Volleyball: The final of the Coupe de France between Montpellier and Nantes will see the new French generation emerge

Joris Seddik (en l’air) sous les yeux de Mathis Henno (à gauche en blanc) Midi Libre – Giacomo Italiano

Joris Seddik, Amir Tizi-Oualou and Mathis Henno represent the future of French volleyball. At the Halle Carpentier in Paris, this Sunday (3:30 p.m.), they meet in the final of the Coupe de France.

This Sunday, a few minutes before the start of the Coupe de France final on the floor of the Halle Carpentier in Paris, the looks of Montpellier's Joris Seddik (18 years old), Amir Tizi-Oualou (18 years old) and Nantais Mathis Henno ( 19 years old) will inevitably cross paths. Like in a dream ? "We can say it, yes, but we shouldn't dream too much, believes the first quoted. We are right and Mathis will be opposite. He will be an opponent during the match and a friend afterwards."

"This moment will be special because we are the only players of our generation to play in professional clubs who, in addition, find themselves in the final of the Coupe de France, that is ;rsquo;is huge, notes Henno. I have a very good relationship with Joris and Amir, we spent great times together, our bonds are very strong."

"The future best exchange in the world"

The trio knows each other perfectly having experienced memorable emotions last summer when they won the U19 world champion title with the Bleuets. "Mathis is my friend, a good guy with whom I get along very well. I am very happy with his season, confides Seddik about the receiver-attacker voted best prospect in the championship. He deserves it, he worked for it, he’s a hard worker."

These three perfectly represent the future of French volleyball. For their first season with the big boys, the passer Amir Tizi-Oualou splashed the championship with his talent at the start of the season with the MHSC VB, Mathis Henno starts under the orders of his father coach Hubert in Nantes and Joris Seddik is a phenomenon, already called upon by the Blues and set to "become the best central player in the world in the future", according to an informed observer of French volleyball. "People don't tell me that in real life, smiles the 2.12m central Montpellier player. I've been hearing compliments for a long time and I can't hide the fact that it makes me extremely happy. But I can't be satisfied with that, I have to work."

"I'm in my element"

Unlike his friend from Nantes, well established in his team's starting six, Seddik had to chomp at the bit this season in Montpellier, spending most of his time on the bench watching his position play the Olympic champion Nicolas Le Goff and the experienced Canadian Danny Demyanenko. "I am experiencing this first season as a professional following on from this summer with the French team. I am in my element, in my place. The first minutes in League A were positive with three matches as a starter. But I don't want to be satisfied with that, I want to look higher."

In the Coupe de France final, the three will not have the same playing time, that's for sure. But patience is required, they will very soon find themselves together on the floor with the same blue jersey.

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