At the top of a whiteboard, underneath the Paris FC crest, lies a handwritten quote in blue ink.
In French, it reads: “Those who play for themselves play for their opponents. Those who play for others play for themselves.”
“It’s a quote that inspires me; how I see football and team sport,” says Paris FC manager Sandrine Soubeyrand, who cites Pep Guardiola and Diego Simeone as her coaching role models.
Born in the 1970s, Soubeyrand grew up idolising France midfielder and three-time Ballon d’Or winner Michel Platini, as well as the Euro 84-winning France team he starred in, and has now been involved in the game for over 30 years.
She always knew she wanted to be a coach and, after her 16-year international career came to an end, Soubeyrand transitioned into management straight away, leading France Women Under-17s for three years before moving to Paris FC in 2017.
“Football is my passion,” says Soubeyrand, who is still France’s most-capped player with 198. “As a footballer, I liked finding solutions to counter teams, to push myself to new levels. I’m lucky to have my profession as my passion. I enjoy getting up every morning to pass on what I learned as a player, and now as a coach, to help my team.”
Soubeyrand speaks to The Athletic
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