The new-look France strongly resembles the old-look France after Herve Renard was named head coach just four months before the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
[ MORE: 2023 Women’s World Cup schedule, how to watch live ]
Amid chaos and controversy, Renard’s first task was to galvanize a fractured squad. He appears to be on his way, with a number of star players making their return at the World Cup and three wins in his first three friendlies.
Below we focus on France as the world’s 5th-ranked team aims to return to the semifinals for the first time since 2011 and just the second time ever.
The coach
Renard has been in the France job for all of 100 days, and what a colossal mess the France Football Federation was when he took over. A month earlier, Noel Le Graet quite as FFF president due to allegations of sexual and moral harassment toward women. Three weeks before Renard was appointed, head coach Corinne Diacre was fired to stave off a mass exodus of key players who had vowed they would not play for their coach of six years.
Star player(s)
Renard has subsequently brought a number of Les Bleus stars back into the fold ahead of the 2023 World Cup. Eugenie Le Sommer, France’s all-time leading goalscorer (88 goals), has been recalled to the team after not being called up for two years. The 34-year-old bagged seven goals (to go with five assists) in 17 league appearances for French powerhouse Lyon last season.
Midfielder Amandine Henry hadn’t played for France since November 2020 and had been recalled for the World Cup, but now the recently signed 33-year-old Angel City (NWSL) midfielder will miss out after suffering a calf injury ahead of the tournament.
Touchée au mollet gauche, 𝗔𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗛𝗲𝗻𝗿𝘆 est 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗳𝗮𝗶𝘁 pour la Coupe du Monde ❌
— Equipe de France Féminine (@equipedefranceF) July 7, 2023
De tout cœur avec toi @amandinehenry6 🙏#FiersdetreBleues pic.twitter.com/ebt3AEqhaT
Another legend, captain and defender Wendie Renard, is back in the team after previously stating her intent to boycott this summer’s tournament — alongside star strikers Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Kadidiatou Diani — if Diacre was to remain in charge. Diani joins Renard on the World Cup roster, but Katoto is absent due to a knee injury.
Expectations for the 2023 World Cup
France are the 5th betting favorites (behind the USWNT, England, Spain and Germany), making a semifinal appearance the baseline of success or failure. The quality is there to make a deep run, but will a lack of cohesion and familiarity keep France from going all the way?