Any good trilogy knows how to keep us going. First, during the first volume, we set up the plot and introduce the actors. Then, the hero progresses in his quest, gets closer to his objectives and the table is set for the final chapter. Here is where Marie Levasseur’s story is at: at the climax.
Earlier in June, the Stoneham native signed a three-year pact with Montpellier in the French top flight. This will be her third club in the country that gave us cinema and she knows full well that this will be the pivotal moment in her career.
“I think this is going to be a defining chapter. I just turned 26, but when I finish this contract, I will be 29. I see it as a determining chapter on my chances of joining the national team, ”drops the Quebecer armed with confidence , a smile and a double espresso chai latte.
Met on the terrace of the café Les Allumées in Old Sainte-Thérèse, where the morning sun met students, workers, retirees and their computers, the Quebecer was also enjoying a healthy break. She will return to France for July 10, the date of the start of training camp for the 2023-2024 season.
I think I will not have the choice to make big seasons [à Montpellier] to determine the rest of my career. On the other hand, afterwards, I must not put pressure on myself like that. I think I showed my marks in Fleury (in French D1), but it’s time to have even more fun and to be even more involved.
Marie Levasseur
His arrival in Montpellier crystallizes his rise to power in the last few years since his move to the professionals. First attacking, Levasseur dominates the Finnish circuit with 12 goals and 6 assists in 24 games. She then takes the direction of Metz, in France, where she plays a little in the first division, but especially in the second.
However, relegation and a lost season due to COVID-19 pushed her to another French first division club, FC Fleury 91. A “little-known club” with a “family” atmosphere that allowed Levasseur to continue his career. progression for two years.
“I didn’t even know what to expect,” says Levasseur about his arrival at the club located in the suburbs of Paris. “I didn’t know if I was going to play, I was going to fight for my place. Eventually, I made my way from the first season and really enjoyed my experience there. »
PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, THE PRESS
Marie Levasseur, 26, has just signed a three-year contract with Montpellier.
If the end was “a little more complex” with the coaches, it is still in Fleury that Levasseur learns the workings of the left side position. The one who will have the nickname “bull” with her teammates is playing her first full seasons in this position, which will benefit her for the rest of things.
Her contract barely expired, the former Haute-Saint-Charles soccer club received almost immediately an offer from Montpellier, a more prestigious club and recognized as a professional given the success of its component. male. The latter had already been interested in the Quebecer in the past.
However, last season, Fleury finished on the doorstep of qualifying for the Champions League by virtue of their fourth place, two points ahead of Montpellier and three points from participating in the European tournament. Nevertheless, Marie Levasseur assures that her new bet represents a step forward.
“If we look at the last 10 years, Montpellier is a club that is above. Recently he has changed some things, so there is a certain transition period, but if you take Montpellier in general, they are a big club. Several great players have passed here. […] For me, it’s definitely a step “, she confirms.
Certainly, for the fame of the club, but also for the professionalism with which it comes. After having played on a synthetic field in Fleury which should be “illegal” because of the “holes”, according to her, Levasseur could not hide his enthusiasm to embark on a club that sees big.
Like his new team, Levasseur also has big ambitions.
Touch up to glory
The progression of Levasseur’s club career is consistent. Step by step, she climbs the stairs. However, in the national team, it is rather the opposite. It is difficult to understand the process.
At 18, still in university, she not only received a call to represent the senior Canadian team, but she also took to the field as a fullback. At the time, she doesn’t know it, but the roller coaster of Maple Leaf emotions has only just begun.
After another stay at 19, she must then wait five long years before wetting the scarlet jersey again. Despite two more recent calls, she is not among the players selected for the triumph of the Tokyo Olympics or for the next World Cup to be held this summer in Australia and New Zealand.
PHOTO PHILIPPE BOIVIN, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Marie Levasseur with the Canadian women’s soccer team in 2021
“Of course I’m still hanging on because it’s in my goals to participate in the World Cup or the Olympic Games, she admits. It’s hard to see the Olympic Games and World Cups slipping through my hands.
“On the other hand, I can only control my own fate. If I fix my eyes too much on that, my daily life can be derailed. So I tell myself that if I work hard and perform well on top of that, the rest will come with it. My priority is to do well in the club. If I have a big season, the chances of being invited will be greater. »
Will the big season with Montpellier be the long-awaited finale to Marie Levasseur’s story? Can she use this season to get a ticket for the Paris Olympics in 2024? Unfortunately, the trailer did not reveal everything and we will have to pace ourselves by the release of the film.
A last lap at home? ” Why not ? »
Since leaving home to join the national training center, Marie Levasseur has been far from home. It was the only option to achieve her dream of becoming a professional player. However, when the sun begins to set on her career, there should be an opportunity for her to wrap up her tour at home in front of her fans. Since an announcement in December 2022, former double Olympic medalist Diana Matheson has been laying the groundwork for a women’s professional soccer league which should see the light of day in April 2025. She also told The Press in March that there was a “99% chance” that at least one team would be established in Quebec. It’s a safe bet that Levasseur will still be in the thick of his success in the best leagues on the planet when the league kicks off, but if things go well and the league picks up the slack, she sees herself. come full circle here.