Female Footballer - Eugénie Le Sommer, French football player

Eugénie Anne Claudine Le Sommer (born 18 May 1989 in Grasse) is a French football player who plays for French club Olympique Lyonnais of the Division 1 Féminine. Le Sommer plays as a creative attacking midfielder, but often plays as a second striker for the France women's national football team. She was awarded the Bronze Ball for her performance at the 2008 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup. Le Sommer made her first major tournament appearance for her nation at UEFA Women's Euro 2009. On 30 June 2010, Le Sommer announced she would be joining the four-time defending champions Olympique Lyonnais departing her former club, Stade Briochin, after three seasons.

Le Sommer began playing football at the age of five joining the women's section of Trélissac FC. 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 Briochin, 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 4–5 defeat. She finished the season as the league's top scorer and was awarded the UNFP Female Player of the Year following the season.

More pictures ...

Female Footballer - Élise Bussaglia, French football player

Élise Bussaglia (born 24 September 1985 in Sedan) is a French football player who currently plays for French club Paris Saint-Germain of the Division 1 Féminine. She plays as a midfielder and is a member of the France women's national football team. Bussaglia is the reigning National Union of Professional Footballers (UNFP) Female Player of the Year having won the award after a successful 2010–11 season with her club.

Bussaglia began her career playing for Olympique Saint-Memmie playing at the club during her youth. She spent two years with the senior team before being selected to attend the CNFE Clairefontaine, the women's section of the Clairefontaine academy. After leaving the academy, she joined D1 Féminine club FCF Juvisy playing 14 matches and scoring two goals in her first season. In her second season with the club, she played in all 22 league matches scoring four goals helping Juvisy win the league title. She had another successful season before joining Montpellier. At Montpellier, Bussaglia became an established international player and helped Montpellier to two top table finishes, including helping the team win the 2008–09 Challenge de France and qualify for the newly-created UEFA Women's Champions League in her final season.

In 2009, Bussaglia signed with Paris Saint-Germain and, in the process, joined a club, which included international teammates Camille Abily, Sonia Bompastor, Bérangère Sapowicz, and Laure Boulleau. In her first season with Les Parisiens, despite the club having a respectable season, Bussaglia struggled appearing in 18 matches and scoring only two goals in the league. The midfielder compensated her uneventful performance in the league with a decent showing in the Challenge de France netting the fourth goal in Paris Saint-Germain's 5–0 win over her former club Montpellier in the competition's final match. The victory assured Bussaglia her third career Challenge de France title.

More pictures ...

Super Beautiful Footballer - Louisa Nécib, French football player

Louisa Nécib (born 23 January 1987) is a French football player who plays for French club Olympique Lyonnais of the Division 1 Féminine. She plays as a central attacking midfielder and is described as a "gifted playmaker" who "possesses superb technique". Nécib is also known for her "elegant possession, sublime passing skills, and cultured touch on the ball". She has been labeled by the French media as "the female Zidane", primarily due to having an Algerian background, growing up in Marseille like Zidane, and having immense skill.

Nécib began her football career playing for local youth clubs in her hometown of Marseille, such as Union Sportive Marseille and Celtic de Marseille. With the latter club, she made her senior team debut in 2003 and, in the following season, helped the club win the Division 3 Féminine. In 2004, Nécib was selected to attend CNFE Clairefontaine, the women's section of the Clairefontaine academy. She spent two years at the training center, and in 2006, departed for Montpellier of the Division 1 Féminine. In her only season with Montpellier, Nécib helped the team win the 2006–07 edition of the Challenge de France. After departing Montpellier, she joined Lyon. Since joining the club, Nécib has won a slew of trophies, which include four league titles, one Challenge de France, and one UEFA Women's Champions League title. For her performances during the 2008–09 season, she was named the National Union of Professional Footballers (UNFP) Female Player of the Year.

Nécib is a former French women's youth international having represented her nation at all levels for which she was eligible. At under-19 level, she played on the teams that reached the 2004 and 2005 editions of the UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship. With the under-20 team, Nécib played at the 2006 FIFA U-20 Women's World Championship scoring a goal in the group stage against Argentina as France reached the quarter-finals. Prior to playing in the U-20 Women's World Cup, Nécib made her senior international debut in February 2005 in a friendly match against Norway. Two years later in March 2007, Nécib scored her first senior international goal in a UEFA Women's Euro 2009 qualifying victory over Greece. She has participated in three major international tournaments for her country; the 2005 and 2009 editions of UEFA Women's Euro and the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup. In the latter competition, Nécib acted as the playmaker and contributed to the team that finished in fourth place.

