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Laura Georges at Women's Under-19 in Israel

Laura Georges was put through her paces by the Israel women's Under-19 team in Herzliya as she visited the players as part of her role as a UEFA women's football development ambassador.

Laura Georges meets the players
Laura Georges meets the players ©Sportsfile

France and Paris Saint-Germain defender Laura Georges was put through her paces by the Israel women's Under-19 team in Herzliya as she visited the players as part of her role as a UEFA women's football development ambassador.

Israel are hosting the UEFA European Women's U19 Championship and the hosts play their final game against Denmark on Tuesday. Georges was there to give the players an inspirational message and shared the story of how she first broke into football, aged 12 while living in Versailles, before taking past in team drills. UEFA.com spoke to Georges and Israel players and coaches.

Laura Georges, UEFA Women's Football Development Ambassador 
I had a great time with the team, it was really nice to see them. It actually wasn't easy, as the training exercises were a bit tricky, but I had a great chat with all the girls. They're very intelligent, passionate about football and have a real desire to play, and to continue improving.

There's a really lovely atmosphere with the girls, who have shown a rapid progression and developed very quickly. I learned just how committed the girls here are, and how much they want to play, to invest in themselves as players. They have a great self belief. Like all teams, they have difficult moments, this is their first tournament, but they have played under pressure, managed the pressure and we've seen Israel's want to play football at the highest level.

©Sportsfile

Sarit Winstok, Israel midfielder
I gained so much from that conversation. Laura told me so much which will help me going forward, it was really amazing. I didn't expect to get that much out of it, and I couldn't stop smiling as she was talking. It was really an honour for me to meet her. It was really cool to listen to her talking about how her life's turned out, and I would really love to follow in her footsteps.

Marian Awad, Israel midfielder
I'm going to Brooklyn, New York, to play football soon. Laura was at Boston [College], so she's been there, she's seen everything I will see, and she's encouraged me to go to college and to continue my studies, too. She told us education was very important for her, and really encouraged us all to take any opportunities we have.

Guy Azouri, Israel coach
Meeting a top player with such experience has given the girls a lot to think about, in terms of what has to be done to reach her level. The girls have worked so hard over the past two years, and now to speak with a wonderful player such as Laura Georges, is fantastic. It's all about sharing knowledge, especially for young people. The girls here always want to learn – they don't just assume they know everything.

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