Lucy Bronze and the curious case of the French player who ate pasta in a baguette

Widely regarded as the best right back in the world, Lucy Bronze has once again come through for the Lionesses by helping to keep a clean sheet against Japan and ensuring that England finished first in their World Cup group.

Only seven years ago, Bronze was working at Domino’s Pizza to make ends meet while playing in an Everton “pay to play” squad. After making a name for herself at Manchester City, she was able to join the Holy Grail of women’s football clubs, Olympique Lyon in France. The UEFA Champions take their women’s team very seriously, providing six figure salaries but also sharing the same amenities and meals as the men.

Bronze admitted in an interview with The Gentlewoman that she experienced a bit of a culture shock after moving to France and witnessing how her new French teammates eat:

“Before, I didn’t really eat a lot of carbs, only for game days. And then I got to France and the girls eat it as if it’s going to disappear. Every breakfast we have about 20 of those metre-long baguettes. Where do they put it? One of them had a baguette and put pasta in it. I thought, Are you running a marathon?”

Absolutely incredible! No offense Au Bon Pain, but the Lyon Baguette Pasta Sandwich special could put you out of business forever. And forget all about Olive Garden’s $6.99 unlimited soup, salad and breadstick deal too! Everything pales in comparison to the carb on carb convenience displayed at a Lyon team dinner.

But who exactly was the player savvy enough to combine two of the world’s best food items into one? Let’s take a closer look:

• Reading between the lines, one can deduce that the Lyon player in question is French born and plays for Les Bleues, so that eliminates players such as Ada Hegerberg and Shanice van de Sanden.
• Amandine Henry has spent some time playing in the States for the Portland Thorns, which may have Americanized her diet at some point, so she can be eliminated as well.
• Delphine Cascarino is only 22 years old and can probably consume whatever she wants.
• Wendie Renard has posted a few foodie pics on Instagram so c’est possible she enjoys a pasta sandwich.
• Eugénie Le Sommer posted a tribute to Chef Paul Bocuse on her Instagram, thanking him in her post for helping her to discover Lyon through his gastronomy. Bocuse was a prominent chef associated with nouvelle cuisine, which is less opulent than cuisine classique. One of his recipes includes a Sea Bass in Pastry, which is a fish inside of a pastry that looks like a fish. Needless to say, we may have found our Pasta Sandwich Player of the Century.

As you watch the World Cup, wherever you are, please partake in the Baguette Pasta Sandwich Challenge. Pile on the carbs and just remember, you’re basically in training to play elite French football.