Kenza Dali, Laurina Fazer, and Perle Morroni: Three French Stars at San Diego Wave FC

 

Read the original article in French here.

 

In Del Mar, just north of San Diego, the team is in the middle of training. Players sprint, shoot, and battle one-on-one drills. Above them, a drone hovers in the cloudless sky, tracking every movement. A cool breeze drifts in from the nearby Pacific Ocean, cutting through the morning heat as the sharp sound of cleats striking soccer balls mixes with the encouragement of a coach speaking in an English accent.

"Good job, Kenza!"

Kenza Dali is one of the team's co-captains. Originally from the Lyon region of France, she developed her career in several French clubs before moving to England. She still had a year and a half remaining on her contract with Aston Villa, near Birmingham, when San Diego Wave FC came calling, determined to sign the experienced midfielder. Her résumé includes 13 goals for the French national team, two FIFA Women's World Cups, and the Paris Olympic Games.

 

 

At 34, the number 10 is also the oldest of San Diego's three French players. "Auntie," as her teammates affectionately call her: Perle Morroni, 28, and Laurina Fazer, 22. Sitting on the edge of the training field after practice, freshly showered, the trio looks more like they're at summer camp than at a professional training facility. They chat about the team house they share with other players, Starbucks, and afternoons at the beach. Laughter comes easily. But the three women came to the United States for one reason above all else: to play soccer.

More opportunities for women in the United States

"It was always my dream," says defender Perle Morroni, who previously played for Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique Lyonnais before joining San Diego in 2024. "Although I always imagined coming here at the end of my career. I don't know why..."

Kenza Dali jumps in with a smile: "That's what the men do."

Thierry Henry in New York, Lionel Messi in Miami, Olivier Giroud in Los Angeles, Antoine Griezmann soon in Orlando... In men's soccer, the United States has long been a destination for international stars in the later stages of their careers.

 

 

Women's soccer tells a very different story.

The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) is widely regarded as a career accelerator. "I used to watch the games when I was little, and the American players were always the best," Perle Morroni recalls. With four World Cup titles and five Olympic gold medals, the U.S. Women's National Team has inspired generations of players around the world—especially in France, where women's sports still struggle for mainstream visibility.

"France has an exceptional level of play, incredibly promising players, and one of the best clubs in the world with Lyon," explains Kenza Dali. "But the marketing is terrible. If my soda can is gray, no one will want to buy it... France still has a lot of progress to make."

Perle Morroni agrees.

"Here, women play in packed stadiums. There are real resources dedicated to broadcasting the games, and matches are shown on major sports networks."

And fans—regardless of gender—line up to buy jerseys.

On the training field, players communicate in English, Spanish, Portuguese... and French

"The league format also makes the competition more exciting," adds Laurina Fazer. Having joined Paris Saint-Germain at just six years old, she arrived in San Diego last year on a P-1A athlete visa.

"Naturally, it makes people want to follow the league."

Another key factor is the league's salary cap. Each of the NWSL's 16 clubs operates under the same payroll limit—$3.5 million for the 2026 season—which restricts blockbuster contracts and creates greater competitive balance. Success depends less on unlimited spending and more on smart management, recruitment, and long-term strategy.

San Diego has assembled one of the most international squads in the league, with fourteen Americans, one Canadian, one Bosnian, two Colombians, three Brazilians, and three French players. (There were even four until the recent departure of Delphine Cascarino, who joined a club in London to be closer to her family.)

"We play a very European style of football, built around possession," says Kenza Dali. "That's our coach's philosophy—he came from Arsenal."

On the field, players communicate in English, Spanish, Portuguese... and French.

"From a tactical standpoint, being exposed to different cultures and different styles of play is a real advantage," says Laurina Fazer. Like her two French teammates, she hopes to represent her home country at the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil.

"I'm very happy to be playing in the United States," she says with a smile, "but I'll always be French!"

 

For San Diego Wave FC's upcoming home matches: see the full schedule here.

 

C.T.