Le Sommer Joins OL Reign on Loan from Olympique Lyonnais

OL Reign has signed French international forward Eugénie Le Sommer on loan from Olympique Lyonnais. The loan will commence at the end of OL’s 2020/2021 season and run through December 2021.

“It is great to have such an extraordinary player join our team,” said OL Reign head coach Farid Benstiti. “Le Sommer has been consistent for Lyon and is a very intelligent player. She will bring quality and effectiveness with her to our team. I am looking forward to seeing how she impacts our game.”

Le Sommer, 31, is a native of Grasse, France. She played internationally for the French Women’s National Team at the U17, U19, and U20 levels before making her senior national team debut in 2009, where she came on as a substitute against the Republic of Ireland. Le Sommer has amassed 175 appearances for France and notched 86 goals while playing in the 2009, 2013 and 2017 UEFA Women’s European Championship, 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games, and the 2011, 2015 and 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

In September 2020, Le Sommer scored two goals for her country in France’s decisive 7-0 win over North Macedonia in the UEFA Women’s Euro 2021 Qualifiers, bringing her to the top of France’s all-time goal-scorers list with 82 goals.

Le Sommer began her professional career with Stade Briochin in D1 Féminine for the 2007-2008 season, where she quickly became a standout player. She played in all 22 league matches and scored 4 goals in her rookie season, going on to make 71 appearances total for Stade Briochin from 2007-2010, scoring 38 goals across all competitions.

The ambitious striker began to gain recognition for her work, as she earned her first UNFP Female Player of the Year nomination after the 2008-2009 season. The following season Le Sommer was the top scorer in the league and was awarded the UNFP Female Player of the Year honor in 2010. She went on to receive the award again in 2015.

Following her time at Stade Briochin, Le Sommer moved to Olympique Lyonnais for the 2010-11 season and has become a club legend. In her 11 seasons with OL, Le Sommer won the Division 1 Féminine 10 times, won the Coupe de France Féminine trophy eight times, and has won the UEFA Women’s Champions League seven times. She has scored a total of 274 goals for OL across all competitions, making her the all-time leading goal-scorer for the club.

Le Sommer is regarded as the best striker in the history of Olympique Lyonnais, cementing her place as a leader on and off the field. She recently re-signed with OL for two more seasons, until 2023, extending her contract with the club for the fourth time. She plays with great tenacity, always looking to improve her own game as well well as helping her team to reach their full potential, as evident by the number of titles she has earned in her time with OL.

Le Sommer had the unique opportunity to grow with Olympique Lyonnais as a club, sticking with the team through the major developments and changes that allowed OL to become the best women’s team in Europe. One of the rare players to spend 11 years with a team, Le Sommer embodies the mission and drive of Olympique Lyonnais to become the best team possible.

Le Sommer is expected to join OL Reign after the June FIFA international window, when she will meet up with current Olympique Lyonnais teammates Dzsenifer Marozsán and Sarah Bouhaddi, who will also join on loan for the 2021 NWSL season.

“I'm really excited to join OL Reign, it's a new challenge for me and I'm ready to take it! I have been following the league for many years and it’s one of the best leagues in the world,” said Le Sommer. “I can't wait to play my first game and meet the OL Reign fans at Cheney Stadium. I’m also really happy to enjoy the connection between OL and OL Reign that allows me to stay in OL family.”