Laurent Bonadei, former assistant to Hervé Renard, succeeds him at the head of the French women’s team

The former professional footballer was appointed for three seasons on the bench of the Bleues after five years spent as Hervé Renard’s right-hand man.

The French Football Federation (FFF) has opted for continuity at the head of the French teams. While Laurent Baticle will take over from Thierry Henry, whose assistant he was, as coach of the U21s, the French women’s team will now be in the hands of Laurent Bonadei. The former right-hand man of Hervé Renard, who left the Bleues after their elimination in the quarter-finals of the Olympic Games, has been appointed for three years, the French football governing body announced on Friday, August 23.

Bonadei will have his first experience as a head coach at a very high level, at 54 years old. The former midfielder was, for the last five years, alongside Renard with the Saudi Arabian men’s team, then with the French women’s team since March 2023. He notably took the time of a match to replace the former national coach, suspended on May 31 for the French victory in England (2-1).Leading the national team is a great responsibility that I take with seriousness and commitment.he responded in a statement. I am continuing the work accomplished by Hervé Renard, with whom I worked closely during these 17 months with the French Women’s Team.“

A renowned trainer, having notably spent time with the OGC Nice reserve team, he notably contributed to the emergence of a golden generation at Paris Saint-Germain, with Kingsley Coman, Adrien Rabiot and Presnel Kimpembe, who played under his orders in the under-19s.

“We wanted to have a coach who knows the French team and women’s football, with a wealth of experience, high standards and a sense of training.insisted the president of the FFF, Philippe Diallo. It is in this spirit that we have decided to entrust the selection to Laurent Bonadei. Les Bleues have important sporting objectives, notably Euro 2025 in Switzerland and then the 2027 World Cup.“

The new coach of the Tricolores will be responsible for straightening out a French women’s team that failed to get past the quarter-finals at the last World Cup and the Olympic Games, equaling the worst Fifa ranking in its history, at 10^e rank of the international hierarchy.