Cyrille de La Morinerie / Photo credits: FRANCK FIFE / AFP
After several failures, French footballers hope to win this Wednesday evening, at 7 p.m., the first major trophy in their history. Kadidiatou Diani’s teammates have so far performed flawlessly in the Nations League. After beating their bête noire, Germany, last Friday in the semi-final of the competition (2-1 victory) in front of 30,000 spectators at the Groupama Stadium in Décines in the suburbs of Lyon, the Blues will face the Spanish in the final of the League of Nations.
Certainly, this competition is not as prestigious as a World Cup and a Euro, but it is a notable trophy that the French hope to win. “For me, the team that wins is European champion, it’s an important title,” explained at a press conference the captain of the Bleues, Eugénie Le Sommer, who wears the armband in place of Wendie Renard injured at hip.
“We must not be afraid”, warns Hervé Renard
The French are on their guard. La Roja, led by Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmati, have been unstoppable since their World Cup victory and will play in front of their home crowd in Seville in southern Spain. But the Blue coach, Hervé Renard, believes in an achievement as he explained at a press conference.
“It’s a huge challenge to take on but we’d rather have to take on this challenge than watch this match in front of our television so let’s play our chances to the fullest!”, he assures. “You must not be afraid of it, you must face your opponent, respect him but have a crazy desire to beat him.” Hervé Renard gives the recipe for hoping to unseat Spain from its pedestal: “Concentration, determination and self-confidence”.
Les Bleues can beat Spain, says Reynald Pedros
Spain, who beat reigning European champions England in the World Cup final in Australia last summer, are the huge favorites for this Nations League final. This Spanish team is determined to triumph. A gold medal would indeed have a very strong symbolic significance for this selection which fought the former president of the Spanish Federation Luis Rubiales, suspended three years by FIFA for having forcibly kissed Jennifer Hermoso during the World Cup celebrations. La Roja is highly motivated and plays a game admired around the world.
Despite everything, Reynald Pedros, former coach of the Lyon women’s team and who was? a few more months ago? the coach of the Moroccan women’s football team, believes that the French have what it takes to win the trophy. “The French team has every weapon to beat La Roja. Spain was world champion but lost in the last group stage match against Japan 4-0! If we play with our offensive strengths “, France can win against the Spanish,” he says.
Make an impression before the Olympics
The French women, qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympics, hope to strike a big blow in Seville. Success against the formidable Spanish armada would allow Les Bleues to gain confidence as the big Olympic event approaches, adds Reynald Pedros. “If we beat Spain, it means that we are able to compete with the best team in the world, so I think that mentally, starting to prepare this French team by beating Spain would be something very positive. “
After failing in the quarter-final of the last World Cup against “the Matildas”, the nickname of the Australian players, in Brisbane (0-0 7/6 tab), the French footballers hope this Wednesday evening to make an impression, they who dream of the Olympic title in more than five months in Paris.