Euro women’s Football: the Servettians in Geneva

A young student stands shyly next to his teacher, who speaks for him: “He will be absent this afternoon when you visit his class, but he absolutely wanted to have a signature on his ball.”

Laura Felber complies with a broad smile: “Where do you play?” “To Champel!” the ten-year-old footballer responds discreetly. At the Peschier school, the Servette Chênois Féminin player is back in the classroom. This afternoon, like the day before, she visits four primary classes.

Ten teammates from Geneva are also participating in this very recent “1 School – 1 Champion” program. Each was associated with a primary school. Before the Paris 2024 Games, athletes from Team Geneva visited classes in the canton.

This project set up by the Schools and Sport, Art, Citizenship Service (Sesac), in collaboration with the Cantonal Office of Culture and Sport (OCCS), the WEURO 2025 Association and the Servette Football Club Chênois Féminin (SFCCF ) this time is part of the Women’s Euro 2025, five matches of which will take place in Geneva next summer.

Encourage vocations

An opportunity for students to interact with a (semi-)professional footballer, to follow her sporting season and to discover behind the scenes of the Servette Football Club Chênois Féminin. “The idea is also to promote football and more generally women’s sport,” underlines Laura Felber. We can show young girls that it is possible for them to play football in the elite and, why not, encourage vocations.

Operation win-win for the defender Grenat: bachelor’s degree in movement and sport sciences in hand, she coordinates the “1 School – 1 Champion” operation with her club, as part of an internship at the Schools and Sport, Art, Citizenship Service (Sesac ) of his master’s degree in sports management at UNIL.

The students of this 8P class (11-12 years old) pose, seated, in front of the player. Footballs, jerseys and scarves were brought by the schoolchildren. “Can you sign my balloon?” says an impatient autograph hunter.

Cash responses and lively exchanges

But first, time for the presentation of the 23-year-old player, in front of three posters. One describes her career and her record (two titles, two Swiss Cups), another illustrates six exercises (technique, juggling, flexibility) carried out by the SFCCF players with their results.

On the third poster, still blank, students will be able to record their scores in these same exercises. History of “confronting” themselves with the high-level athlete who visits them. The classes prepared questions in advance, during a discussion with their teachers.

The day before, Laura Felber debated with a class about whether or not to play with their hair down. There, the questions start to be more down to earth. “How much do you earn?” blurted out a schoolboy. “Not enough to be 100% professional, like in other countries,” smiles Laura Felber. We earn between 1000 and 3000 francs per month!” This budding footballer rubs his eyes.

The number 4 of the SFCCF tells her young audience about her journey, from the Compesières juniors to the 2023 World Cup in New Zealand where she was a substitute. She talks about her injuries, her memories of the Champions League, with a much larger audience than during the championship matches. But also her dreams of playing in Germany, Italy, or England, “where women’s football is much more developed than in Switzerland”.

“How much do your most expensive crampons cost?”; “Will we have enough time to sign our balloons?”; “You managed to take the ball from Sam Kerr (editor’s note: Australian international) against Chelsea? The 8Ps in this Peschier class follow a series of questions that often make Laura Felber laugh.

Naomi, 12, wants to know if the Servetti defender is a victim of discrimination in women’s football. “Yes, there remain a lot of inequalities, also linked to the fact that we generate less money than men,” says the player. You see, for example, the referees are not professionals here, it’s a shame. After my career, I could see myself working at UEFA to promote women’s football and reduce these gaps.

Young girls dream of Servette Chênois

Time for the highly anticipated signing session. We find Naomi, excited by this first meeting with the new “Geneva football star” in her class. “It’s cool to see that girls can also play football in big stadiums like at the Euro,” rejoices the schoolgirl. At his side, Cindy and Aninna, players from FC Champel, dream of one day being able to wear the Garnet jersey and, why not, play in a Euro.

Servette FC scarf (male) around his neck and garnet sweater, their teacher Raoul attentively followed the exchanges. “It’s great to highlight women’s football which is still quite invisible,” recognizes the teacher at the Peschier school. At this age, we can awaken, even change, awareness and sensitize children to gender.”

At the back of the empty class, Laura Felber takes on a juggling challenge with a young footballer. The Genevan even found a trick to get the girls involved. “I suggest they pass, because I realized that they were less daring to come and dribble at me,” smiles the project coordinator for her club.

“Laura (Felber) will return in 2025, for a more sporting activity with the same classes,” rejoices Manon Ginesi, teacher who manages the project for the Peschier primary school. Our students will also have the opportunity to go see a Servette Chênois match in 2025, with the idea of ​​preparing signs to support the club and their player.”

In order to keep in touch with the students, Laura Felber will send them photos and videos of her training sessions and certain matches. “I hope they will come see us in Geneva, that some will be there at Euro 2025.” Maybe even some students from the Peschier school will become her teammates in a few years?

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