WALTHAM, Mass. — The number one team in the FIFA rankings will train at Bentley University during the World Cup this summer. France just moved ahead of Spain to reclaim the top position in the world rankings after Les Blues defeated Brazil in Foxborough a couple of weeks ago.
“At first, I didn’t believe it. It was kind of hard to believe because it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to share something to special with such an incredible team,” Bentley soccer player Sydney Deroche said. It’s a great opportunity to have a world-class team like the France National Team be here. I know my team, and I were super excited to find out we will use the field after they’re done. I think it’s very motivational for my team because we want to continue to hopefully take in the level they play at."
Bentley announced they’d host the French team back in March, but on Wednesday, they held a tour to show reporters the athletic facilities. France will have access to the grass soccer field, the outfield of the baseball field, the weight room, the treatment area, and the locker room.
This came together pretty quickly. France Head Coach Didier Deschamps toured the campus with the French federation last month. A few days later the school announced France had chosen Bentley to be their training host. France will become the first national team to ever train at Benley.
The exciting news for the university started getting around to the students the day Deschamps was on campus.
“It was like a madhouse. People were posting on all the media saying the French team is here,” Michael Haikal, a senior on the soccer team, said. “When the coaching staff and federation were here, people were coming down, taking pictures. It was a big deal, and everybody knew about it.”
Bentley University Athletic Director Vaughn Williams said the team will stay in Boston and make the drive to Waltham for training. The university, with about 5,300 students, will now prepare to host one of the iconic soccer nations.
“Work has already started,” Williams said. “This is the most important part of their stay. Is the pitch. We’ll protect this field until they come.”
Williams says France arrives in Boston on June 10th and they will be training at Bentley the following day. They already have a grass soccer field, but he says they need to get it to fit under FIFA’s tight standards.
He said security will be tight. Any fan looking to get a glimpse of the team training will not happen, according to Williams. He said they will block off the entire lower campus when France is there, including their own student-athletes. They plan to lock the fields often to prevent any damage to the grass.
“It’s an enormous responsibility and an enormous opportunity. For Waltham to be linked and Bentley University to be linked with an event of this magnitude, it can only bring you great awareness.”
Boston 25 News Reporter Michael Raimondi asked Williams if there is any financial incentive to hosting a national team.
“I wouldn’t say this is a money maker by any stretch of the imagination,” Williams replied. “It’s being involved in something greater.”
The student-athletes don’t seem bothered that their facilities will be off-limits to them at times this summer. They said hosting France is worth it.
“What a blessing you see the field now, and it’s already amazing,” Haikal said. “To see what they come up with in a couple months and see how that looks like in the preseason for our guys is pretty awesome.”
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