More pictures ...

Female Footballer - Camille Abily, French football player

Camille Anne Françoise Abily (born 5 December 1984 in Rennes) is a French football player who currently plays for French club Lyon of the Division 1 Féminine. She plays primarily as an attacking midfielder. Abily is a two-time winner of the National Union of Professional Footballers (UNFP) Female Player of the Year and, following her second consecutive honour in 2007, became the first women to win the award in back-to-back seasons. Following a move to the Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) league in the United States, she earned Player of the Month and All-Star honors.

Abily began her football career joining Jeanne d'Arc Bruz in 1992. In 1994, she joined nearby club FC Bruz. After a year's stint at another local club, Abily spent time in the first division playing for Stade Briochin and La Roche-sur-Yon. In 2002, she was selected to attend the women's section of the nationally recognized Clairefontaine academy. After her stint at Clairefontaine, Abily signed with Montpellier and won two league titles while at the club, as well as the Challenge de France, the women's domestic cup. After three seasons with Montpellier, Abily joined Lyon. Similar to her stint at Montpellier, she won several titles, which included three straight league titles from 2006–2009. In 2008, Abily joined the new United States-based women's soccer league, Women's Professional Soccer, after her American playing rights were chosen by the Los Angeles Sol in the 2008 WPS International Draft. After helping the Sol win the league, Abily returned to France where she played for Paris Saint-Germain on loan. In 2010, she returned to the United States to play with FC Gold Pride and, subsequently, won her second consecutive title in the league. In 2010, Abily announced that she would be returning to Lyon for the 2010–11 season and, subsequently, was a part of the team that won the 2010–11 UEFA Women's Champions League.

Abily is also a French international. Prior to playing for the senior team, she played at youth level representing the under-18 team at the 2001 UEFA Women's Under-18 Championship. Abily made her senior international debut in September 2001 in a friendly match against the Netherlands. She scored her first goal for the national team six years later in a 2–0 win over China in February 2007. Abily made her major international tournament debut for the team at UEFA Women's Euro 2005 and later played on the teams that qualified for UEFA Women's Euro 2009 and the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup.

More pictures ...

Super Beautiful Footballer - Corine Franco, French football player

Corine Cécile Franco (née Petit) (born 5 October 1983 in La Rochelle) is a French football player who currently plays for French club Olympique Lyonnais of the Division 1 Féminine. Franco serves as vice-captain of her club and plays as a physical, yet creative defensive midfielder, often acting as a deep-lying playmaker. She is also a member of the France women's national football team making her first major tournament appearance with her nation at UEFA Women's Euro 2009.

Franco was born on the west coast of France and began her career playing for Avenir Maritime Laleu in her hometown. She later moved to ES Rochellaise before securing a move to D1 Féminine club ASJ Soyaux at the start of the millennium. Franco spent two years in the youth system before making her league debut during the 2002–03 season. In her debut season, she scored four goals. The 2003–04 season saw Franco's opportunities in the team increase as she was given a permanent role in the starting eleven. Over the next four seasons, she appeared in all 22 matches scoring double-digit goals on two occasions. In her final season with Soyaux, she appeared in 19 matches scoring seven goals. Her successful seven-year career gained the attention of defending champions Olympique Lyonnais and Franco eventually secured a move to the club.

More pictures ...

Female Footballer - Sandrine Soubeyrand, French football player

Sandrine Soubeyrand (born 16 August 1973 in Saint-Agrève) is a French football player who currently plays for French club Juvisy of the Division 1 Féminine. Soubeyrand plays as a midfielder and is a member of the France women's national football team. On 29 October 2009, she earned her record 143rd career international cap in a match against Estonia. The achievement surpassed French men's international defender Lilian Thuram as the nation's most capped football player. Soubeyrand serves as the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports for the city of Juvisy.

Soubeyrand began her career at age seven playing for Boulieu-lès-Annonay in the département of Ardèche. Ate the age of 14, she joined Saint-Cyr Félines. She spent seven years in Saint-Cyr before departing for the city of Lyon playing for SC Caluire in Caluire-et-Cuire. At Caluire, Soubeyrand made her international debut and established herself as a capable midfielder. At the beginning of the new millennium, she joined D1 Féminine club FCF Juvisy, where she currently remains. At Juvisy, Soubeyrand has won two league titles (2002–03 and 2005–06 seasons), a Challenge de France title (2004–05), and has participated in the UEFA Women's Cup and the re-branded UEFA Women's Champions League. During the 2002–03 season, she scored seven goals and, for her seasonal performances, was named the league's top player by the UNFP. For the 2008–09 season, Soubeyrand, despite being 35 years old, appeared in 20 of the club's 22 matches and scored seven goals helping Juvisy finish in 3rd, one point shy of qualifying for the newly-created UEFA Women's Champions League.

