With just one point from their first two matches, France’s start to the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup™ has been less than ideal, to say the least.

After a thrilling 3-3 draw with Canada in their Colombia 2024 opener, they fell to a disappointing 3-0 defeat to Brazil. There may be light at the end of the tunnel yet, however. France can still reach the knockout phase, however, and victory against struggling Fiji in their final group match would most likely seal their progress.

Among the reasons for French optimism is undoubtedly the form of striker Dona Scannapieco. She shone against Canada, scoring twice, and was promoted to captain against Brazil.

“Mentally, I got off to a good start in this competition and those two goals have really helped me on a personal level,” the 20-year-old told FIFA. “There’s no doubt that when a number nine player scores, she gains in confidence. I think this will help me for the remainder of the competition.”

Since May 2023, the player who trained at Montpellier has gone from strength to strength. Just 16 months ago, Scannapieco had never even been selected for a national team, missing out on a place in the U-17 and U-18 squads. “I don’t think I was quite ready, mentally or physically, to take the step up to the national team and stay there,” the striker states frankly. “I was able to seize my chance last year and take part in the [Under-19] Euros.”

Gradually, the young French player became pivotal in the mind of coach Sandrine Ringler, who made her one of her key figures in the dressing room. However, Scannapieco’s fortunes were set to change once again just before Colombia 2024, when Louna Ribadeira, the first-choice striker and top scorer at last year’s Euros, was forced to pull out of the trip. Handed a starting berth against Canada, Scannapieco once again seized the opportunity.

“I didn’t know I was going to be starting,” she admits. “I had spoken to the coach about it, I had her trust and I think I repaid that trust in this first match. After that, it was a real honour to wear the captain’s armband [against Brazil]. I wasn’t really expecting it, but when I found out I was going to be captain once the team list was announced, I was delighted and took the responsibility seriously. I was really proud.”

For the striker, the game would have been perfect if her team had secured all the points. However, there is still plenty to play for, as Les Bleuettes are still very much in contention ahead of their final group match. “We’re a bit disappointed from a points perspective,” she said. “But nothing is decided yet. We’re concentrating on this last match, we’ve put the others behind us. We’re going to focus on the positives and work on the areas we need to improve on for the remainder of the tournament.”

While an early exit would be a major blow for Scannapieco, her summer of 2024 is sure to be a memorable one. Before flying off to South America, the two-time scorer against Canada fulfilled a childhood dream by signing for Olympique de Marseille, who are in the women’s second tier, just a few weeks after climbing to the first division with FC Nantes.

“The Marseille plan was the right choice, and I think it was better for me to stay in D2 so that I could grow even stronger – and besides, OM is my favourite club,” says the striker, who is also a fan of Cristiano Ronaldo. “My entire family supports Marseille and I’ve been going to the Velodrome ever since I was a little girl. This year, they are looking pretty determined and I hope that pays off.”

Before heading back to the Old Port, however, Scannapieco intends to prolong the pleasure at the World Cup and indulge in yet more excitement. Despite the disappointment of the first few days, the striker was delighted to see her parents make the long trip to Colombia to support her. “They were there for the first two matches, but now they’ve gone back home,” she added. “They couldn’t come to the Euros last year [in Belgium] and my father told me that if I was selected for the World Cup, they would come to Colombia. It really gave me that extra motivation.”

After her two goals against Canada, despite the time difference, Scannapieco received a flurry of messages from her French followers, congratulating and encouraging her for the next stages. If she can fire her team to victory over the Fijians and a book a place in the knockouts, her phone is sure to be ringing off the hook.