Lyon Or Bust: OL At The Women’s World Cup

It’s not unusual for the world’s best female soccer players to converge on Lyon over the summer . . . it’s just that usually they’re all wearing rouge et bleu and gearing up for preseason action. But this summer brings an international twist as the FIFA 2019 Women’s World Cup sweeps across France. All roads lead to Lyon, as the Parc OL will have the privilege of hosting the tournament’s semifinals (July 2 and 3) and final (July 7).

OL Féminin sends a tournament-leading 16 players (including the all-but-officially-announced Nikita Parris) to compete with their respective nations for women’s soccer’s greatest prize. Set aside hoisting the trophy–Which World Cup-bound Fenottes stand the best chance of actually advancing to the final four to compete at their home stadium? We’ve ranked the players and their national teams’ chances below.

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Weekly Update: L’infirmerie est Pleine!

It’s only October, but the hospital wing of Olympique Lyonnais is running out of beds. While injuries are bound to happen, having so many at once is a headache for any manager. Fortunately, it’s not red alert just yet, but Lyon’s medical staff will be extra vigilant because any additions to the below list will definitely push the men’s, women’s, and reserve teams towards a crisis.

Nabil Fekir: This is the big one. He sustained an ankle injury in the early minutes against PSG, and while he tried to play on, he went down a few minutes later and signaled for a substitution. As we all know, OL’s fortunes went kaput after that.

All things considered, the injury is relatively minor. He has been ruled out for a month and is expected to miss the games against  Nîmes, Angers, Bordeaux, as well as both games against Hoffenheim. This is a heavy blow, as we’ve seen the team struggles when he is not on the pitch.

Fekir picked up an ankle injury against PSG.

Women’s International Round Up: O Captain, My Captain!

We ask just one thing from international friendlies: No injuries.  But you can’t always get what you want, and Amandine Henry’s early exit with a clavicle injury has cast a pall over the break for les Fenottes.  But like Henry’s French teammates, we too will soldier on with a recap of big wins for les Bleues, frustration for England, and rising hopes for Canada and the Netherlands.

Golden Women and Golden Boys: Lyon has them all

So far, 2018 has been a good year for Lyon players. OL Féminin has long been recognized as the preeminent force in women’s football while OL’s Academy is perpetually ranked as one of best in Europe. Lyon’s dominance in both sectors has been rewarded with a host of nominations, with the likes of Houssem Aouar, Ada Hegerberg, Amandine Henry, and Tanguy Ndombélé getting the attention they very much deserve.

France Football, the publication that gives out the Ballon d’Or, one of the most prestigious individual awards a footballer can win, is finally launching editions for women and youth. About time, too! See below for details.

No-Nonsense Lyon Breeze Past Avaldsnes

A 5-0 win for OL Féminin over Avaldsnes on Thursday secured the defending champs’ spot in the Champions League Round of 16.  Lyon came into the match with a 2-0 advantage on aggregate after their win in Norway two weeks ago, and recorded goals from each of the front three to avoid any surprise early in the season’s biggest competition.