From Clairefontaine and PSG to international beach soccer and teqball competitions: Jonathan Coquelle continues to take on new challenges. At Union Vrede, he wants to use his experience, defensive reliability and unifying role towards a common goal.

He left for Belgium for a single season. Nearly twenty years later, he is still living there.

That single choice grew into a life full of football, encounters and new sporting adventures. Jonathan Coquelle describes himself as a global citizen: someone who loves to travel, learn and meet people. That curiosity runs like a common thread throughout his story.

His youth development took him to INF Clairefontaine and the PSG academy. There, he learned what elite sport demands, but also how important group life, mentoring and personal development are. After his first professional years at Sedan, he went on to build his career in Belgium.

Later, he discovered beach soccer and then teqball. He did not just take up playing himself, but also helped develop teqball in Belgium. At the 2023 World Championships in Bangkok, he reached the quarter-finals in singles — a result that followed a year of intensive preparation.

Today, he continues to discover new ways to play with a ball. His latest challenge is foot table. The fundamentals remain the same: technique, strategy and the drive to keep learning.

At Union Vrede, Jonathan brings more than just his qualities as a defender. He wants to connect players, facilitate communication and provide energy when a match gets tough. His message for Alanya therefore starts before kick-off: be prepared.

Get to know a player for whom experience is not an end point, but a reason to keep setting new goals.

1. Can you introduce yourself in a few words?

My name is Jonathan Coquelle. I am French-Belgian and have lived in Belgium for almost twenty years. Football has been part of my life since my earliest childhood.

I love travelling the world, competing in sports, but also discovering new cultures and meeting people. All those experiences enrich me personally and help me grow over the years. I see myself a bit as a global citizen: someone who loves to explore, learn and meet others.

2. You came through the ranks at INF Clairefontaine and the PSG academy. What do you take away from that period?

My time at INF Clairefontaine and the PSG academy are experiences that stay with you for a lifetime. Even today, people still bring it up to me, partly thanks to the documentary Canal+ made at Clairefontaine back then. It was a kind of forerunner to what we call reality television today. The public got a behind-the-scenes look at an elite academy and the daily lives of young footballers.

Those years shaped me enormously, both as an athlete and as a person. During that period, you learn how to become a player, but you also develop as a human being. We were guided by coaches and educators who instilled essential values in us, for sport and for life. Between school, boarding school life and training sessions on the pitch, everything was organised to help us become the best possible players.

They were extraordinary and very enriching, but also tough years. From a young age, you find yourself in an environment where the goal is to become a professional footballer. Yet there were many of us chasing that dream, and in the end only a few succeeded.

I also had a different youth from many other young people. During the week I stayed at boarding school, and at the weekend there were matches. As a result, there was less time left to go out or spend time with friends. But looking back, I mostly remember an exceptional experience that taught me a great deal and contributed to the person I am today.

3. Afterwards, you continued your career in Belgium. How did that adaptation go?

After my first professional years at Sedan, I continued my career in Belgium. France and Belgium are neighbouring countries, but differences exist, both in how football is experienced and in life off the pitch.

Still, I adapted very quickly to my new surroundings and enjoyed some great seasons there. Over the years, I was able to make a name for myself in Belgian football and build a fine career.

But beyond football, it's above all the personal encounters that have stayed with me. I was fortunate enough to play for clubs that were incredible on a human level. Even when the sporting results were less favourable, I had wonderful experiences and strong bonds were forged. Some encounters grew into genuine friendships. It's always a pleasure to bump into former supporters or people who crossed my path again.

Initially, I had no intention at all of staying in Belgium for so long. I had signed for one year and never imagined I would build my life here. And in the end, almost twenty years later, I'm still here!

4. How did you discover beach soccer?

I discovered beach soccer just before the Covid period, around 2019. At the time, I had a group of friends who played the sport and invited me to give it a try in the summer. To be honest, I didn't even know the sport existed, let alone in Belgium!

Back then, there was a pitch in Braine-l’Alleud, where I went to train with a team called NewTeam. I was hooked straight away!

By nature, I'm a huge fan of footvolley over a tennis net. I always loved technical drills during football training, where you try to keep the ball in the air and everything revolves around ball control. I found all of that in beach soccer, and it appealed to me immediately.

I started training regularly to make progress and raise my level. What started as a summer discovery quickly became a true passion.

5. What does it mean to you to represent Belgium in beach soccer and teqball?

Representing Belgium, whether in beach soccer or teqball, first and foremost makes me immensely proud. It remains special to defend your country's colours, give everything and try to represent it as best you can.

Those moments feel special, especially when you listen to the national anthem before a match. The level of the competitions we take part in is exceptional too: we are competing at the highest level in both of our disciplines.

So it is a matter of huge pride and joy to have those experiences, but also to contribute in my own way to the development and profile of these sports in Belgium.

