It was a caviar left action that allowed Les Bleues to open the scoring against Morocco in the round of 16 (4-0). Before Sakina Karchaoui found the decisive header from Kadidiatou Diani, Selma Bacha had perfectly orchestrated the sequence and dictated the pace to find the fault.
In the 4-4-2 set up by Hervé Renard since the start of the World Cup, the Lyonnaise flourishes completely in her lane where she evolves a notch higher than in club. After having already won everything with OL at just 22 years old, Selma Bacha now wants to confirm at international level.
It must be said that the left-hander is a very precocious talent, even more so in a team like the women’s Olympique Lyonnais which is a benchmark in Europe today. For Clément Broyard, an OL women’s specialist, the context of her club helped her grow faster on the pitch. “She grew up in an environment with a lot of experience. Amel Majri notably took her under her wing, she became a kind of big sister. Bacha still started in a Champions League final at 17. She was trained as a midfielder before falling back to the side. She specialized on the left and started to find this versatility by moving higher, it’s a real asset for her coaches. »
Selma Bacha is clearly our favorite of this World Cup! ?? The left foot that treats. ?? pic.twitter.com/oX0ImNuaGd
Among the coaches who have him under his command, some are very complimentary towards him, like Sonia Bompastor who rubs shoulders with her at OL. The former midfielder of Les Bleues is convinced that Bacha is scheduled to finish at the top. “More than her sporting potential, which is well above average, it was mentally that she impressed me. This fighting spirit, she has always had it […] She is the best player of her generation ”, indicated to Progrès Bompastor, in 2019. Followed by a mental coach on a daily basis, Bacha gives herself the means to achieve her goals. .
His attachment to OL is also a strong mark of his personality. Selma Bacha is the embodiment of a successful Lyon team for both boys and girls. “She was born and raised in Lyon, her childhood bedroom overlooked the old Gerland stadium. She joined the club at just nine years old, as Totti did at AS Roma or Puyol at Barça, she wants to spend her entire career there. »
Can she become a major player, capable in particular of bringing France its first international title in women’s football? “She has clearly improved technically compared to her debut,” said Clément Broyard. We have seen this progress. If she interprets the game even better by managing her efforts, she has all the cards in hand to succeed, Bacha could then take on a whole new dimension and become, why not, a player in the top 10, or even the top 5 in the world. This World Cup in Oceania can allow him to get closer to this elite.
