The Mondial d’Orléans, the amateur football tournament that has become essential

The Mondial d’Orléans (Loiret) is the amateur football tournament that has become essential in the Loiret capital.

Until June 15, 2024the With pleasure association organizes this football tournament, a sporting event formerly called National Quarter Cupand he thought big for the 2024 edition.

On the model of the neighborhood CAN

A last effort for footballers before the summer break. On the synthetic field of the stadiumUSO, south of Orléans, the With pleasure association organizes this annual tournament. Since 2019, the structure has offered local footballers the opportunity to compete against each other based on the model of the National Neighborhood Cup (CNDQ) which was created in Île-de-France.

Born in Créteil, in spring 2019, then under the surname of African Cup of Nations Districts, the event was initially a neighborhood football tournament created by Moussa Sow. The idea is to reproduce the African Cup of Nations and compete according to the origin of the players.

Jean-François Opa, a former professional player, wishes to import this concept to Orléans. “Well one day, in the locker room, with a colleague, we said why not create one,” the player remembers.

Basically a clandestine event

The tournament is improvised in a few weeks and word of mouth does the rest. The first edition takes place in spring 2019 on the synthetic pitch of the University of Orléans.

There were a lot of people there even though it was a really rushed thing, we managed to create a lot of excitement around the event.

The tournament evolves a first time in 2021. He receives the support of the town hall of Orléans. JF, the nickname given to him by his friends, contacted his former coach at the USO, teammate and today deputy mayor of Orléans in charge of sports, Thomas Renault. “I showed videos from previous editions. He couldn’t believe his eyes because it was basically a clandestine event”, smiles the footballer.

A large audience coming every day

There was obviously no tournament in 2020 due to the health crisis. The second edition of the CAN takes place on the grounds of Arrault Island in June 2021. A rise in power which will be confirmed by a great success. An even larger audience.

“It was a success because we managed to have people there every day. There were even traffic jams on the Europe Bridge,” underlines the tournament manager.

“Thank you for participating, you make the little ones dream! »

Since 2022 the CNDQ has taken place at the Source stadium, in Orléans. However, the tournament changes format and becomes the Mondial d’Orléans in 2024. In fact, many players from other nations are pushing to expand the tournament to the rest of the world to participate. “After a while you had to think big. We really had to think of something big. We passed from 16 to 24 teams”, explains Jean-François.

The tournament has also become a meeting place for professional players trained in the Orléans metropolis. Some of which are still in operation. This is added value for young players. “We are in thank you mode for participating in the tournament because you make little ones dream”, comments the founder of the tournament.

The other evolution of the 2024 edition is to have opened the tournament to women’s teams. “On our Snap we had a lot of requests from players who were interested in making teams,” reveals JF. There are also a few players who have played in the elite. Most come from local clubs. “The Comoros team comes from Île-de-France”, specifies the tournament manager. Eight teams are entered this year.

Training at FC Nantes

Jean-François, who will be 30 in August, has a long football career. “All my life, I played football, I went through the youth centers, I played for FC Nantes, I made the French team as a youth,” says the father of two children.

He spent his first years at the USO. He was then spotted by FC Nantes and joined its training center. He returned to Orléans to join the USO for five years. He will then do a year in Vendee. Then he will return to the region to focus on his family life. “I’ve been playing for five years now Saint-Jean-Le-Blanc where I enjoy it,” confides the former professional player.

Despite being an amateur player in regional 1, Jean-François talks about football all day. After his morning as a delivery driver to cover his household expenses, from noon, he devotes his days to football.

I coach youth teams in Saint-Jean-Le-Blanc and I support young players to get them into professional clubs, football is my whole life!

His biggest victory as tournament manager and organizer was securing the USO’s main field for the tournament final. “Kick-off is at 5 p.m. Saturday June 15 and there is also a show with surprise artists”, concludes Jean-François.

A terrain that he knows well having practiced it for several years. It’s a bit like coming home for someone who breathes and talks football all day.

█ Practical:
Final at the Source stadium in Orléans on Saturday June 15, 2024.
Doors open at 3:00 p.m. Kick-off at 5:00 p.m.
Entrance 2 euros

Follow all the news from your favorite cities and media by subscribing to Mon Actu.