Paris Saint-Germain Feminine striker Marie-Antoinette Katoto has insisted she’s moved beyond her surprise snub for France’s 2019 World Cup squad to focus on the present as she approaches 100 club goals after only just turning 22.
Last summer, France head coach Corinne Diacre surprisingly left Katoto off her 23-player squad, despite the fact that the then-20-year-old was the French league’s top scorer with 22 goals.
Diacre’s decision was not vindicated, as the hosts crashed out of the World Cup to eventual winners United States at the quarter-final stage.
Katoto, who finished 23rd in the Goal 50 2020, did not let the snub hinder her, however, and she continued excelling for PSG to the point where she has now reached 99 goals for her club.
As she approaches the 100-goal milestone, Katoto has said her mentality has been key to overcoming a difficult setback.
“My situation with Les Bleus was not a big problem,” Katoto told Goal. “I always remained focused on my work. I listen a lot to my coaches. They are the first to help me for my development.”
On her World Cup snub, she added: “It’s the past. Today I am looking ahead.”
Katoto is now a regular in Diacre’s squad and has admitted that the current team will have failed should they not win a major trophy in the coming years.
“Yes. It would be a failure,” Katoto said. “The French team is one of the greatest nations, among girls, mens or in our youth teams. We always have been part of the favourites, in every competition. We have to win something with the coming generation.”
Katoto began her career as a defender but her transformation into one of the world’s top forwards was helped by studying videos of two of the best goalscorers of all time on the men’s side.
“I started as a defender but immediately I was attracted by the goal. That’s why I played higher up the pitch,” Katoto said. “I worked to know when to make my runs, when to shoot, and how.
“I watched the best strikers on TV or on internet videos. I like R9 [Ronaldo] a lot for example, as I like Cristiano Ronaldo.”
As she nears a milestone many strikers will never reach, let alone at the age of 22, Katoto expressed her happiness to be able to do so with her childhood club.
“It’s an incredible thing. Scoring 100 goals for your club is wonderful,” Katoto said. “I can’t dream of anything better than reaching this legendary step with Paris Saint-Germain.”