Soubeyrand made her international debut on 12 April 1997 in a 3–0 victory over Belgium. Over her 13 years of appearing with the national team, she has played in numerous international tournaments. This includes the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup and four UEFA Women's Championships (1997, 2001, 2005, and 2009). On 29 October 2009, she surpassed Lilian Thuram as France's most capped football player. Soubeyrand currently has 167 caps and has scored 18 goals for her nation.

More pictures ...

Female Footballer - Laure Lepailleur, French football player

Laure Maud Yvette Lepailleur (born 7 March 1985 in Bernay) is a French football player who currently plays for French club Paris Saint-Germain of the Division 1 Féminine. Lepailleur primarily plays as a midfielder, but can also play in the defending position. She is a member of the France women's national football team making her first major tournament appearance with her nation at UEFA Women's Euro 2009.

Lepailleur began her career playing for her hometown club Sporting Club de Bernay. After a stint in the youth system, she joined the women's section of Évreux AC (now Évreux FC). She was later selected to attend CNFE Clairefontaine, the women's section of the prestigious Clairefontaine academy. She played one season (2003–04) with the academy making eight appearances scoring no goals. After leaving the academy, she joined D1 Féminine mainstay Montpellier. In her two seasons at the club, Lepailleur was a regular in the starting eleven. She helped the club win the 2004–05 D1 Féminine title and the 2005–06 Challenge de France. Following the Challenge de France success, Lepailleur moved to up-and-coming club Olympique Lyonnais and, despite not receiving consistent playing time, helped the club win back-to-back titles in 2007 and 2008. Her decreasing playing time, including a short stint playing for the Lyon reserve team in the third division, saw the international moved to impending rivals Paris Saint-Germain. In her first season with the Parisians, she only appeared in 11 matches scoring one goal. For the 2008–09 season, Lepailleur was joined by fellow internationals Camille Abily, Sonia Bompastor, and Élise Bussaglia. The additions helped Paris Saint-Germain reach as high as 1st position with Lepailleur appearing in six of the first seven league matches the team contested.

Lepailleur had previously starred with the women's under-19 team helping France win the 2003 UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship, held in Germany. On 13 March 2005, she earned her first cap with the women's national team in a match against Finland. On 10 August 2009, she was named to the squad to participate in UEFA Women's Euro 2009, due to an injury to national team regular Sandrine Dusang. Lepailleur had not appeared in any matches during the qualification process and only made one substitute appearance in the tournament as France crashed out in the quarterfinals losing 5–4 on penalties to the Netherlands.

More pictures ...

Female Footballer - Sonia Bompastor, French football player

Sonia Bompastor (born 8 June 1980) is a French football player who currently plays for French club Lyon of the Division 1 Féminine. She primarily plays in the midfield position, preferably on the left side. Bompastor can also play in the left back position. She is a two-time winner of the National Union of Professional Footballers (UNFP) Female Player of the Year, and following a move to the Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) league in the United States, earned Player of the Month and All-Star honors.

Bompastor began her football career joining US Mer in 1988. In 1992, she joined US Thoury. In the same year, Bompastor earned selection to nationally recognized Clairefontaine academy joining alongside a select group a female players. After her stint at Clairefontaine, she joined Tours EC, now the women's section of professional club Tours FC. In 2000, she joined Division 1 Féminine club La Roche ESOF and performed well enough to earn a move to Montpellier. At Montpellier, Bompastor earned domestic and individual honors, which resulted in a move to champions Olympique Lyonnais. In 2008, she joined the new United States-based women's soccer league, Women's Professional Soccer, after her American playing rights were chosen by Washington Freedom in the 2008 WPS International Draft. After helping the Freedom reached the playoffs, Bompastor returned to France where she played for Paris Saint-Germain on loan. In 2010, she announced that she would be returned to Lyon for the 2010–11 season and, subsequently, was a part of the team that won the 2010–11 UEFA Women's Champions League.

