After the Dutch mountain, make way for the German ogre! In the middle of the Tour de France women’s week, the course of the Bleues in this women’s Euro looks like a real mountain stage. If in the quarter-finals on Saturday, they eliminated the Netherlands, reigning European champions, they will have to beat Germany this Wednesday (9 p.m.) to reach the final. A nation that has won eight European championships.
Germany, the most successful nation in Europe
To play Germany is to play a women’s soccer superpower. At the dawn of this Euro 2022, the Germans have won eight of the twelve previous editions, even chaining six consecutive victories in this competition between 1995 and 2013. Not to mention the 2016 Olympic Games and the 2003 and 2007 World Cups.
But today, Germany is no longer scary. The golden generation, who left after the 2016 Olympic title, have not been replaced. And until this Euro, the Germans had no longer managed to pass the quarter-finals (Euro 2017, World Cup 2019). Number one nation in Europe for twenty years, in the duel with the United States for world supremacy, Germany has retreated.
No more inferiority complex
Not qualified for the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Germany sees Sweden pass in front of it. The beginning ofa fall to fifth place in the world. During this time, the French women chained victories and climbed to third place at the time of approaching Euro 2022. The time when the Blues faced the Germans without any hope of hooking them is over.
A time when coach Corinne Deacon was still a player in the 2000s. Before the 2010s marked a rapprochement. The last clash in major competition dates back to the quarter-final of the 2015 World Cup with a traumatic elimination on penalties.
Since then, the friendly matches have turned in favor of Les Bleues. With, in parallel, dominating French clubs in the wake of Olympique Lyonnais, winner of six of the last seven Champions League. Even beating German club Wolfsburg three times.
Favorite France?
However, announcing the big favorites of this semi-final would be to bury germany far too early. Imperial in its group B, with three wins in three games and no goals conceded, Die Nationalelf won easily in the quarter-finals against Austria (2-0).
France’s course is more irregular. The results of the group stage are mixed with two wins, a draw, and mixed performances. Even though the victorious quarter-final against the Netherlands (1-0 a.m.) has something to reassure. Physically impressive, Corinne Deacon’s players dominated from start to finish, despite a real lack of efficiency.
But one piece of data could be decisive: recovery. Germany played their quarter-final two days before France. And the Blues were pushed into extra time against the Netherlands, playing thirty minutes more than the Germans.
Who from Germany or France will join England in the final on Sunday at Wembley? Answer this Wednesday evening (9 p.m.) on France Bleu with Grégoire Godefroy and comments from Julien Froment! As well as on top francebleu.fr and the account France Bleu Twitter.