Inspired by France’s historic 2018 FIFA World Cup victory, Paris-Emilie Daramola is now representing Les Bleuettes at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco, where she hopes to help her country lift the trophy.
Paris-Emilie Daramola’s journey into football began with a challenge from her father: complete ten consecutive keep-ups and earn a place at a football club.
At the time, the young defender regularly played football with her older brother but had not joined an organised team. Determined to meet her father’s challenge, she practised until she reached the target.
“I often used to play in the cage with my big brother, but I wasn’t signed to a club,” Daramola recalled in an interview with FIFA. “One day, my father said to me: ‘Paris, if you can do ten keep-ups, I’ll sign you up with a club.’ So, I practised and eventually I managed to do ten keep-ups.”
That achievement in 2019, when she was just 10 years old, earned her registration with FC Rouen and marked the beginning of her organised football career.
However, her passion for the game had taken root a year earlier, when she watched France win the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. The celebrations surrounding the triumph, led by players including Kylian Mbappé and Antoine Griezmann, left a lasting impression on her.
“I think it was that tournament that really got me hooked on football; the buzz around it was amazing,” she said. “When I saw how happy it made everyone and how good the atmosphere was, it was awesome. That team was incredible.”
Eight years after watching France conquer the world, Daramola is now experiencing the atmosphere of a global tournament herself, representing her country at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
The Paris Saint-Germain youngster said the atmosphere within the French camp had been encouraging, with the players supporting one another as they pursue their ambitions.
“Honestly, it’s amazing to be playing at a World Cup,” she said. “Everything has gone well since we arrived. There’s a positive mood in the camp and we’re all supporting each other. I think we have the right mindset to go far.”
Japan reunion offers a chance for revenge
France began its Group D campaign with a 2–0 victory over Venezuela, but the next assignment presented a difficult challenge against Japan.
Daramola had an additional reason to approach the encounter with determination, having been part of the French team that lost 1–0 to Japan at the 2025 Montaigu Tournament.
The defender recognised the technical discipline and organisation of the Japanese side but believed France could limit their attacking threat by keeping them away from dangerous areas.
“Japan are highly organised and well-drilled,” she said. “They’re comfortable playing in tight spaces. We’ll try to keep them as far away from our goal as possible. We have a little score to settle.”
For Daramola, the match represented more than an opportunity to avenge that previous defeat. It was also an important step towards securing France’s progress in the competition.
She credited the team’s unity and positive atmosphere for helping the players approach the tournament without allowing the pressure to overwhelm them.
“We were so positive that we forgot about the pressure,” she explained. “There’s a positive atmosphere in the team and, personally, it gives me a boost to know that I have a close-knit team behind me. We’re like a family.”
From considering quitting to joining PSG
Despite her progress, Daramola’s development was not without difficulties.
After beginning at FC Rouen, she moved to Quevilly Rouen Métropole, where she spent five years. However, the demands of training, including early morning starts, and her feeling that she was no longer improving gradually affected her motivation.
“During my last year there, I wanted to give up. I’d had enough. I felt like I wasn’t progressing, like I was going backwards,” she revealed.
Her career eventually changed direction after she earned selection for France’s U-15 team. During a training camp, she featured against Paris Saint-Germain, where her performance attracted the attention of Bernard Mendy, then a scout for the Parisian club.
A PSG player informed her that Mendy had noticed her, although Daramola initially found the information difficult to believe. A telephone call the following day, inviting her for a trial, confirmed the interest.
She subsequently joined PSG and progressed through the club’s youth ranks, eventually making her competitive professional debut in February 2026.
Alongside her football development, Daramola continues her education at the PSG campus, with architecture and law among the career possibilities she is considering beyond the pitch.
Wendie Renard remains her inspiration
The 17-year-old also draws motivation from established figures in French women’s football, particularly Wendie Renard, whom she admires for her ability, discipline and commitment to continuous improvement.
“She’s a player who works on herself a lot, who is always looking to push herself further. That’s what it takes to compete at the highest level. She’s an inspiration for me,” Daramola said.
For the PSG defender, the World Cup represents the culmination of more than a year of preparation and an opportunity to test herself against the best young players in the world.
Her ambition is not simply to participate but to help France go all the way.
“We worked for over a year to get here. We’re not going to relax now. Our objective is to win this World Cup,” she declared.
From watching France lift the trophy in Russia in 2018 to representing Les Bleuettes on the global stage in Morocco, Daramola’s journey reflects a dream that has steadily developed into reality. Now, she hopes to create a memorable chapter of her own in French football.
ORIGINAL SOURCE AND FULL CREDIT
This publication is adapted from the original FIFA.com feature:
Original headline: Daramola on World Cup memories, Japan duel and France hopes
Original publisher and copyright owner: FIFA.com (Fédération Internationale de Football Association).
Original publication date: 19 October 2026.
Original reporting and interview: FIFA.com editorial team.
Photography: Joern Pollex – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images.
Original article: https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/womens/u17womensworldcup/morocco-2026
This is an independently reworked publication based on FIFA’s original feature. Interview quotations and the underlying story are credited to FIFA.com. Photographic rights remain with FIFA/Getty Images and the original photographer; separate permission should be obtained before republishing the photographs.
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