Eugénie Anne Claudine Le Sommer-Dariel[3] (born 18 May 1989) is a French professional footballer who plays as a forward for Première Ligue club Lyon and the France national team.[4] She primarily plays as a creative attacking midfielder and left winger, but has also played as a second striker for her country.

Eugénie Le Sommer
Le Sommer with Lyon in 2018
Personal information
Full name Eugénie Anne Claudine Le Sommer[1]
Date of birth (1989-05-18) 18 May 1989 (age 35)
Place of birth Grasse, France
Height 1.61 m (5 ft 3 in)[2]
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
Lyon
Number 9
Youth career
1994–1998 Trélissac
1998–2004 AS Guermeur
2004–2007 Lorient
2007 CNFE Clairefontaine
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007–2010 Stade Briochin 65 (33)
2010– Lyon 245 (195)
2021OL Reign (loan) 18 (8)
International career
2004–2005 France U17 4 (0)
2006–2008 France U19 26 (11)
2008–2009 France U20 8 (5)
2009– France 197 (94)
Medal record
Women's football
Representing  France
UEFA Women's Nations League
Runner-up 2024
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 31 March 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 30 November 2024

Le Sommer is one of the most decorated players in modern women's club football and has scored more goals for France than any player of both men and women.[5] She has won 13 French domestic league titles and is one of just three players to have won a record eight European Cups with Lyon.

Early life

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Le Sommer is one of seven children, five girls and two boys. Her father, Thierry, was a retired policeman.[6] Her mother had played football in her youth.[6]

Club career

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Le Sommer began playing football at the age of five joining the women's section of Trélissac FC.[7] After a four-year stint at the club, she joined AS Guermeur in the Brittany region. She later played at one of the biggest clubs in the region, FC Lorient, and earned many honors in the youth section of the club helping her youth sides win the Coupe Fédérale 16 ans in 2005 and the Mozaïc Foot Challenge in 2006, with the latter being held at the prestigious Clairefontaine academy.

Le Sommer was later selected to attend CNFE Clairefontaine, the women's section of the Clairefontaine academy. After a short stint there, she joined D1 Féminine club Stade Briochin. In her debut season with Saint-Brieuc, Le Sommer appeared in all 22 league matches scoring four goals. The 2008–09 season saw her score 10 goals in 22 matches. For her efforts, she was nominated for the UNFP Female Player of the Year losing out to Lyon player Louisa Necib.

Le Sommer got off to a fast start for the 2009–10 season scoring ten goals in her first seven league matches, which included a hat trick against Toulouse in a 5–4 defeat. She finished the season as the league's top scorer and was awarded the UNFP Female Player of the Year the following season.

On 30 June 2010, Le Sommer announced she would be joining the four-time defending champions Lyon departing her former club, Stade Briochin, after three seasons.[8]

On 30 August 2020, Le Sommer scored the opening goal in Lyon's 3–1 defeat of Wolfsburg in the final of the 2019–20 UEFA Women's Champions League.[9] It was both Le Sommer and Lyon's seventh overall win in the competition and fifth in a row.[10]

On 12 May 2021, it was announced that Le Sommer would be joining OL Reign in the US on loan for the 2021 season.[11]

International career

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Le Sommer has earned caps with the women's under-17, under-19, and under-20 teams. With the under-19 team, she participated in both the 2007 and 2008 editions of the La Manga Cup, as well as both the 2007 UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship, as an underage player, and 2008 UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship, with the latter being held on home soil. France reached the semi-finals at the 2007 finals and were eliminated in the group stage in 2008. Le Sommer later featured with the under-20 team at the 2008 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, held in Chile. In the tournament, Le Sommer scored a team-leading four goals, which included a brace against Argentina in the final group stage match, which sent France through to the knockout rounds to face Nigeria. In the match against Nigeria, with France trailing 2–1, Le Sommer equalised in the 49th minute. France won 3–2 with a late goal from Nora Coton-Pélagie, but were eliminated in the next round by North Korea. Le Sommer was awarded the Bronze Ball as the tournament's third best player.

