women play football in France today. With a license. 35,000 are managers in the field, 867 are referees. Yet, only one sixth of the football clubs have a women's team.

Women, sport, football: a promising association which took a long time to get together. The first international football meeting took place in 1881, and the first game in 1917, in France. But the interwar years stopped the development of competitions, the Football Association banned women from football pitchs. WWII and the Vichy Government stopped women completely from playing football, the non-scientific statement from the government was: "football is dangerous for women's bodies and especially for the reproductive system."

We are very far from today's vision of football. Football is an inclusive sport, affordable, with an open mind, for all and for all levels of ability. Created in 2011, the Douai's football club is the very first club with 100% women players. And totally independent. Before, women had to wait for 1970 when the French Football Federation officially acknowledged womens football. This decision is essential for the creation of official events: The French Womens Championships, the first European Cup, and World Cup. In the beginning of the 21^st century, the first Women’s Champions League was created. Since 2001, women can easily practise football and at a very high level. In 2018, the first womens Ballon d’Or, a very high acknowledgement, to the Norwegian player Ada Hegerberg (Olympique Lyonnais football club) and all women. Ada was only 23. The Douai Football Club draws large crowds for their womens games.

Amandine Henry, is an important player of Douai Club. She was born in Lille (France), plays at an international level, and is famous as one of the best European players. She is the club patron and developed it from the very beginning in June 2011. Tiphanie Laruelle, captain of the 1st XI, 30 years old, plays defensive midfield with a lot of commitment and determination. She said to us, looking us straight in the eyes: "I was 6, my cousin asked me to be part of a football championship: I tried and enjoyed it." After this championship amongst friends, she carried on and developed a passion for football.

Today, she is proud of the Douai Club, and her team playing in the French Cup. She designed and created the official club shirt. She is also very active as a coach of the Douai Junior team. She has the ambition to get to Division 2 within two years. The womens Douai Club offers training sessions for their junior teams. In association with the senior teams (Region 1 and District 1).

From now until 2022, the Women's Euros will take place in England. In 2023 Australia and New Zealand will host the Women's World Cup.

Tiphanie Laruelle, Amandine Henry, Ada Hegerberg and all other women, professional or otherwise, each new player in the football world represents an asset for equality in sport. They will all contribute to develop equality in the football world. A great hope for young passionate women players. Douai is a seed. Let's make it grow well and fast.