captain Wendie Renard announces “taking a step back” with the French team five months before the competition

Wind of amazement among the Blues. The captain of the France team, Wendie Renard, announced on Friday February 24 that she wanted “take a step back” with the selection, five months before the next World Cup played in Australia and New Zealand (July 20-August 20). “I can no longer endorse the current system, far from the requirements required by the highest level. It’s a sad but necessary day to preserve my sanity”wrote the 32-year-old player on her various social networks.

“It is with a heavy heart that I come by this message to inform you of my decision to take a step back with the France team. Unfortunately, I will not be doing this World Cup under these conditions”added the defender to the 142 selections with the Blue.

This decision, with still not very explicit reasons, comes just a few days after the last international window, during which Wendie Renard played all three matches of the Tournoi de France with the tricolor armband. The Lyonnaise even scored against Uruguay last Friday.

Many messages of support

This surprise announcement provoked many reactions of solidarity and affection, in particular from her Lyon teammates, such as Ada Hegerberg. But also players who are by his side with the Bleues like Marie-Antoinette Katoto, Delphine Cascarino who wrote the word “respect” on her Instagram story or Emelyne Laurent, the tricolor striker from Bayern Munich who commented on her message with these words: “Respect for the player and the woman that you are, an example for an entire island and an entire country. Only love sista”.

Other messages of support come from further afield, such as the Englishwoman Lucy Bronze, who plays for FC Barcelona, ​​declaring “with you my sister, always”or the Dutch Shanice Van De Sanden, Liverpool player, recalling her “big respect to you my friend”.