Wendie Renard is an outstanding athlete, winner of the France championship. In her autobiography, the Olympique Lyonnais captain brings personal evidence to her conviction that anything is possible if you believe in it.
ONAIR: Wendie Renard, in your autobiography readers, with great pleasure and surprise, get to discover you. You usually don’t reveal yourself as much… What was your motivation?
Wendie Renard: I‘m a rather discreet person. The less people talk about me, the better I feel! (laughs). My purpose was to help young people who are interested in a sport career but experience difficulties, lack of self-confidence or doubts. On a broader basis, I was hoping this book would help those in this situation.
OA: One of the most powerful takeaway from your book is that nearly everything is possible, if you believe and work hard!
WR: Sometimes you have dreams but someone telling you it’s impossible may be enough for you to give up. You have to fight, at least; believe in what you can do. Whatever your age, you must be aware of your capacities. We all have talents but we have to work on them: we have to question ourselves and push our limits to make our dreams come true.
OA: How long have you been chasing yours?
WR: I was already kicking my mother’s belly (laughs). As a little girl in Martinique, I was immersed in sport and I loved soccer. Dreams come true naturally: as teenagers, you play games pretending to be high-level players and you tell yourself: “It could be me!”. Then you work hard to get there.
OA: How did your parents react to this very early dedication to soccer?
WR: Women’s soccer was not very common at the time. When I told my mom that one day she would see me like these great players on TV, she laughed. It’s true that it was hard to believe but I believed it. I always told her that I would wear the colors of the French national team. She did not stop me but imposed a single condition: ” No soccer if you don’t do well at school”. At the same time, she was happy with it, as it helped canalize my energy (laughters).
OA: In your book, you talk about your father passing- away suddenly…
WR: … I was 8 … it was difficult. He was simple, generous; he would share with people in need even when he had nothing. He was strong-tempered but wise and kind, smiling and teasing. I remember vividly these beautiful moments spent with him . He’s not here physically anymore and yet I know he’s still here …
OA: Is he part of your star?
WR: In “Mon étoile” (My guiding Star), I include God and my father. My star is also the path that the Lord has traced for me and that I have followed. He shows me every day that He watches over me. He helps me getting up, being healthy and doing what I love. I’m not trying to convince anyone. It’s a personal choice but as far as I am concerned my faith, my faith is my strength, and it’s been so for a long time. When I was a child, if I missed Catechism, my mother would not let me play soccer! (laughter)
OA: It is clear in this book how much your mother matters …
WR: My mother’s everything to me. She is a wonderful woman with a beautiful personality. Her life hasn’t been easy but she has always fought and been a model to us. She‘s done everything to make us well. I’m proud of her and I love her. My sisters too have always been by my side and we all feel good in our lives. A few years ago I went to Benin. Faced with misery, with the worst, you realize how good your life is and you’re grateful for that …
(6) WENDIE RENARD, NOMINATED BEST PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2019 BY THE WEEKLY MAGAZINE FRANCE-FOOTBALL, HAS WON MANY SOCCER TITLES:
13 TIMES WINNER OF THE FRENCH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
6 TIMES WINNER OF THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
8 TIMES WINNER OF THE FRENCH CUP
OA: Speaking of the worst, what have been your soccer career’s worst moments?
WR: There were several, including my own goal against my team at the World Cup … I felt so ashamed. We won the game but it was a difficult time for me. I managed to get past it, but the racist hints that followed were hard to stand. I am proud of my color but these people don’t realize the suffering inflicted on our families. Here is how my mother reacted: “No, I didn’t give birth to a monkey as they say!”. If their children were attacked in this way, how would they react? I chose to ignore the
PA: You are very committed to promoting women’s soccer. Do you see any progress?
WR: At the 2011World Cup, no one would bet on us. After the Cup, we realized something had happened in France. That’s when women’s soccer really boomed. Since then, thanks in particular to our presidents who fought and, like Jean-Michel Aulas, are still fighting, things have become more professional. At Olympique Lyonnais, we went to the next level: First we didn’t have our own locker room or training shirts. Today, we have our locker rooms and our names on our shirts! But there’s still a long way to go in the Clubs for women to become even more competitive.
OA: What advice would you give to girls eager to play … and maybe to their sometimes reluctant parents?
WR: I started on a men’s team (editor’s note: at Essor Préchotain). Parents are sometimes afraid to send their daughters to an all-boys team, but that’s a good thing. As a girl, you have to make them respect you, impose yourself, go faster. It puts you years ahead of girls your age.
OA: More generally, what would you say to young athletes who have dreams but hesitate? WR: They have to believe, work and realize that, whatever the sport, their body is their work tool: you can’t become a pro if you eat fast food every day. This is something you should be aware of from a very young age, whether about food or other matters: playing at a high level doesn’t mean doing 3 or 4 dribbles, it’s about simplicity, questioning one-self, humility, work. Having good technique isn’t enough.
OA: Beyond soccer, everyone has lessons to learn from your book …
WR: In life you have to make choices and know where you want to go. You must be clear-minded and not leave room for regrets. You have to reach for your dreams because everything’s possible: when the 1st door closes, and the 2nd one too… you will force a shoulder through the 3rd one and the whole body through the 4th. We all have a destiny. We may be drifted away at some point but there’s always something that will get you back on track if we believe..
1. La joie de Wendie Renard après un but marqué durant le match Olympique Lyonnais – Dijon du 14 décembre 2019 – Outburst of joy after a goal scored during the onAir 54 19 OL – Dijon match, december 14, 2019 / 2.Wendie Renard et sa sœur avec leur père – Wendie Renard and her sister, with their father / 3. Wendie Renard à Lyon,
octobre 2019 / Crédits photos : 1.Quentin Siebman / 2. Wendie Renard / 3. Manuel BRAUN 6.« Mon Etoile » de Wendie Renard – Edition Talent sport – 04/12/2019 – 320 pages – (couverture du livre) “Mon étoile” by Wendie Renard, Talent sport publishing – onAir 54 21 12/04/2019 – 320 p. (Book cover) / Crédits photos : Manuel BRAUN
Interview by: Agnès Monlouis-Félicité
