was fast anyway like learning? On what points do you think you have learned during this year?
E.L. - Half a season? Yes we can say that, because I did a U19 game with Montpellier and the other part with Bordeaux and D1. Two half-seasons with two different levels.
Yes she was rewarding. (laughs) In addition she was fast, I played football that I used to play and having been well integrated in the group, things were easier.
Already in terms of controlling emotions, because we were still in a delicate situation. We had to keep the goals in mind and not to crack because mathematically [when I arrived] we were not relegated to D2, so we had to stay well psychologically and in place. There is also the management of the games that had to be taken into account, because it is still the high level. In the approach also of the preparation of the matches, it is a little more professional [than the U19] much more. We play against semi-pro teams, see pro. It is also a point on which I had to progress, I think. At the level of the game, I worked hard physically, in the contacts (the duels) in particular.


Soccer Hearts - You seem to be a player who has a lot of self-confidence, it's a real strength?
E.L. - (white) Ah you find? (laughs) We're not going to lie to each other, but when I was in U19 I did not have much confidence [in me], but when I got there [in Bordeaux] I let go, I felt well and that's what made the difference too. I knew I had something and tried to prove to myself what I could do. I also thought that we had to count on each other. For my part I made every effort to be able to count on me anyway, even if sometimes it was complicated ... I absolutely wanted to help the team and bring a plus.


Hearts of Football - With Bordeaux you had to adapt to your team, but also to your new post of advanced game? Jerome Dauba (coach) told us that you brought in the game in depth by your speed and that you revealed yourself in the finish to score the goals? That's something you had to work in fact?
E.L. - Yes that's right, ah yes (acquiesse). It was not easy [to play peak], because it is a position where I rarely play, even compared to my size we will say, but frankly it went really well, even very well. I did not think I was going to adapt so well [to this job].
Yes, but in fact I always scored goals in U19. After D1, it is true that it is another level. In the first two games [with Bordeaux] I did not score, and the coach did not know me either, so I quickly adapteded. In two games, three games I really took the step and after that it was in continuity [of my work]. I was always putting myself in questions too. (smile) You can ask the girls (laughs), because after the games, I was never satisfied.

Hearts of Foot - You also say on Girondins33 that you like "the actions where it goes quickly", your speed is a real asset? And we have the impression that in Montpellier there was competition on this point, it is also the reason for your departure?
E.L. - Frankly yes it's an asset because I like to move in the spaces, play one, two, three keys. I use a lot my speed so it's true that it's an asset, my main asset, but I also work on other aspects such as my positioning.
I felt that I was stagnating in Montpellier, and I needed to pass a landing, even if I was young, I felt this desire because I am quite ambitious. But I did not leave on a whim, it's really a well-considered decision. In addition, it is true that there is a lot of competition in Montpellier. I needed to prove to myself that I could bring to a team in D1.


Soccer Hearts - You scored 5 goals this season, it's more than Dzsenifer Marozsan, or as much as Alex Morgan at just 19 years old. (light laughs) What does it do to you?
E.L.-Frankly, it's ... magic. Sometimes, I say "still Emelyne, you scored". We'll say it's a plus [because it's not my first role at first] but it's a lot thanks to the team, the girls. When you trust yourself, you do the impossible.


Football Hearts - This last game of the season against Paris you said (on Twitter) just before you go "play it with this desire to achieve the feat" so it was well anchored in your head to fetch that cost costs this place 10th to stay in D1? We also felt that you really had a mental preparation in this half-season with Bordeaux.
E.L. - (laughs) The famous match. Exact. Ah yes absolutely, we would not say too much because everyone saw us losing and down in D2. We knew very well that despite the gap between the teams at the top of the rankings and at the bottom we could do that which allowed us to achieve the feat. We wanted to stay in the elite league. To believe it, it boosted us in this last match to keep our place in D1. We played with the desire to stay in the elite and if I had to keep a match it would be that one. Because leading 2-0 against Paris, it's still a "feat".
Yes because I had already experienced "moments" with Montpellier, who forged me and when I went to Bordeaux, I thought that anyway I knew what to expect. Football is also played psychologically, so you have to be prepared in this aspect as well. We must not let go. It must be confirmed all the time, the mistake will be known to us all our life, however we can make sure to do as little as possible.


Hearts of Football - When you are young, you dream of many things, it is sometimes difficult to take a step back. How do you keep your feet on the ground?
E.L. - Personally, in everyday life I am quite Cartesian, I think a lot, a lot, I put the pros and the cons all the time and sometimes too often. I surround myself with people who matter to me too, especially my family, my parents who give me a little in what I'm going to do.Football Hearts - To evoke the selection where you play since the U16 and in particular the U19 French team, you played all the matches including those for the qualifying phase at the Euro. We felt that it was difficult for the team, especially against the Netherlands, that it was absolutely necessary to win to be qualified directly (Les Bleuettes finished better second).
E.L. - Yes, it was very difficult. We had a squad with girls who had not really played a lot together and who did not necessarily play in top D1 clubs, like last year where that was the case. So inevitably there is a difference [between the champion generation of Europe 2016 and that of this year]. We still have qualities, luckily for us, we managed to qualify for the Euro anyway. We will have to seize this opportunity to play the final phase, because the France team is still champion of Europe in title. Must prove that we are able to be European champion too. Now we will take the games one after the other because it is always an experience to take in addition to playing in international team.


Soccer Hearts - On Monday you learned the good news and this Thursday you will know your group. There is apprehension inevitably, you will be expected.
E.L. - Yes, it was already on track [because we finished second best in qualifying].
Yes very expected. We have a little apprehension certainly, even surely ... After there is a little time, so we will enjoy the holidays to relax with our families, but it will happen very quickly. We will have to work well during the preparation and we will see what will happen.


Football Hearts - On what points do you think we need to progress towards this deadline compared to the qualification phase?
E.L. - Individually we have many qualities but then we will say tactically, in terms of displacements, positioning there are many more things to work, I think. When we have the ball after we get there, but here are some settings for this Euro.


Football Hearts - Last question, it concerns some rumors that hang around you about your change of club. We are talking about Lyon.
E.L. - So listen I still do not have the answers to this question, as everyone keeps talking about it. We will see in due time.


Hearts of Football - Because the OL needs young like you, decisive, with a clean quality like your speed, pusic in the squad of the D1, there are not many players U19, compared for example at PSG or Juvisy.
E.L. - I would say that they have young people like me, they want to complete even more their workforce.