You may know her ... ..Marion Torrent, at the age of 24, has just completed her eighth season in D1 with Montpellier. At the age of 15, she started in the elite and since then has made herself a titular seat in the Herault squad. A three-part match, starting with a return to Marion's debut, from his first shots to his arrival in Montpellier's pro team.

Football Hearts: I saw that like many players of your generation the click was the 98 World Cup and the victory of the France team [Marion Torrent was 6 years old at the time]. There, during the Euro [the interview was conducted before the final France-Portugal], you continue to watch football as when you were a child?

Marion Torrent: Yes, of course I'm watching and supporting them. Especially since they progress in the competition. The big posters are very nice to watch. I hope France will win this European Championship.

CDF: Are you also watching the girls' matches whether it's the French team or the Champions League final with Lyon. Do you look at both girls 'and boys' matches?

M.T: Yes, it's sure that when there are French clubs like Lyon in the final of the Champions League, I watch. And I was very happy that OL won. I am often the course of the French clubs feminine or masculine especially in the big competitions.

CDF: In 1998, you were 6, that's when you started playing football. What memories do you have of those first years before coming to Montpellier in 2004. Do you keep memories of that time, from the beginning, because initially you played with boys?

M.T: Yes, I have some anecdotes when I played in chicks or benjamins with the boys of Luynes (Aix-en-Provence). At that time, I was the only girl who played at the highest level in the region. Now, there are more girls playing football.

When I played against Olympique Marseille or clubs like Burel or Les Caillols, big clubs in the region, and especially when we won with "a girl in the team", there were always parents around the field who said to their children: "Have you seen, she has made you misery the minot! ". Me, it made me laugh and it gave me even more desire to play and progress.

Marion Torrent, at the time of her early years with Luynes. Among his teammates, Valentin Eysseric (standing behind Marion) who will also continue his career to the highest level

In Luynes, I played in the same team as Valentin Eysseric, who is now a professional at AS Saint-Étienne ... At the age of 12, when Montpellier contacted me with a School + Soccer project, I jumped on the occasion ...

CDF: In your choice to take the plunge and go to Montpellier what role has your entourage played? With a father and a brother who also played football ...

MT When we live between Aix-en-Provence and Marseille and we go to Montpellier, my parents and I, we said to ourselves: "she leaves, but it's 1h30, 2h drive, it's still not so far away. " After that it was more difficult for my mother because I was only 12 years old ... It still took 4 months to decide.

Initially, I returned every weekend. Then, with the matches and then my integration in D1, we no longer had the opportunity to return. But my family came to see me every 15 days. My parents make the trips back to Aix / Montpellier for 12 years, but it's still difficult, especially when I was younger ...

My dad always followed me in the youth competitions I won (2 federal cups in 13 years, 2 federal cups in 16 years and 1 national cup in 16 years with Languedoc). He came to see me in the Netherlands and Switzerland for the U17 European Championship (2009) with the France team.

My mother followed me a little less but she started slowly and she loves football now.

We can still say that it was difficult because there were many sacrifices but compensated by victories in competition: the Coupe de France, the U19 European Championship [2010, Macedonia] with the France team, and my participation in the U20 World Cup [2010] in Germany.

Marion Torrent (right) on the podium of the winners with her teammates of the France U19 team. They have just won the Euro 2010 in their category.

CDF: When you arrived in Montpellier, in U13 you were in a women's team but you played in a boys' championship. How was it for you?

M.T: It was going well. I was playing defensive midfielder and when a girls team meets boys teams, the defensive midfielders have a lot of work. But it's very instructive to play against boys, faster and more powerful than us. I learned a lot, which allowed me to be quite comfortable when, at the age of 15, I played against women's teams in D3.

CDF: You spoke about your title with the France team and the victory at the 2010 European Championship in U19. What memories do you remember knowing that still today it is perhaps the most beautiful title of your career?

M.T: Yes the title of U19 European Champion with the France team is the most beautiful title of my career with the Coupe de France won [in 2009] with the MHSC. It is a great pride to have won and it makes you want to win more with the team of France and Montpellier. It's an unforgettable memory and it pushes to work even more.

Marion Torrent at the Gerland stadium with the 2009 France Challenge trophy

CDF: You have just turned 24, you may have been in Montpellier for 12 years, and you started in D1 in 2008 [at age 15]. Do you remember your first minutes in D1? Are these moments that you keep in mind?

MT: I do not really remember the first games ... .. I just remember the great stress that I had when the coach told me: "get ready Marion, you'll go home", but also my desire to do well when I knew that I had to "prove" by coming into play 15/20 minutes. After, being a holder, the stress disappears because we have more time to "make his match". The players of the time had me very confident and so it went well for me.

The rest of Marion Torrent's interview is here (second part / third part)