has the France team changed in size, four years after the World Cup in France?

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Before entering the running for the 2023 World Cup on Sunday against Jamaica, the Blues are still looking for a first major trophy.

Look in the rearview mirror. In 2019, the World Cup in France was to shake things up for women’s football in France, but also for its flag team then led by Corinne Deacon. Four years after being eliminated by the future American world champions in the quarter-finals, how much have the Blues, who will start this new World Cup, Sunday July 23 against Jamaica, evolved?

Statistically and in terms of results, the France team continues to ensure and weigh among the best teams in the world. Since the tournament in the summer of 2019, Les Bleues have played 48 games, for a record of four draws and five defeats, or 81% of victories. Until the setback (1-0) against Australia on July 14, to complete the preparation, all the defeats had come against teams better positioned in the Fifa rankings (United States, Sweden and Germany twice).

A very good statistical report

Among the victories, there are some successes against reference teams, such as the Netherlands (Euro 2022, Tournoi de France 2022), Brazil (Tournoi de France 2022), Germany or England (in friendly between April and June 2021). At the Euro, in England, Wendie Renard and her teammates equaled their best performance in an international competition by reaching the semi-finals, as at the 2011 World Cup and the 2012 Olympics.

To carry these performances, however, there were no major upheavals on the ground. The group retained a common backbone. Twelve players selected by Hervé Renard were already present in 2019, and eleven last summer at the Euro (seven played in both competitions). Enough to rely on a natural progression of the workforce. “The experienced players, who were there four years ago, have gained even more experience, and the young people have also matured and gained experience, in the league, in the Champions League, to arrive, be ready and bring something more”notes Laëtitia Philippe, French international and consultant for France Télévisions.

In the game, no revolution either. “I haven’t felt a big change since 2019”believes Patrice Lair, coach of the Girondins de Bordeaux women’s team. “We have a lot of transition phases, not so many big possession phases. The ideal is to be able to do both.” “We know the characteristics of France, the game does not necessarily change much, it is the players who are called up who must surpass themselves in major competitions like these”adds Laëtitia Philippe.

Arrived less than six months ago on the bench, Hervé Renard wishes to bring his paw to the game of his players, “give more speed”, “move fast forward”, “to be decisive” And “more realistic”as he confided to the magazine Team. “It takes an extra soul to get more”he assured, while the Blue are still looking for their first major trophy.

What level in the world hierarchy?

Because in four years, on the ground, the France team has seen some of its opponents cross symbolic milestones and enter another dimension. Starting with England, crowned champion of their Euro at home last summer, the first trophy in their history. This is also the case for the Canadians, Olympic champions for the first time in 2021 in Tokyo, where the French team was not even qualified to compete in the tournament, an unprecedented absence since 2008.

“We want, for once, France to go all the way, to show something. We expect each competition to be even better than the previous one, so obviously we are demanding”, says Charlotte Lorgeré, former international and consultant for France Télévisions.

“I think France have a desire for revenge. They weren’t extraordinary at the Euros, at the last World Cup they lost against the Americans. It was logical, but I think they could have done better.”

Charlotte Lorgeré, former international

at franceinfo: sport

Difficult to place in the world hierarchy, beyond the figures (fifth team in the FIFA rankings, the fourth best European team), has the French team already reached the maximum of its potential, or can it still show more? “I don’t know if this team has matured”hesitates Patrice Lair, for whom the Blue still have to pass a course mentally to grow. “We must stop being afraid of teams like the United States (…) we must not have an inferiority complex.”

This World Cup can give them the opportunity to take this scale and cross this threshold.


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