Football: Eugénie Le Sommer, the Frenchwoman of all records

Another record broken! With 199 selections to her name, including 143 starts, Eugénie Le Sommer has held the title of most-called player in the French team, men and women combined, since Tuesday, February 25. A record that she was able to celebrate with a victory for the Bleues in the Nations League against Iceland (3-2) in Le Mans, where she came on in the 78th minute to replace Marie-Antoinette Katoto.

Three days earlier, the 35-year-old striker equalled the record of 198 caps held by former international Sandrine Soubeyrand . In 2009, the latter had beaten the record of 142 caps held by a man, Lilian Thuram. Eugénie Le Sommer also beats Élise Bussaglia, now coach of the Sedan team, with 192 caps to her name. On the men's side, it is goalkeeper Hugo Lloris who now holds the record with 145 caps for the French team.

Selected for the first time in 2009, at just 19 years old, Eugénie Le Sommer is also the top scorer in the history of Les Bleues. A title obtained in 2020 against North Macedonia, during a qualifying match for Euro 2021 won 0-7 by Les Bleues. Eugénie Le Sommer then equaled and then broke the record of 81 goals scored in the French team held by Marinette Pichon. She has since increased her total to 94 goals

According to the French team coach, Laurent Bonadei, the striker has other records to go for. Starting with " crossing the 200 caps, 100 goals mark" , he stressed at a press conference after the victory of the Bleues on Tuesday.

The player, for her part, said she was "relieved and happy". The 200 selections and the 100 goals, she "doesn't think about them at all" . " What matters is to perform well at the club to come to the selection, and if it comes, it comes", said the Olympique Lyonnais player who wants to be a "role model for the little girls" that she wants to inspire .

Like the captain of the French team and OL Wendie Renard (34 years old, 168 caps), Eugénie Le Sommer has announced that she will continue her career at least until the Euro, this summer in Switzerland. This could be her last major competition. The striker has already participated in three Olympic Games (2012, 2016 and 2024) and four World Cups (2011, 2015, 2019 and 2023).