This Saturday night at La Beaujoire in Nantes (9:00 PM), Vendée Fontenay Foot (National 3) will take on Paris Saint-Germain, fresh winners of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup, in the Round of 64 of the Coupe de France. A once-in-a-lifetime fixture that the Renou brothers — and their entire family — are eagerly awaiting.
“These are emotions you might only experience once in your life,” said Enzo Renou, Fontenay’s center forward and the eldest of the siblings.
“Even in a footballer’s career, not everyone gets to live this. To tell yourself that on Saturday, it’s us playing against the reigning European champions — it’s truly exceptional.”
The small National 3 club from a town of fewer than 20,000 inhabitants has been living in a whirlwind since the draw on December 1. Tickets sold out in just two hours, and Enzo — who also handles the club’s communications — hasn’t had a quiet moment since.
“We’ve entered a completely different media world, and with that comes a lot more work. We have to think about everything — the logistics, the travel, the members of the club. It’s a lot, but it’s a pleasure.”
A Family Divided… but United by the Moment
In the Renou family, football passions are split — both on the pitch and in the stands. Enzo is a PSG supporter, while his brother Noah, the team’s goalkeeper, leans toward Marseille.
“As a PSG fan, playing against your idols, players you’ve watched on TV your whole life, it’s incredible,” Enzo explained.
“When I was a kid, I had posters of the Pauleta-era PSG on my wall. Last year, I even got to attend PSG-Arsenal and PSG-Liverpool at the Parc des Princes.”
For Noah, club allegiance fades in moments like these.
“We joke about it a lot with friends and family,” he said.
“But whether you support OM or PSG, playing against a team like this is magical. You don’t think like a supporter — you think like a player.”
Aware of the imbalance, Noah keeps his objectives realistic.
“Everyone says we’re going to get hammered. For me, the goal is to concede as few goals as possible. I told my friends: five at most. Beyond that, it starts to hurt. The main thing is not to be ridiculous and to give everything.”
The youngest of the family, Maël — a U15 goalkeeper and PSG supporter — has just one request:
“I only asked Noah if he could get me a pair of gloves from a goalkeeper. Anyone’s gloves. And if possible, a shirt.”
Following in Their Father’s Historic Footsteps
On the sidelines, head coach Loïc Lambert — a former professional player — is enjoying the moment for his squad and the club. Coaching two brothers in the same team is a first for him.
“They play at opposite ends of the pitch, so there’s no competition between them,” he explained.
“They’re well-educated lads with a strong football culture and the right values — just like their father.”
That father is Willy Renou, a former captain and club legend. On February 10, 2001, Fontenay eliminated Sedan — then third in Ligue 1 — thanks to a goal from Willy Renou. A month later, the club narrowly lost on penalties to Lyon, led by Sonny Anderson, in a memorable cup run.
“We grew up watching those VHS tapes from Téléfoot,” Enzo recalled.
“We told ourselves: why not us? Of course, this time the challenge is much bigger. But it’s football — the only sport where these kinds of miracles can happen.”
At La Beaujoire, memories of Carquefou eliminating Marseille in 2008 still linger. Against PSG, the mountain is higher than ever — but for Fontenay and the Renou family, the dream is already alive.
Coupe de France – Round of 32
Local Time (France): Wednesday, December 17 — 21:00 CET
US Eastern Time: 3:00 PM ET
US Pacific Time: 12:00 PM PT
• US Broadcast: FOX Sports 2 (FS2) / FOX One / FoxSports.com / FOX Sports App / fuboTV