US captain reflects on her playing career in France and the need for greater competition as she prepares for a summer move to Denver
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indsey Heaps is sitting in the heart of Lyon, a city that has witnessed her transformation from a self-described “baby” into the authoritative captain of the US women’s national team. Now wearing the iconic No 10 shirt for OL Lyonnes, inherited this season from Dzsenifer Marozsán, Heaps is reflective. She is a veteran, a leader who has won almost everything, yet she remains a student of the game, constantly seeking the “good struggles” that defined her early years.
The timing of our meeting is poignant. This month Lyonnes reasserted their dominance over the Première Ligue with a 1-0 victory against Paris Saint-Germain, before winning 4-0 against Saint-Étienne in a derby. The results leaves OL in a league of their own: 14 points clear of second-placed Nantes, with PSG cast adrift in fifth place, 17 points behind the leaders. For Heaps, these numbers are not just a source of pride; they are a symptom of a wider problem.
Although some progress is visible – “a team like Marseille that’s come up from the second division, they caused us problems in the last game that we played” – the overall picture remains frustrating for a player of her calibre. “It’s nowhere near where it needs to be for a professional league. I don’t think many clubs treat their players as professionals or create an environment that’s professional. It’s not competitive enough.”