6. How did you discover teqball and foot table, and what appeals to you about those disciplines?

Teqball entered my life about a year after beach soccer, right in the middle of the Covid period. I discovered the sport on YouTube and immediately found the concept incredible. After that, I looked up information about its history, origins, players and the countries where the sport was already established.

I soon noticed that virtually nothing existed in Belgium yet. So I decided to take on the adventure and help develop the sport, including by being involved in founding the federation and clubs.

From a sporting perspective, I found what has always fascinated me: the ball, technique and ball control. Just like with footvolley over a tennis net, I was immediately enthusiastic. But the complex rules and the psychological aspect attracted me as well. It's a bit like playing chess against your opponent: thinking, anticipating and finding the right solutions at the right time.

The fact that you can play individually, in singles or doubles, also interested me. Throughout my career, I had played team sports. I saw this as an opportunity to test myself in a different way and see what I was capable of on my own.

So I threw myself completely into that new passion. First I looked for a table, a place to play, and learned the rules. At first, I learned everything myself through YouTube. Later, I found people to play with and helped develop the sport further in Belgium.

Alongside beach soccer and teqball, I have also been playing foot table for a few months, a discipline rooted in Brazilian futmesa.

You've probably seen videos on social media of young Brazilians playing on plastic tables, in the favelas or on the beach. A Brazilian further developed that concept into a real sport, with an adapted table and glass walls on the sides, a bit like padel.

I discovered the discipline and was quickly hooked. Very recently, I even took part in the European and World Championships. It's a new sporting adventure in my journey, and I'm very happy about that!

What attracts me to foot table is that you have to combine many qualities: technique, precision, agility and strategy. There are obviously similarities with teqball, although each discipline has its own characteristics.

Ultimately, I continue to discover different ways to play with a ball. That fascinates me immensely. I love discovering new sports where I can learn, grow and challenge myself.

7. How do teqball and beach soccer complement each other in your sporting pursuits?

Teqball and beach soccer are technically quite close. In both sports, you naturally use your feet, but also a lot of knees, chest, shoulders and head. You need to be able to control the ball with various parts of the body and have very precise touches.

The big difference is that in beach soccer, you are constantly put under pressure by opponents. So you have to be able to play quickly and make good decisions in sometimes very tricky situations.

In teqball, precision is essential. The slightest technical error can land you in trouble and cause you to lose control of the rally.

Teqball therefore helps me enormously to refine my touches, especially with the upper body, because I repeat those movements constantly. Conversely, beach soccer gives me more agility, speed and responsiveness around the table.

So those two disciplines complement each other very well and each help me, in their own way, to improve technically.

For me, the first touch is the real link between both sports. In both, it can make all the difference. A good first touch puts you in the best possible position to execute the next move. Often, it dictates the quality of the entire action.

8. Which international moment in teqball has touched you the most?

The event that has particularly stayed with me is the 2023 Teqball World Championships in Bangkok, Thailand. That was where I achieved my best individual performance by reaching the singles quarter-finals.

I played an exceptional tournament. In the round of 32, I knocked out a highly ranked player, before dominating my opponent in the round of 16. I was playing excellent teqball and felt I was at my absolute best.

Yet beyond the result, it is primarily the work behind it that makes that experience so special. I had trained through an incredible year, without counting the hours, constantly seeking progress and ways to push my limits.

Reaching the quarter-finals was therefore a true reward for all those daily efforts. It confirmed that hard work and commitment pay off in the end. I cherish an extraordinary memory of that competition, which remains a highlight of my teqball journey.

9. How would you describe your playing style in beach soccer, and what role do you like to take on within a team?

I play as a defender, on both the right and the left. I describe myself as a solid and reliable defender. That's the foundation for me. I try to play cleanly and tidily in defence, build up well, and put our attacking players in the best possible position to showcase their qualities.

Naturally, there are still areas where I can grow. But my priority is to be solid, reliable and efficient in my zone and contribute as much as possible to the team.

Beyond my role on the pitch, I also like to be a link between the various members of the group, both among the players themselves and with the staff. Everyone has their own character and way of working. I like talking to everyone, facilitating communication and helping to get messages across.

On the pitch, I also try to bring energy in difficult moments, remobilise the lads and strengthen the team bonds. That solidarity and the ability to find a few extra percent when the going gets tough can, in my view, make all the difference in a match.

10. What does your training routine look like, and what motivates you to maintain that discipline on a daily basis?

That's a tough question that I could talk about at length, but I'll try to keep it brief!

For me, everything starts with passion. That's what gives direction, makes us love the effort and want to achieve certain goals. That's what motivates me to train every day and keep striving for progress.