Bompastor is also a French international. Prior to playing for the senior team, she played at youth level representing the under-18 team at the 1998 UEFA Women's Under-18 Championship. Bompastor made her senior international debut in February 2000 in a friendly match against Scotland. From 2004–2006, she served as the national team's captain. Bompastor has played in numerous tournaments for her nation beginning with UEFA Women's Euro 2001.

More pictures ...

Female Footballer - Ophélie Meilleroux, French football player

Ophélie Anne-Laure Meilleroux (born 18 January 1984 in Montluçon) is a French football player who currently plays for French club Montpellier of the Division 1 Féminine. Meilleroux primarily plays as a central defender, but can also play in the defensive midfielder role. She is a member of the France women's national football team making her first major tournament appearance with her nation at UEFA Women's Euro 2009.

More Photos ....

Female Footballer - Laure Boulleau, French football player

Laure Boulleau (born 22 October 1986 in Clermont-Ferrand) is a French football player who currently plays for French club Paris Saint-Germain of the Division 1 Féminine. Bolleau primarily plays as a defender and is a member of the France women's national football team.

More photos ...

Female Footballer - Wendie Renard, French football player

Wendie Renard (born 20 July 1990 in Schœlcher, Martinique) is a French football player who currently plays for French club Olympique Lyonnais of the Division 1 Féminine. She plays as a central defender. Renard is a former women's youth international having played at under-19 and under-20 level. She currently plays for the senior national team making her debut at the 2011 Cyprus Cup in a match against Switzerland.

Prior to moving to the mainland, Renard played for Essor-Préchotain on her home island of Martinique. She joined Lyon in 2006 and, since the 2007–08 season, has been a regular within the starting eleven winning five consecutive league titles from 2006–2011, as will as the Challenge de France in 2008. In 2010, Renard featured in the final match of the UEFA Women's Champions League and, in the 2010–11 edition, helped Lyon win the competition. She scored the opening goal in a 2–0 win over Turbine Potsdam in the final.

More photos ...

Female Footballer - Laëtitia Philippe, French football player

Laëtitia Marie Philippe (born 30 April 1991 in Chambéry) is a French football player who currently plays for French club Montpellier of the Division 1 Féminine. Philippe plays as a goalkeeper and is a member of the France women's national football team having made her debut on 21 November 2009 against Serbia.

More photos ...

Female Footballer - Céline Deville, French football player

Céline Nadine Sabine Deville (born 24 January 1982 in Berck-sur-Mer) is a French football player who currently plays as goalkeeper for French club Lyon of the Division 1 Féminine. Deville also plays for the senior women's national team having made her debut on 9 April 2002 in a friendly match against Australia.

More photos ...

Female Footballer - Chantal de Ridder, Dutch football striker

Chantal Alida Maria de Ridder (born 19 January 1989) is a Dutch football striker, currently playing for Turbine Potsdam in Germany's Bundesliga. She previously competed in the Netherlands' Eredivisie, winning four titles with Ter Leede and AZ. She scored her first goal for Turbine in the 10–0 2011-12 Champions League home win against Glasgow City.

She is a member of the Dutch national team, and played in the 2009 European Championship after making her senior debut in July 2007 against North Korea.

More photos ...

Female Footballer - Manon Melis, Dutch professional football player

Gabriëlla Maria "Manon" Melis (born 31 August 1986) is a Dutch professional football player who plays as a forward in the WPS for Sky Blue FC. She is the daughter of former Feyenoord player Harry Melis.

Melis has played for the Netherlands national team since 2005. She played for the Netherlands in the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup qualifying rounds and the UEFA Women's Euro 2009 finals.

She was the Damallsvenskan top-scorer in 2010 and 2011,playing for LdB Malmö.

Manon scored 4 goals in the 6-0 won UEFA Women's EURO 2013 qualification opening match for The Netherlands against Serbia on 21 September 2011, stating: "It is a great feeling to score four goals, I had never done that before for the national team"

In November 2011 she announced she was moving from Malmö to Sky Blue FC. In her last match she helped LdB secure a spot in Champions League quarterfinals with a goal.

More photos ...

Female Footballer - Sylvia Smit

Sylvia Smit (born 4 July 1986) is a Dutch female international footballer. She plays for FC Zwolle in the Eredivisie and the Netherlands women's national football team.

In the 2008-09 season she became topscorer of the Women Eredivisie with 14 goals. In the season 2009-10 she became topscorer again with 11 goals but had to share the honor with Chantal de Ridder (AZ).

On 6 August 2004 Smit debuted for the senior Netherlands women's national football team, playing the first half of a 2–0 friendly defeat to Japan in Zeist.