On 12 February 2009, Le Sommer made her international debut in a 2–0 win over the Republic of Ireland coming on as a substitute.[12] After appearing consistently with the national team, which included scoring two goals over the course of four matches at a tournament in Cyprus, Le Sommer was selected by coach Bruno Bini to play at UEFA Women's Euro 2009, despite the player not appearing with the team during the qualification process. During the tournament, Le Sommer played in all four matches her nation contested. France reached as far as the quarterfinals losing to the Netherlands 4–5 on penalties with Le Sommer converting her penalty shot. On 23 September 2009, Le Sommer scored her third international goal against Serbia in a 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification match.

She played for France at the 2012 Summer Olympics, scoring one goal, in the 2–1 loss to Japan in the semifinals.[13]

Le Sommer was a striker for France at the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup. She scored against England on 9 June 2015 in France's opening 1–0 victory. She also scored two of France's goals in their 3–0 victory over South Korea in the quarterfinal.[6]

She played in France's 2016 Olympic campaign, scoring two goals in the group stage, one against Colombia and one against New Zealand.[13]

On 22 September 2020, Le Sommer scored two goals in a 7–0 win over North Macedonia in the Euro 2021 qualifiers, to become the all-time top scorer with 82 goals, breaking the previous record of 81 goals by Marinette Pichon.[5]

In France's second match of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, she scored the opening goal of the match against Brazil.[14]

Personal life

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Le Sommer married Florian Dariel, an Olympique Lyon employee, in Brittany on 11 August 2020, two days after winning the 2019–20 Coupe de France féminine.[15] Current and former teammates such as Ada Hegerberg and Corine Franco attended the ceremony.

Career statistics

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Club

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As of match played on 10 January 2024[16]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Stade Briochin 2007–08 Division 1 Féminine 22 4 1 0 0 0 23 4
2008–09 21 10 3 2 0 0 24 12
2009–10 22 19 2 3 0 0 24 22
Total 65 33 6 5 0 0 71 38
Lyon 2010–11 Division 1 Féminine 20 17 4 6 9 5 33 28
2011–12 21 22 5 5 9 9 35 36
2012–13 20 20 6 10 9 1 35 31
2013–14 20 15 5 1 4 1 26 17
2014–15 22 29 5 4 4 5 31 38
2015–16 18 10 5 9 9 5 32 24
2016–17 19 20 4 3 9 6 32 29
2017–18 20 17 6 12 8 4 34 33
2018–19 18 13 5 2 8 6 31 21
2019–20 11 5 3 2 6 5 20 12
2020–21 18 7 1 0 3 0 22 7
2021–22 7 2 2 0 3 0 12 2
2022–23 17 7 6 2 7 0 30 9
2023-24 15 10 3 4 6 1 13 9
Total 245 194 61 60 94 48 400 302
Career total 301 223 62 65 94 48 457 336

International

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Le Sommer playing for France in 2013.
As of 8 August 2023[16][17][18]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
France 2008–09 16 3
2009–10 11 5
2010–11 20 7
2011–12 20 10
2012–13 16 10
2013–14 14 4
2014–15 19 13
2015–16 14 6
2016–17 17 6
2017–18 9 9
2018–19 11 7
2019–20 7 6
2020–21 1 0
2021–22 0 0
2022–23 7 6
Total 182 92

