“We haven’t won for three years, so we’re ravenous!”
When asked how OL Lyonnes stay hungry for European titles, despite being the most successful club with eight titles to their name, Wendy Renard’s answer comes instinctively, with a broad and ambitious grin. Although the French side have racked up a string of domestic titles in recent years, Les Fenottes were devastated to miss out on the continental title.
“When you’re a kid, you dream of the FIFA Women’s World Cup and the Champions League. That’s what you see on TV, and you want to be there,” added Lyonnes’ defensive stalwart. On Saturday 23 May, her team will take on Barcelona in the UEFA Women’s Champions League final in Oslo, Norway. “It’s a major trophy and we haven’t got our hands on it for three years. It’s been tough!”
Lyonnes’ failure to win the European title is somewhat surprising, seeing how they have dominated the competition since its overhaul in 2010. In 18 instalments, they are heading to their 12th final, with hopes of lifting a ninth trophy. To put it mildly, they’re hungrier than ever.
“It’ll come down to whoever wants it most,” said Selma Bacha, the full-back who’s tearing up the left flank. Her captain picked up where she left off by saying, “I agree with Selma. Hunger and competitive spirit will play a decisive role.”
“Returning to the Champions League final makes us proud,” Renard continued, “especially for the ‘veterans’, like Ada [Hegerberg] and Selma… They’ve been through the tough times we’ve faced in recent seasons, the heartbreak, the setbacks…”
When the Norwegian striker is given the chance to speak, her data-driven thought process quickly becomes apparent. “I like looking at the stats. We haven’t lost many finals, so on Saturday we’ll have the chance to win another one. It’s up to us to make the most of this opportunity,” said Hegerberg, who will also be playing in front of her family and friends in her home country, adding to the emotional charge surrounding the match.
“Honestly, I don’t think it’ll really sink in until we get to the airport with the whole squad. I get goosebumps just thinking about it,” she admitted. “It’s special playing in Oslo, not to mention that it’s a Champions League final. It’s exciting to be there again, playing in another massive game like this. It’s an honour to be a part of it.”
“It’ll be an amazing experience because it’s in Norway,” confirmed fellow Norwegian Ingrid Engen. “Ada and I kept saying to each other all season long, ‘We have to make it to the final!’ We want to win it, of course, but booking our place has already taken a weight off our shoulders. Now we can enjoy the moment, playing in our own country and in a stadium where we usually play with the national team. We know our way around the place.”
The defender looks set to play in a Champions League final with a third different club. She helped Barcelona beat OL Lyonnes 2-0 in 2024, having lost to the same side 3-1 with Wolfsburg two years earlier. Although she feels “lucky” to have played at such great clubs, she now uses her experience to advise her current teammates about her former teammates.
“I know Barça’s players well. They’re world-class and are incredibly hard to contain,” Engen said matter-of-factly. “But the same could be said of us. Our strength in attack means we’ll always create chances, whatever the game throws at us. They place a lot of emphasis on their style of play, which is really very good. It’s up to us to take them out of their comfort zone and unsettle them.”
The club’s successes and progress this season were by no means a foregone conclusion, following a turbulent summer transfer window, which saw the departure of long-serving key players and the arrival of seven new signings and a new head coach, Jonatan Giraldez, who was on the Barcelona bench in 2024. Nevertheless, the team chemistry is palpable and the players’ personalities shine through in their reactions.
“At OL Lyonnes, we want to win everything,” said Haiti international Melchie Dumornay. “We’re not trying to sound arrogant. We put in a lot of hard work, and our performance on the pitch proves that we’re one of the best teams in the world.”
“Our mentality going into the match is as humble as ever,” Hegerberg added. “It’s down to experience. You need to find the right balance between modesty and self-confidence. [Barcelona] were better than us in our last meeting, and we outplayed them the last five times we beat them!”
The European final winner will also qualify to challenge the other continental champions at the FIFA Women’s Champions Cup 2027™, next January in Miami. The women of Rhone-Alpes may have their sights set on their next event, but it’s doubtful that another title (even a European one) would leave them feeling fully satisfied.
“If we win this trophy, we’ll celebrate it in style. It’s been a long time since we last won it…”, said Dumornay, who has been showered with individual honours recently, including the award for Best Player in the French League from both the National Union of Professional Footballers (UNFP) and the Women’s Professional Football League (LFFP). “But it will make us hungry for more trophies!”
“First we’re aiming for the Champions League, then we’ll focus on the French league title via the play-offs,” Bacha explained. “And after that, who knows? We want to win it all, one way or another! Just know that if we’re in the final of the Women”s Champions Cup, we’re going to do everything we can to win it because it’s a prestigious trophy too.”
