MEET OUR COACHING STAFF

Co-founder of the Academy with Michel Hidalgo, Laurence was first committed to high-level competition as an athlete (4 x France handball champion, champion of Spain, 23 European Cup matches). For more than 15 years, as the general manager of “France Sport,” she worked closely with the French Football Federation to professionalize the camps and matches of foreign teams in France (500 teams received every year), and more recently, as the manager for FIFA 2019 Women’s World Cup. For the Academy, she is the link between the staff, the players and their families.

As a former player and sports educator, Zino determines the Academy agenda and manages the weekly meeting and gathering of all the players. He is the tie between the academicians and the football clubs coaches. His task is to ensure that the timetables and schedules are followed and respected. He takes care of each academician personally and controls and assesses their skills, progress, and behaviour.

Jérémy was trained at Stade Lavallois, where he signed his first pro contract when he was 19. In 2007, he played with AS Cannes in the National division, then moved to England to play for League 2 Barnet club. Since 2013, he has been entitled with “Brevet Fédéral” (UEFA A) as coach of U19, U20, and senior teams. Regarding the Academy, Jérémy oversees all trainings and video analysis. He coordinates with the technical staff (assistant coach, goalkeeper coach, trainer…). He sets his experience and know-how in view of optimizing every player’s performance.

Christian boasts 39 selections with the French national team coached by Michel Hidalgo between 1975 and 1982, 9 times captain and semi-finalist of the 1982 World Cup ! Christian Lopez is known for being a successful player, four times French champion with AS Saint-Etienne in the late seventies in the libero position. Every week, he now coaches and supervises the players of the Academy to assess their progress and show them the way to become professional.

Qualified as coach with a UEFA A and B diploma and as goalkeeper coach with a CEBF from FFF, François is also the present goalkeeper of a Nationale 3 team. Trained at AS Cannes and coach as early as 15y old, he played a 32th final of the French Cup against OM Marseilles in 2021.

Assistant to coach Jérémy, John was first a brilliant player of Centre de Formation at AS Cannes. As educator specialized in “pre-formation” for U14 to U18 categories, he can boast the UEFA A and B coaching diplomas. He has now joined the technical staff of the Academy in 2024

As an expert in physical preparation for football players in general, our academicians in particular, and passionate of physical effort and performance, Mickaël has been teaching anatomy and physiology for now 10 years. Former attaquant at the mythical club of Nottingham Forest, Mickaël is also in charge of the rehabilitation of injured players and the programmes to prevent injuries.

Graduated from the University of Tours (France) and from the University of Houston (Texas, USA) in the field of business management, Isabelle is an interpreter and translator as a business negotiator. She spent 3 years in Africa as an Education project manager. Back to France, she taught languages (English, Spanish and French) to students of university professional sectors for nearly 30 years. With a master’s degree in professional staff coaching, she closely accompanies the international careers of her students. In Houston and New Orleans, she won the University Table Tennis Championships 3 times. Today, she’s putting her skills and experience to the benefit of our Academy in order to enable our players to complete their studies in the best conditions.