FRANCE ARE UNDOUBTEDLY one of the top teams in women’s football.
Les Bleus come to town tomorrow as the Republic of Ireland gear up for their first-ever World Cup.
Tallaght Stadium hosts the glamour send-off friendly [KO 8pm, RTÉ Two]. The FAI announced last month that all tickets had been sold, with a carnival atmosphere expected before Vera Pauw’s side depart for Australia.
France are fine-tuning preparations themselves, the team ranked fifth in Fifa’s world rankings — Ireland are at an all-time high of 22nd — expected to go deep into the tournament.
They’re joined by Brazil, Jamaica and Panama in Group F; having won all 10 of their qualifying group matches, scoring 54 goals and conceding just four times. (Ireland held the same defensive record, but scored less than half as many goals.)
They’ve had a change of management since qualifying, with Hervé Renard replacing Corrine Diacre amidst turmoil in March 2023.
As described by the French Football Federation (FFF) when Diacre departed, there had been “a very significant divide” with the players that “reached the point of no return”. Some of the team’s stars, including captain Wendie Renard, Kadidiatou Diani and Marie-Antoinette Katoto, had stepped away, while others like Amandine Henry and Eugénie Le Sommer were controversially left out of the 2022 European Championships squad.
France reached the semi-finals of last summer’s tournament, beaten 2-1 by an Alexandra Popp-inspired Germany in a disappointing finish. They topped their group after wins over Italy and Belgium and a draw with Iceland, and later overcame the Netherlands after extra time in the quarter-finals.
They bowed out at the last-eight stage of the 2019 World Cup, which they hosted, with Megan Rapinoe leading the USA to glory.
Hervé Renard, Saudi Arabia manager at the 2022 Men’s World Cup, is now at the helm, with most of France’s big names back in situ. Renard famously guided Saudi Arabia to an opening game win over eventual champions Argentina in Qatar, but they lost their other games and bowed out after the group stages.
The 54-year-old Frenchman holds the title of the first coach to win the African Cup of Nations with two different teams, steering both Zambia (2012) and Ivory Coast (2015) to glory. He also managed Morocco at the 2018 World Cup, before taking the Saudi reins the following year.
Renard has overseen two France games thus far: a 5-2 win over Colombia and a 2-1 victory against Canada, Ireland’s Group B rivals. They’ve played a 4-3-3 formation in both, with huge emphasis on width and fast attack.
Louise Quinn pointed to the managerial change, among other factors, as she braced herself for the visit of France yesterday.
“It’s a top, top challenge,” she told The 42. “They’re probably going to be a bit of a new outfit and [looking to show] what they’re about with the new coach. It’s gonna be brilliant and challenging.
“They are a top, top nation, but that’s what we need. we need a high pressure situation and in front of our home crowd. To me, that’s probably more pressure — doing it on your home pitch. It’s going to be a great opportunity for us.
“And they have one of the best centre backs, Wendie Renard. I played against her when we have played France in the past. I’m looking forward to playing her now again.”
Not only is Lyon defender Renard an anchor in defence, she is a huge set-piece threat — like Quinn. Henry is back in the fold after a three-year absence, while Le Sommer and Grace Geyoro are among those in a rich vein of form.
Katoto and Delphine Cascarino are both out with cruciate ligament knee injuries, and there have been question marks over a sense of unfamiliarity with Hervé Renard’s tactics, but France will come to Dublin firing on all cylinders.
They’re due to play Australia in Melbourne on 14 July, Ireland set to make their major tournament bow against the co-hosts six days later. (The Girls In Green tune up against Colombia in a behind closed doors clash.)
Pauw’s side face France with a view to that showdown against the Matildas.
“That’s it,” Quinn added. “We’ve had success against Australia before as well, but this will be a very, very different game. I just think we’ve proven it to ourselves now, what we’re worth.
“We know how to make it hard for teams, we know how to get the job done, we stick together throughout it. We know that every person there literally gives 100% for the team — and even sometimes if it isn’t enough or one of those days, you know that someone is still gonna run all day for you. No matter what happens, we know that everyone’s got your back.
“I think that will be the base of what we need for 20 July; the hard work, having our values about us, being humble about everything that we do – which we’ve always been, it’s ingrained in us to be honest. Just can’t wait.”
France first.
