Flops to Parma and Napoli, now dreams of Fifa award

In Italian soccer he has looked like a meteor, garnering just eight appearances, not even all of them in full. Yet Reynald Pedros is carving out a place for himself in soccer history, to the point that he has been invited to the grand gala on Sept. 24 in London, when “The Best Fifa Football Awards 2018,” or the awards to soccer’s top players who distinguished themselves last season, will be presented. Alongside Messi, Ronaldo, Modric, Bale, and Salah, who are vying for their respective categories, will be the former Parma and Napoli striker, as well as the French national team’s striker, in the running for the Best Women’s Football Coach award.

Pedros has been leading Lyon’s girls team since May 2017, with which she won the league and Champions League. Hers is the only male presence among the nominations, as well as the only one by a coach of club teams: in fact, the award will also be contested by Holland coach Sarina Wiegman and Japan coach Asako Takakura.

Pedros, in Italy in 1997, came to prominence in particular with the Nantes jersey, thanks to which he also made it to the national team, participating in the 1996 European Championship. Lyon is the authentic ruler of French women’s soccer, having won the last twelve championships