Looking at Herve Renard’s choices and options for the tournament
Herve Renard has taken over the France WNT team following the sacking of Corinne Diacre due to the players’ rebellion validated by the FFF. He has managed two games already and will be left with two more friendlies away to Ireland and Australia before the tournament’s start.
We will have a look at the players who are likely to be on the plane, those who have a chance and those who are more or less blacklisted already and will not travel to Australia unless something big happens.
Originally, Herve Renard had selected 27 players in his first squad list. Of course, he had limited time and knowledge of the women players and therefore was helped with a 51 players long-list provided to him by people in the know. He was also helped by the women’s football committee to choose those players. In the end only 26 players came as one of them got injured the day before the list was revealed.
So I have split the players into four categories: those who are definitely going to Australia if they don’t get injured before the tournament. Those who are definitely going if they come back to full fitness as they are currently injured. Those who can possibly go as they are on the edge of the squad, those who have an outside chance.
I believe 18 players are definitely going to the World Cup:
Three goalkeepers Pauline Peyraud-Magnin, Constance Picaud and Mylene Chavas. The first two got a game each and with the goalkeeping coach the only survivor from Diacre’s coaching staff, PPM is still number one in the hierarchy.
One right-back Eve Perisset, there is no doubt the Chelsea defender will be there.
Two left-backs Selma Bacha and Sakina Karchaoui, the Lyon and PSG defenders are also definitely going too.
Three centre-backs Wendie Renard, Elisa De Almeida, Estelle Cascarino. Renard being the captain is guaranteed to go. De Almeida and Cascarino got a games as starters and can also play at full-back is needed. Their versatility is an asset and De Almeida could compete for the right-back spot with Perisset as per Herve Renard post match conference against Canada.
One defensive midfield Oriane Jean-Francois got one start and one game as sub with a good performance. There is also the fact that three other defensive midfielders have not been called up is a clear sign she is ahead of them.
Two central midfield Sandie Toletti and Grace Geyoro, both are key players and likely to be starters in July
Two attacking midfield Kenza Dali and Lea Le Garrec, there is no doubt Dali who has been ever present in the squad will be there. Le Garrec returned to the team after a five years absence and therefore has to fight for her place in the 23. She did really well when she came on against Canada getting a goal and with the lack of playmakers in the squad, she could be an excellent option from the bench in the tournament.
One right-winger Delphine Cascarino, she simply could be a world class player if her performances and final product were consistent. That consistency has been her problem for many many years, because her talent is incredible.
One left-winger Amel Majri, she has returned to the squad with her baby in tow thanks to the new FFF policy decided under Diacre and implemented by Renard. She can also play in central midfield too.
Two centre-forwards Eugenie Le Sommer-Dariel and Clara Mateo. Le Sommer returned to the squad thanks to Herve Renard who named her vice-captain as well. She is guaranteed to go to Australia to bring her experience and probably to come late in games as a super-sub. Mateo Has been very consistent in D1Arkema and has matured as a player in recent seasons.
Now we can add four more players who will definitely travel to Australia if they can prove their fitness as they are key players:
1 cente-back Griedge M’Bock Bathy
1 defensive midfield Amandine Henry
1 right-winger Kadidiatou Diani
1 striker Marie-Antoinette Katoto
There are questions mark about M’Bock-Bathy and Katoto because their clubs do not communicate much about when they will come back. Diani will be back soon from her collarbone injury. Henry is back to full fitness but off sick. She is currently in conflict with her club Lyon, because she wanted to leave early to sign for Angel City, while the club does not want to release her.
Herve Renard clearly counts on those four players and has called them when he took over. Potentially up to 22 players are more or less on the plane and only one available spot
We can also talk about those who have not been called up and seem out of the reckoning despite being important players under Diacre: Marion Torrent, Ella Pallis and Charlotte Bilbault. As always with a new coach, some players simply disappear because they do not fit into what the manager want.
Keira Hamraoui was not called up as well and Herve Renard explained why in his firsts press conference “ first of all a sporting choice, but also when you build up a squad, there are many elements to be taken into consideration. You have to ask the right questions and build up your squad accordingly”. It is quite clear, some players do not get on with her and it is enough not to call her up.
Who could be the final player in the squad. Two wingers are really on the fringe and fighting for that last spot. Sandy Baltimore on the left side, whose form has not been as brilliant as it was in previous season. She was recently fined by the police 1 500€ with 1000€ suspended for violence against a former friend and has to pay 1 500€ to the victim too.
The other winger is Vivianne Asseyi who is having a superb season with West Ham in England. She faces a lot of competition in attack on the right-wing, with Cascarino and Diani.
All the other players called up during the international break for the games against Colombia and Canada are basically outsiders. Two of them were actually called-up for the u-23 team that was playing a friendly in the Netherlands forward Melvine Malard and right-back Jade le Guilly.
You also have two centre-backs who made the bench for only one game out of two and got zero minute and therefore are clearly at the back in the pecking order: Maelle Lakrar and Hawa Cissoko. Same situation for the striker Ouleymata Sarr who made the bench only once and got zero minute too. last but not least Kessya Bussy who was originally called up, but pulled out of the camp and was replaced by Malard.
One of those seven players is likely to make the squad if one of the player ahead of them ends up injured before the tournament, or if one of the four players who need to prove their fitness does not make it.
France were planning to go into camp early June as the coach needs to learn about his players quickly. A big squad with up to 30 players would be selected and then trimmed to 23 at a point before the Ireland friendly in Dubin. But those plans might go to the bin now that the ECA has said that players would only be released ten days before the tournament start as per the FIFA regulations.
Herve Renard’s contract run until the end of the Paris 2024 Olympics, and he said the aim was to reach the semi-finals of both tournament. It will not be easy at all considering the strength of the opposition in both tournament. The pressure is certainly on him and mainly on the players who managed to get Corinne Diacre sacked and questions will be asked if the team fails to win again.
Update 25 May.
Delphine Cascarino and Kessya Bussy are out of the tournament due to injuries. The squad announcement will take place on 6 June.
Update 26 May
Le Parisien reports Marie-Antoinette Katoto will not be ready for the World Cup. The article also mentions that Griedge M’Bock Bathy is even further away from fitness than Katoto. https://www.leparisien.fr/sports/football/psg/equipe-de-france-feminine-katoto-vers-un-forfait-pour-la-coupe-du-monde-26-05-2023-ACUWUS5RKRF57H4VEOTENDXI3E.php?at_creation=Le%20Parisien%20|%20PSG&at_campaign=Partage%20Twitter%20CM&at_medium=Social%20media and https://www.flashscore.fr/actualites/football-coupe-du-monde-femmes-bleues-katoto-au-mondial-on-va-se-donner-toutes-les-chances-dit-herve-renard-a-l-afp/WYtXQdae/
Herve Renard should announce an extended squad on 6 June with more than 23 players.
My women's football blog 