Significant absentees in this group of 23 players called up to the French team for the next Women’s Euro (July 6-31 in England). Corinne Deacon, coach of Les Bleues, unveiled the list of lucky winners on Monday and the experienced Amandine Henry, Eugénie Le Sommer and Kheira Hamraoui are not included.
The boss of the French team also dismissed Perle Morroni and Viviane Asseyi, one of the most capped players of the Deacon era. The absence of Amandine Henry was however expected. The OL midfielder, ex-captain of Les Bleues, has not been called up since winter 2020, after public criticism of Corinne Deacon.
Hamraoui is not in the selected group either. The defensive midfielder has not played at Paris SG for a month and her relations are icy with certain teammates in the club and with Les Bleues, such as Kadidiatou Diani and Marie-Antoinette Katoto.
The Bordelaise Ella Palis, selected in her place in April, is summoned. Le Sommer, top scorer in the history of Les Bleues (86 goals), was not called up this season, a victim of fierce competition in attack. Her OL teammate Perle Morroni, who has also become a club substitute, will not play in the Euros either. Selma Bacha was preferred to him as left-back, along with Sakina Karchaoui.
Goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud-Magnin, deprived of her usual lining Solène Durand (injured and forfeited), will be supported by Bordelaise Mylène Chavas and by Messina Justine Lerond, D2 player holder in the French under-23 cage.
A first international title to win
Wendie Renard will wear the armband this summer in England, where the French women aim to win their first international title, with a renewed team for several months. Without Henry or Hamraoui, it is the young Ella Palis, 23, who embarks for the Euro, despite her weak international experience (6 caps) and sometimes reduced playing time in Bordeaux. She will be the understudy of the N.6 Charlotte Bilbault, another Girondine.
The list of Deacon, close to the previous ones, however reserves two surprises. Ouleymata Sarr, striker from Paris FC (15 caps), is called up despite a choppy international career, relaunched in February then extended in April after Melvine Malard’s package (also called Monday).
The coach must officially send her list before June 26 at 11:59 p.m., the latest deadline. It will then be possible to replace a player up to 24 hours before the first match, in the event of injury or Covid-19. The France team, third in the FIFA rankings, is one of the favorites at the Euro, after a season that ended with eleven victories in as many matches. However, his record is blank in major competitions.
His preparation course will begin on June 14 in Clairefontaine, five days after the start of a cohesion course. At the Euro, his first match is scheduled for July 10 against Italy in Rotherham.
The list of 23 players called up to the French national team:
Babysitters (3) : Mylène Chavas (Bordeaux), Justine Lerond (Metz / D2), Pauline Peyraud-Magnin (Juventus Turin / ITA).
Defenders (8) : Selma Bacha (Lyon), Hawa Cissoko (West Ham / ENG), Sakina Karchaoui (Paris SG), Griedge Mbock (Lyon), Eve Perisset (Bordeaux), Wendie Renard (Lyon), Marion Torrent (Montpellier), Aïssatou Tounkara ( Atlético Madrid/ESP).
Backgrounds (5) : Charlotte Bilbault (Bordeaux), Kenza Dali (Everton / ENG), Grace Geyoro (Paris SG), Ella Palis (Bordeaux), Sandie Toletti (Levante / ESP).
Forwards (7) : Sandy Baltimore (Paris SG), Delphine Cascarino (Lyon), Kadidiatou Diani (Paris SG), Marie-Antoinette Katoto (Paris SG), Melvine Malard (Lyon), Clara Matéo (Paris FC), Ouleymata Sarr (Paris FC)