Honours

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Lyon

France

Individual

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Goalscorers" (PDF). UEFA.com. 16 November 2009. p. 3. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
  2. ^ "FIFA Women's World Cup Canada 2015™ List of Players" (PDF). Fifa Data. 6 July 2015. p. 11. Retrieved 8 June 2019.
  3. ^ "Warum hat Eugenie Le Sommer ein D auf dem Trikot?". OneFootball. 8 August 2023.
  4. ^ Rantz, Susie (12 May 2021). "One of the world's best attackers is joining OL Reign". Sounderatheart.com. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  5. ^ a b "Bleues : Eugénie Le Sommer dépasse le record de buts en équipe de France de Marinette Pichon". lequipe.fr (in French). 22 September 2020.
  6. ^ a b c FIFA.com (1 January 1900). "Family support spurs on Le Sommer". FIFA.com. Archived from the original on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  7. ^ "Le Sommer ready to make history". Archived from the original on 23 June 2009. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  8. ^ "Statut pro pour ces dames". Olympique Lyonnais Féminin (in French). 30 June 2010. Retrieved 30 June 2010.[permanent dead link]
  9. ^ "Wolfsburg 1-3 Lyon: Women's Champions League final report". UEFA. 30 August 2020. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  10. ^ "Lyon win fifth Women's Champions League in a row with win over Wolfsburg". DW. 30 August 2020. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  11. ^ "Le Sommer Joins OL Reign on Loan from Olympique Lyonnais". OL REIGN: WE ARE THE BOLD.
  12. ^ FIFA.com. "FIFA Women's World Cup Canada 2015™ - Eugenie-LE-SOMMER - Matches Played". FIFA.com. Archived from the original on 15 June 2015. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  13. ^ a b "Eugénie Le Sommer Bio, Stats, and Results". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  14. ^ "Renard Clinches France's Win Over Brazil". VOA. 30 July 2023.
  15. ^ "Eugénie Le Sommer : la star des Bleues s'est mariée et partage un sublime cliché de la noce - Closer". Closer Magazine (in French). 12 August 2020. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  16. ^ a b "La Carriere de Eugénie Le Sommer" (in French). StatsFootoFeminin. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
  17. ^ "Le Sommer FFF profile" (in French). Archived from the original on 13 June 2015. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  18. ^ "Equipe de France A – Eugénie Le Sommer" (in French). footofeminin. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  19. ^ "LYON GARDE SA COURONNE" (in French). 17 May 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
  20. ^ "ET DE 10 POUR LYON" (in French). 13 May 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
  21. ^ "ET À LA FIN, C'EST LYON QUI GAGNE". 21 September 2019. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
  22. ^ "LYON DOUBLE LA MISE". 28 August 2022. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
  23. ^ "Trophée des Championnes 2023 - Finale - Lyon (D1)-PSG (D1) 2-0". Retrieved 18 May 2024.
  24. ^ UEFA.com. "History: Wolfsburg 1-1 Lyon | UEFA Women's Champions League 2015/16 Final". UEFA.com. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  25. ^ "Women's Champions League final: Lyon 0-0 Paris St-Germain (7-6 pens)". BBC Sport. 1 June 2017. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  26. ^ UEFA.com. "History: Wolfsburg 1-4 Lyon | UEFA Women's Champions League 2017/18 Final". UEFA.com. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  27. ^ UEFA.com. "History: Lyon 4-1 Barcelona | UEFA Women's Champions League 2018/19 Final". UEFA.com. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  28. ^ UEFA.com. "History: Wolfsburg 1-3 Lyon | UEFA Women's Champions League 2019/20". UEFA.com. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  29. ^ Smyth, Rob; Magee, Will (21 May 2022). "Barcelona 1-3 Lyon: Women's Champions League final 2022 – as it happened". the Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 5 November 2024.
  30. ^ "Spain 2-0 France: World champions win Women's Nations League final". 28 February 2024. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
  31. ^ "First Women's World XI Revealed". 2015 FIFPro Award. FIFPro World Players' Union. 18 February 2016. Archived from the original on 28 July 2017. Retrieved 8 June 2019.
  32. ^ "Las mejores futbolistas: el once mundial". 2016 FIFPro Award (in Spanish). FIFPro World Players' Union. 8 March 2017. Archived from the original on 28 July 2017. Retrieved 8 June 2019.
  33. ^ "NWSL Announces the Winners of Mastercard Inaugural 2021 Best XI Awards". 17 October 2021. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
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