Renard named French women’s head coach before World Cup
The French Football Federation has announced that Herve Renard has been named head coach of the France women’s team. Renard previously stepped down from his position with the Saudi Arabian men’s team earlier in the week. The Frenchman led Saudi Arabia to a massive upset against Argentina in the 2022 World Cup. Despite the victory, Renard could not take the Middle Eastern team to the knockout round of the tournament.
Frenchman always wanted to lead Les Bleues
“I have had a look at women’s football since 2014 through the major competitions,” Renard stated during a press conference on Friday. “The French teams, like Olympique Lyonnais, who reigned for a long time in the Coupe d’Europe and the matches of the French team. I had in the back of my mind the idea of participating in a major competition with Les Bleues.”
“I had spoken to a few relatives about it, it may have surprised them but for me, it is a question of challenge. In my job, there is nothing better than experiencing competitions rather than long qualifying phases. We are served because the World Cup is coming quickly and in a year, the Olympic Games in Paris are looming. There is a quality group and all together we are capable of doing great things.”
Other names to step into the French women’s job included Thierry Henry.
New coach Renard recalls key duo from old regime to French women’s team
In his first bit of business at the helm, Renard recalled Wendie Renard (no relation) and Eugenie Le Sommer. Wendie Renard previously stepped away from the national team while Corinne Diacre was still head coach of France. However, now that Diacre has been sacked, the defender will now enter the fray once again. Le Sommer is the team’s all-time leading scorer.
“I always have the habit of warning interested parties before speaking to the press. I will have a discussion with Wendie Renard,” the new head coach claimed. “There are a lot of qualities, of dynamism to do very beautiful things. The staff and I are very motivated. We can achieve great things in football if we are united, if we have a remarkable state of mind, so that’s what I’m going to focus on.”
Renard will now have to prepare for two friendly matches in early April. The French are set to host Colombia and Canada before going to the Women’s World Cup in July. France is currently ranked fifth in the world by FIFA.
PHOTO: IMAGO / ZUMA Wire