Corine Franco

Corine Franco

Personal information
Full name	Corine Franco (née Petit)
Height	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Position(s)	Defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team	Lyon
Number	17
Youth career
	Avenir Maritime Laleu
	ES Rochellaise
2000–2002	Soyaux
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2002–2008	Soyaux	125	(53)
2008–	Lyon	38	(3)
International career‡
2006	France U21	4	(0)
2003–	France	38	(8)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 3 June 2010 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 3 April 2010 (UTC)

Corine Franco (née Petit) (born 5 October 1983 in La Rochelle) is a French football player currently playing for Olympique Lyonnais of the Division 1 Féminine. Franco serves as captain of her club and plays as a physical, yet creative defensive midfielder, often acting as a deep-lying playmaker. She is also a member of the France women's national football team making her first major tournament appearance with her nation at UEFA Women's Euro 2009.

Career

Franco was born on the west coast of France and began her career playing for Avenir Maritime Laleu in her hometown. She later moved to ES Rochellaise before securing a move to D1 Féminine mainstay ASJ Soyaux at the start of the new millennium. Franco spent two years in the youth system before making her league debut during the 2002–03 season. In her debut season, she scored four goals. The 2003–04 season saw Franco's opportunities in the team increase as she was given a permanent role in the starting eleven. Over the next four seasons, she appeared in all 22 matches scoring double-digit goals on two occasions. In her final season with Soyaux, she appeared in 19 matches scoring seven goals. Her successful seven-year career gained the attention of defending champions Olympique Lyonnais and Franco eventually secured a move to the club.

In Franco's first season with Lyon, she appeared in 19 matches, starting 17, and scored two goals en route to Lyon winning their second straight D1 Féminine title and Franco's first of her career. The 2008–09 season also gave Franco the opportunity to display her talents on the European stage as Lyon were participating in the 2008–09 UEFA Women's Cup. Lyon cruised through the group stage portion of the tournament and in the knockout rounds, they faced Italian club A.S.D. CF Bardolino. Lyon won the tie 9–1 on aggregate with Franco scoring a goal in both legs. Lyon eventually suffered elimination in the semi-finals to German club FCR 2001 Duisburg.

International career

Franco made her international debut on 22 February 2003 in a 1–2 loss to China. She scored her first international goal three days later in a 2–1 victory over the Netherlands. During qualification for the UEFA Women's Euro 2009, she scored one goal against Greece. In the tournament, she appeared in all 4 matches France contested. France reached as far as the quarterfinals losing to the Netherlands 4–5 on penalties with Franco missing her penalty shot. On 23 September 2009, she scored a brace against Serbia in a 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification match. France won the match 7–0. A month later, she scored a goal in another qualification match, this time against Estonia in a 12–0 victory.

External links

• Lyon player profile
• France player profile