Rennes-Cannes : A former Rennes player in Cannes’ squad.

Being the best football academy in France, Stade Rennais has former students all over the country. A new illustration this sunday with the home game against Cannes. Indeed François Masson, a Rennes native, is part of the southerner team.

Starting his young career in Chasné-sur-Illet and Liffré, François Masson is quickly noticed by Stade Rennais scouts. « I stayed there three years, from age 13 to 16, under the supervision of Landry Chauvin, the current Sedan manager, and Stéphane Wiertelak who one was a member of the Paris Saint-Germain staff» stated François in the columns of this saturday’s edition of Nice-Matin.

A member of the 1979 generation, along with the likes of Fabrice Fernandes or Anthony Réveillère, he is not offered a pre-contract and leaves Rennes academy to join the one of SCO Angers. He later moves to Pontivy, Cannes, Dijon, Brest, Amiens and back to Cannes since last summer.

Tomorrow, Masson will be back in Rennes. A good surprise from the Coupe de France draw. “It’s the year I least expect it to occur that it finally happens, he acknowledges in laughter. In the past, I was always hoping to play Rennes. I might be the only player of my team to be gladly looking forward to go to Brittany !”

A chance for the 31 year old to play for the very first time in the renovated Stade de la Route de Lorient. “It’s the place I went with my father to see matches when I was a kid, recalls François Masson. My parents and my two sisters who live in Rennes will be in the Stadium. There should be around twenty supporters from my family.”