Q: You have rediscovered "castle life" in Clairefontaine, to use your expression.

What feeling accompanied you when you came back there, twenty months later?

A: "I still came to the medical center in the meantime, but it's not the same thing! To relish the life of the castle, it's nice, it's beautiful, especially after so much time away. group life, the girls, the atmosphere of Clairefontaine, it's nice. "

Q: Les Bleues will play in your native Brittany, where you spent part of your convalescence with your family.

What did it bring you?

A: "It's very rare to have so much time with my family. It hadn't happened to me to stay so long with them for maybe ten years. It allowed me to recharge my batteries, think of something else. , to be well surrounded to be able to recover well from the operation and to plan myself on the rest of my convalescence. They were very caring with me, I have no complaints (laughs)! "

Q: Did you take advantage of this time to explore other horizons?

A: "After the first intervention in June 2020, I went on vacation with some friends, including Aïssatou (Tounkara) and Grace Geyoro. It allowed me to decompress, to take my mind off things. Then my days were punctuated by training, rehabilitation in the club and rest, because it was necessary. I took English lessons too. It helped me a lot, I progressed well and my teacher helped me a little (laughs). We had to find topics to talk about so we talked about it a lot. She was also a support in this period. I also spoke with the mental trainer of the club. He helped me to apprehend the injury , clear some blockages that I may have had and help me on my return to competition.We sometimes forget the mental aspect, yet it is important.It did me a lot of good and it allowed me to work on myself. "

Q: Your daily life as an athlete is punctuated by training, matches and the adrenaline that it provides.

Has it caused a lack in you?

A: "Obviously, that created a gap because it's my passion. When you're deprived of what you like to do, and what's more, it's your job, you have to try to fill it and it's complicated. I tried to draw the positive from it, it allowed me to see my family, friends abroad, to do things that I don't usually have time to do. "

Q: The tunnel exit took place on September 24 in the league, after 18 months of hiatus.

Did you experience it as the start of a new career?

Blue defender Griedge Mbock marking Serbian Jelena Cankovic in qualifying for Euro-2021, November 9, 2019 in Bordeaux GEORGES GOBET AFP / Archives

A: "I put things into perspective during my injury because it was much more serious. We went through complicated times with the Covid, it affected a lot of people around the world. I told myself that my injury was not was not much compared to what other people may have experienced. "

Q: But for a top athlete, this is not anecdotal.

A: "Yes, but I told myself that I was still young, that it was going to be easier to be able to resume compared to a player at the end of her career. I said to myself: + I have time to come back well, fine. heal, I put all the chances on my side. + And it started again. It was a relief, a lot of pride and joy after these long months of suffering, of work, of patience. "

Q: Have you fully regained your abilities or are you still tiptoeing forward?

A: "No, I have no apprehension, I am not afraid of going into contact, not afraid of a relapse. I feel good. I still need playing time to continue playing. progress on a few aspects, but I gradually regain my feelings, I feel better and better with each match. "

Interview by Jérémy TALBOT.

© 2021 AFP