INTERVIEW
Miraildes Maciel Mota, known as Formiga, a small woman's end of one meter 62, would go almost unnoticed. Yet it is a monument of world football. The 41-year-old Brazilian international is preparing to play in France her seventh World Cup, an absolute record, whether for women or men. While Brazil enters the running this Sunday, against Jamaica, in Grenoble, Europe 1 met the player before the tournament, at the training center of Paris Saint-Germain, his current club, in Bougival, in Yvelines .
Hiding to play football with boys
When Formiga started football in the mid-1990s in Brazil, half of her team-mates in selection were not born. And the time was very different. "It was very complicated for a girl to play football," the Brazilian told Europe 1. "There were no girls' teams, no structures, I had to hide to play with the boys. was a very hard time when it was not normal to be a football girl, there was a lot of prejudices. "
© Julien Froment
From Brazil to Sweden, via France, Formiga, "the ant" in Portuguese, has experienced all the changes in women's football and she sees necessarily the changes that have taken place over the years. "When I started, it was not like that," she says. "Now the players are already trained, they know what they want, the times have changed, there is a lot of help from the Federation, the FIFA, which allow girls to play football."
If playing football now seems more natural for girls, some barriers remain. For Formiga, it is necessary to override. "It's like everything in life, when you get a no, you have to go ahead, believe in your dreams, if a door closes, change direction to find another way, do not let go" , she philosophizes.
An icon of women's football
At 41, Formiga has just extended her contract at Paris Saint-Germain until June 2020, and was retired from international retirement by coach Vadao. She will be in France the oldest player of the World Cup. "It's a global legend, there are no words to describe it," enthuses his coach at Paris Saint-Germain Olivier Echouafni at the microphone of Europe 1. "It's a chance for me to When she stops, I hope she will have a statue, in Paris or elsewhere, because it's an icon. "
An icon that does not escape the good words of its partners. And she has fun. "That's right, I laugh at this situation with my teammates in the selection, I tell them: 'Hey, respect me, because I'm almost the age of your mom or your grandmother (smiles) ... It's normal, it happens. " His coach, Vadao, affectionately calls him señora, "ma'am" in Portuguese.
"We can say a little bit that it's a bit of a legend," adds his young teammate and player of the France team Grace Geyoro. "'Formi' is an example, we play at the same position, she goes on the matches, leaves with her selection, and when it was her birthday, she was a little bit upset about her age, but otherwise she does not like not that (laughs). "
An admirer named Marquinhos
Formiga does not leave insensitive his male compatriots from Paris Saint-Germain, like Marquinhos. "I'd like to know his magic potion to last like that at the highest level," the 25-year-old defender Auriverde at Europe 1 burst into laughter. "It's impressive everything she's done for football. She deserves everything that happens to her, she's a huge effort when she's been judged a lot at the time, she's earned respect, and Formiga continues to make huge matches. It's a pleasure to see her still playing, that she continues to give joy and hope. "
Formiga readily admits, Brazil, which has never been titled in women, is not a favorite in this World Cup, the fault to a trough generation. She still hopes to go as far as possible in the competition, even if this World is not an end in itself for her. "Formi" is always looking ahead and aims ... the Tokyo Olympics, in 2020. She will be 42 years old and will play her ... 8th Olympics. What would constitute an additional record for the insatiable Brazilian ...