Marie-Antoinette Katoto: profession goalscorer!

At 21, Marie-Antoinette Katoto is no longer a mystery in the world of women's football, but remains somewhat of a mystery in herself. A jewel that Paris Saint-Germain have had the chance to polish in more than 10 years at the club, the attacker is a confirmed elite player at the world level. 

While the season stopped at Round 16 (because of the Covid-19 health crisis), the Paris Saint-Germain forward became the top scorer in the league for the second season running with 16 goals scored in D1 Arkema, 23 overall in all competitions.

"Being top scorer makes me very happy. It was an odd season, it ending like that is odd. But being top scorer is a reward for my season and it's gratifying," said the goalscorer.

A prize that builds on the breakthrough season of the previous campaign when she scored 26 goals in all competitions. 
An ideal season too to respond on the pitch to all those who doubted her capacity to bounce back. It was with a force of character hitherto kept in check that the woman from Colombes showed she used setbacks to improve and prove her battling qualities. From a sporting and mental viewpoint, she showed that her emotions never affected her performances or her exemplarity. 
It was on merit and through a ferocious desire to prove herself, that Marie-Antoinette got back into the France team this season, getting back into it with displays for Les Bleues that earned praise. She came through the storm and scored a flood of goals. 

Twice voted best young player in the league by her peers, the n°9 also used this key season to prove her enduring tenacity.
"It's the logical follow-up to my previous season. The hardest thing isn't to reach the top, but to do everything in order to stay there," she explained. 

From her defensive efforts to her silky finishing, her speed on the counter and her dribbles, Marie-Antoinette Katoto has managed to enhance her game: "I'm still learning every day, I'm young and little by little, even if it's not natural, I'm also learning to take on responsibilities. I still want to progress." As for the rest, it's down to instinct: "Scoring, for me, is very intuitive. I don't really think when I'm in front of goal."

"Marie is impressive and a typical modern forward. She's capable of staying up there and being a fox in the box, but also of taking part in the build-up play. She's very good technically, is capable of running in behind, she's a top player," said her men's team counterpart, Kylian Mbappé, around the women's Classique last December.

And if she performed a superb sombrero in the Coupe de France final in order to give her team the victory last season, it's another skill that she remembers best from the 2019-2020 campaign: "My favourite goal this season was my back-heel against PDC, after great work from Kadidiatou," said the player who made a major contribution to the attacking festival against Marseille, with a beautiful hat-trick (11-0).

A real leader, surrounded by big-name players, she forms - along with Kadidiatou Diani and Nadia Nadim - a trio that is none other than the best Paris attack of the last 10 years in terms of statistics. 

"I feel very good in this attack. And I hope we'll continue to make Paris Saint-Germain shine as long as possible. My objective is to win trophies," concluded  Marie, who doesn't hide her desire to get back out on the pitch... And to make the nets tremble.

And that's a good thing as Paris Saint-Germain prematurely finished the season in the cruel position of second in the table, but Olivier Echouafni's team are qualified for the quarter-finals of the Women's Champions League, and also the semi-finals of the Coupe de France. Another chance, then, for Marie-Antoinette, to produce more fireworks in the City of Lights.