I train six days out of seven, all year round, month after month, and have done so for many years. I adapt my programme to upcoming competitions. If I have a goal in teqball, I give that discipline more focus. If it's beach soccer, I tailor my training sessions more towards that.

Yet beyond the athletic preparation, it's above all a discipline of life. Before or after work, you have to be able to push yourself to train, even when conditions are less favourable or motivation doesn't come easily. I've built that routine from an early age. Today it's part of my daily life, almost like part of my job.

And there is that continuous desire to get out on the pitch, train, grow and set new goals. Above all, it's a passion that runs deep inside me.

People often say: “You have an incredible, extraordinary life!” Then I reply that that's true, but that there is also a huge amount of daily work behind it. To have those experiences, take part in those competitions and give myself the chance to achieve my goals, I also have to put in extraordinary efforts in my daily life.

That's what people don't always see: the training hours, discipline and sacrifices that make it possible to experience those exceptional moments later on.

11. What are your fondest moments with Belgium in beach soccer?

There are two that have particularly stayed with me.

The first was about a year and a half ago in Cádiz, Spain. We were playing against England in a decisive match to qualify for the next stage in Italy. It had been a difficult week. The Belgian national team was in full rebuild, with a mix of experienced players and youngsters, some of whom were still minors. The results up until then had been disappointing.

Against England, we went 2-0 down. We equalised and eventually won on penalties. What touched me was the group's ability never to give up and keep fighting right down to the final second, despite all the difficulties during that week. In the end, those efforts were rewarded.

The joy we shared back then was incredible. It was more than just a victory: the feeling that we had accomplished something together and overcome the odds collectively. A moment like that stays with you.

The second moment is much more recent, from this past summer in Moldova. We played our first match in Division 1 against Italy, who were reigning European champions at the time. To face a country like that right from our entrance into that competition was something special.

I particularly remember the national anthems, especially the Italian one. Hearing the players and fans sing it with such passion remains impressive. In that moment, you realise the level of the competition and feel that you're right up there among the best European nations.

They are two very different moments, but they illustrate well what I appreciate in sport: the collective joy of a hard-fought victory achieved together, and the pride of representing your country at the highest level.

©BelgiumBeachSoccer-CyrilKindt

12. How did the project to take part in the World Winners Cup in Turkey with Union Vrede come your way?

Tanguy Hanon and chairman Nikolay presented the project to me and asked if I wanted to reinforce Union Vrede for the World Winners Cup in Turkey.

The goal was to bring together the best Belgian players for that competition and add top-quality foreign reinforcements, so that a competitive team would be formed.

Given my good relationship with Tanguy, Nikolay and the other players, I immediately saw it as a wonderful opportunity. I also wanted to test myself against the best beach soccer has to offer worldwide and keep learning.

Playing alongside high-level foreign players is a real opportunity. Their experience, qualities and vision of the game can help us grow and raise our own level.

That's why I accepted the proposal to take part in this competition with Union Vrede. I saw an opportunity to experience a great collective adventure, challenge myself sporting-wise and learn from the best.

13. What do you want to bring to the team, on and off the pitch?

On the pitch, I mainly want to bring my solidity and reliability as a defender. To be someone the team can count on, play cleanly and help put the squad in the best possible position.

Alongside that, I want to contribute my human qualities: good humour, composure and a genuine will to win. In my view, those elements are just as important to create a healthy team dynamic.

Another essential point is preparation. Together with Tanguy, we try to motivate as many players as possible to train during the week. We know how tough the start of a competition can be. From the very first match, it gets intense right away: the pace is high, the intensity is huge and everything moves fast. If you're not ready at kick-off, you can quickly find yourself in trouble.

So we want to start the tournament well and be ready from the opening minutes. That's what we try to impress upon the whole squad: preparation is essential if we want to perform well.

Ultimately, I hope to use both my sporting and personal qualities so that we can enjoy a great competition and achieve our goals together.

14. What are Union Vrede's goals for this competition in Turkey?

The main goal is to play the beach soccer the coach envisions and to make progress as a team throughout the tournament. Combining that development with victories would of course be ideal!

But beyond the results, I think it's important that Union Vrede comes out of this experience in Turkey stronger, both from a sporting and human perspective. We have a quality squad where there is still plenty to build and develop. This competition should help us take a step forward as a team.

The ultimate goal is therefore to achieve good results while showcasing the brand of beach soccer the coach wants to see. That still takes work and effort, but the project is promising and the goals are well worth it. Now it's up to us to do everything together to achieve them!

In closing: a message for the supporters

A message for you, our supporters: follow us and cheer us on, on social media and via the live streams of our matches!

Thank you to everyone standing behind us and supporting us on this adventure. Every message, every cheer and every gesture means so much and gives us extra strength on the pitch.

We are counting on you to follow us in Turkey and cheer us on throughout the competition!

See you very soon, friends!