Maxence Fournel and Jules Meyer have known each other for eight years now. These two friends are linked by their passion for football. A relationship that was formed because they played together at Puy Foot in the youth categories, but also with the flag team. The joint story ended last summer, when Maxence Fournel joined Gueugnon, then Espaly, while Jules Meyer signed his first professional contract with Dijon. Thanks to the magic of the Coupe de France, the former Ponots will find themselves opponents, Friday evening at Viouzou, to compete for a place in the round of 16. Reached by telephone before this gala match, the two friends agreed to take part in the cross-interview game.
“We each knew the qualities of the other and we contributed”
What are your first shared memories?
Maxence: It was when I arrived in the U17 Nationals at Le Puy. I saw a little blond, very shy, but already good.
Jules : I’m still a little shy (smile). The first memories were especially that end of the season. But it was later that we really became friends.
Have the bonds strengthened when you emerged as seniors in 2021-2022?
Jules : Yes, we sat next to each other directly in the locker room. We got along well and even in training, we felt good. When the coach (Roland Vieira) understood and he lined us up together, we had a crazy second part of the season.
Maxence : It’s true that it was that year that we really started to be close. It was weird, because at first I was in the band and he wasn’t. Then he started playing and not me anymore. We were both pulling each other up and it ended up paying off.
Did you measure, at the time, the chance you had of experiencing a rise to National??
Jules : I think so.
Maxence : We realized it because we were champing at the bit in reserve. Then, I also remember having a restaurant before the climb with the elders like Lolo (Dufau) and Yan (Marillat) who had taken us under their wing. They said it was something crazy, so we understood.
How did you experience last season?
Maxence : Fortunately Jules was there, otherwise I wouldn’t have scored (laughs). I think that out of my four goals, there are two assists from him.
Jules : We each knew the qualities of the other and we contributed a lot to each other. I was a little disappointed for Max not to see him play a little more.
Will the journey to the quarter-finals of the Coupe de France remain as a great memory?
Jules : Obviously. Anyone who answers “No” to this question is a liar. These are things that will never happen again, except perhaps if we have the chance to progress higher.
Maxence : Puy Foot released a video on its social networks during the week with some images from last season and it gave me chills. Even playing higher up, it would be different because there, we had the feeling that an entire department was behind us and even a little bit of the Loire. In addition, we experienced this with our training club, the one that made us headliners.