Smit also featured in the Netherlands' run to the semi-final of UEFA Women's Euro 2009.

More photos ...

Female Footballer - Lieke Martens

Lieke Martens is a Dutch football player who currently plays for Standard Liège. She previously played for SC Heerenveen and VVV-Venlo in the Vrouwen Eredivisie. She can play as a midfielder and a striker. In her first official match with Standard she scored two goals to help it win her first title, the newly-founded BeNe Super Cup.

Martens was the top scorer of the 2010 U-19 Euro, tied at 4 goals with Turid Knaak. In August 2011 she played her first game for the senior national team, in a friendly match against China.

More photos ...

Female Footballer - Kirsten van de Ven,

Kirsten van de Ven (born in Heesch, 11 May 1985) is a Dutch professional football player who plays as a midfielder in the Damallsvenskan for Tyresö FF. She previously played for Willem II Tilburg. Trained at a university level at the United States, she formerly played for two seasons for Florida State University's women soccer team.

She has played for the Netherlands national team since 2005. Van de Ven played for the Netherlands in the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup qualifying rounds.[2] On 23 August 2009 she scored the first goal of the UEFA Women's Euro 2009 at the inaugural match against Ukraine, which marked Netherlands' debut at a final stage.

More photos ...

Anouk Hoogendijk, Dutch female international football midfielder, born in Utrecht, Netherlands

Anouk Anna Hoogendijk (born 6 May 1985) is a Dutch female international football midfielder or defender. She signed for Bristol Academy Women ahead of their inaugural FA WSL campaign in January 2011.

Hoogendijk came to prominence aged 12, as a contestant on the "Geef Nooit Op" (Never Give In) TV program. She wished to train with FC Utrecht and, after a spell with Saestrum, eventually signed for Utrecht at the outset of the Eredivisie Vrouwen in 2007. Hoogendijk realised her ambition of playing abroad when she signed an eight-month contract with English WSL club Bristol Academy in January 2011.

On 6 August 2004 Hoogendijk debuted for the senior Netherlands women's national football team, as a half-time substitute in a 2-0 defeat to Japan in Zeist.

Hoogendijk played in every match as the Netherlands reached the semi-final of UEFA Women's Euro 2009.

More photos ...

Mandy van den Berg, Dutch female international football defender,

Mandy van den Berg (born 26 August 1990) is a Dutch female international football defender. She plays club football in the Eredivisie Vrouwen for ADO Den Haag.

Van den Berg began playing football aged six and was called up for the Netherlands Under-17 team while still at school in her native Naaldwijk. After winning 22 caps at Under-19 level, van den Berg debuted for the senior Netherlands women's national football team on 15 December 2010. She replaced captain Daphne Koster for the second half of a 3–1 win over Mexico during a friendly tournament in Brazil.

More photos ...

Petra Hogewoning, Dutch female international football defender, born in Rijnsburg, Netherlands

Petra Marieka Jacoba Hogewoning (born 26 March 1986) is a Dutch female international football defender. She signed for German Bundesliga side FCR Duisburg in 2011.

On 6 August 2004 Hogewoning debuted for the senior Netherlands women's national football team, playing the first half of a 2–0 defeat to Japan in Zeist.

Hogewoning played in every match as the Netherlands reached the semi-final of UEFA Women's Euro 2009.

More photos ...

Daphne Koster, Dutch football defender, born in Den Haag, Netherlands

Daphne Helena Koster (born 13 March 1981) is a Dutch football defender, currently playing for Telstar in the Vrouwen Eredivisie. She has also played in the WPS for Sky Blue FC.

She is the captain of the Dutch national team.

More photos ...

Loes Geurts, Dutch female international football goalkeeper

Loes Geurts (born 12 January 1986) is a Dutch female international football goalkeeper. She plays for Telstar in the Eredivisie, having previously featured in the German Bundesliga with FFC Heike Rheine.

On 20 August 2005 Geurts debuted for the senior Netherlands women's national football team, playing a 4–0 defeat to Finland in Oulu.

Geurts played in every match as the Netherlands reached the semi-final of UEFA Women's Euro 2009.

More Photos ...

Thaís Ribeiro Picarte, international football goalkeeper currently playing for Bangu AC

Thaís Ribeiro Picarte, commonly known simply as Thaís is an international football goalkeeper currently playing for Bangu AC. She has played in the Brazilian, Spanish and Italian leagues.

She took part in the 2011 World Cup as a reserve. She was the first choice goalkeeper during the 2007 World Cup qualification.