Thai footballer Alice Sombath makes history with call-up for France
Right-back, 21, is first player of Thai heritage to be named in French senior squad, capping stellar start to her soccer career
Footballer Alice Sombath is creating a buzz in Thailand after being called up by the France senior team for friendly matches against Nigeria and Spain.
The 21-year-old right-back is Thai by blood, with a father from Mukdahan and a mother from Chonburi. However, she was born and raised in France and has full French citizenship. She has previously represented France at the U16, U17, U19, U20, and U23 levels.
Alice began her football journey in 2011 with CSOM Arcueil, later moving to Paris FC and Paris Saint-Germain.
In 2020, she signed her first professional contract with Olympique Lyonnais. Alice played a crucial role in the team’s successes, winning the UEFA Women’s Champions League in the 2021/22 season and securing three consecutive French league titles from 2021/22 to 2023/24.
Alice was born in 2003 to Thai parents in the southern suburbs of Paris. However, she retains a strong connection to Thailand through her parents’ heritage.
She caught the football bug around the age of 8, inspired by watching her older brother play at a local club. Supported by her family and football-loving father, she realised early on that she might have the talent to become a professional footballer.
After playing for her local club for two seasons, Alice caught the attention of Paris FC, a second-tier French league club, and joined their youth system at age 10. Her talent quickly developed, earning her a spot at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), where she continued her rapid progress.
Alice was called up to the French U16 national team in 2019 and went on to win the U19 women’s championship with PSG in the same year. Despite her success, PSG were still second to Olympique Lyonnais, which had won 13 consecutive league titles by 2019.
As Alice grew into one of the most promising young players in France, it was no surprise that Olympique Lyonnais took notice of her talent.
"One year before I signed with Lyon, they had already approached me," Alice revealed. "However, I felt it was too soon to make the move, so I turned them down."
A year later, Lyon returned with an offer of a professional contract, and Alice couldn’t refuse this time. In 2020, she signed her first professional contract, marking the beginning of her professional career at just 16 years old.
