A league on the rise and a new generation ready for it: three U20 stars to watch in France

French women’s football enters the new season with growing crowds, a bigger top flight and ambitions to close the gap on Europe’s leading leagues. Average Première Ligue attendance rose from 1,654 to 2,269 last season. This year, the competition is also expanding from 12 clubs to 14.

The U20 World Cup in Poland offered a glimpse of some of the players who could help drive its next chapter. Among the tournament standouts were a French goalscorer, the captain of Italy’s historic semifinalists and a Colombian medal winner. 

Justine Rouquet, Montpellier

Justine Rouquet arrived in Poland as one of France’s most exciting prospects. After last season, however, the word prospect already feels slightly inadequate. She scored nine league goals in 19 appearances for Montpellier and was named the revelation of the Première Ligue season.

It did not take long for her to make an impact in Poland. Against Ecuador, Rouquet won a penalty and converted it herself. Her best night came against Ghana when two Rouquet goals helped France to a 4:0 win and first place in their group.

France eventually went out to Canada in the last 16, but Rouquet again displayed the qualities that have made her such an intriguing attacker. There is pace, directness and a constant desire to reach the penalty area.

Montpellier have known her since she was 13. She reached the first team before turning 18 and already has two productive senior seasons behind her.

Azzurra Gallo, Toulouse

Italy had never won a U20 World Cup match before arriving in Poland until twenty year old Azzurra Gallo led them there as captain. Their opening match brought a 2:1 victory over the United States. By the end, Italy had reached their first semifinal in the competition.

Gallo’s influence was often found in the parts of a match that rarely make highlight reels. She attempted 471 passes during the tournament and completed 386. Much of Italy’s build up began at her feet. She was also the defensive leader of a side that kept moving into territory no previous Italian U20 team had reached.

The ending was painful. A deflection off Gallo helped Spain take the lead in the semifinal before her penalty was saved in the bronze medal shootout. For a young centre back, though, three weeks directing a defence under World Cup pressure can be worth more than a flawless ending.

Gallo joined Toulouse on loan from Juventus this summer. The club are back in the French top flight after 13 years away. That makes her an interesting measure of the league’s growing depth. The captain of a World Cup semifinalist will begin the season with a newly promoted side.

Sintia Cabezas, Marseille

Sintia Cabezas saved the defining moment of her tournament until almost the very end. Colombia were trailing Italy in the bronze medal match when Cabezas finished a quick move in the 61st minute to make it 1:1.

The game went to penalties and Colombia won, securing the country’s first U20 Women’s World Cup medal. There was another small club subplot along the way. Colombia had earlier eliminated hosts Poland and Cabezas’ Marseille team mate Jagoda Cyraniak.

The pair now return to the same dressing room. Cabezas will do so with a bronze medal.

The 19 year old Colombian winger is herself new to Marseille, having arrived after spells with San Diego Wave, Lexington and Levante.

She has speed, explosiveness and ability to beat defenders when she signed and Poland also showed that Cabezas delivered when her team needed a goal in one of the biggest matches of the tournament.

Moves like hers are also a testament to the fact that young international talent is no longer concentrated only among France’s traditional giants.

Rouquet, Gallo and Cabezas enter the season from very different places. One was developed in France, one came from Juventus and another crossed the Atlantic. The tournament in Poland showed that they have a thing in common, as the French league begins another stage of its growth, all three have given us a reason to watch.