France women's national football team
The France women's national football team (French: Équipe de France féminine de football, sometimes shortened as Féminin A) represents France in international women's football. The team is directed by the French Football Federation (FFF). France competes as a member of UEFA in various international football tournaments such as the FIFA Women's World Cup, UEFA Women's Euro, the Summer Olympics, and the Algarve Cup.
Nickname(s) | Les Bleues (The Blues) | ||
---|---|---|---|
Association | Fédération Française de Football (FFF) | ||
Confederation | UEFA (Europe) | ||
Head coach | Hervé Renard | ||
Captain | Wendie Renard | ||
Most caps | Sandrine Soubeyrand (198) | ||
Top scorer | Eugénie Le Sommer (92) | ||
FIFA code | FRA | ||
| |||
FIFA ranking | |||
Current | 5 (25 August 2023)[1] | ||
Highest | 3 (December 2014 – June 2017, June 2018, December 2018, March – December 2020, June 2021, March – June 2022) | ||
Lowest | 10 (September 2009) | ||
First international | |||
France 4–0 Netherlands (Hazebrouck, France; 17 April 1971) | |||
Biggest win | |||
France 14–0 Algeria (Cesson-Sévigné, France; 14 May 1998) France 14–0 Bulgaria (Le Mans, France; 28 November 2013) | |||
Biggest defeat | |||
Germany 7–0 France (Bad Kreuznach, Germany; 2 September 1992)[2] | |||
World Cup | |||
Appearances | 5 (first in 2003) | ||
Best result | Fourth place (2011) | ||
European Championship | |||
Appearances | 7 (first in 1997) | ||
Best result | Semi-finals (2022) |
The France women's national team initially struggled on the international stage failing to qualify for three of the first FIFA Women's World Cups and the six straight UEFA European Championships before reaching the quarter-finals in the 1997 edition of the competition. However, since the beginning of the new millennium, France have become one of the most consistent teams in Europe, having qualified for their first-ever FIFA Women's World Cup in 2003 and reaching the quarter-finals in two of the three European Championships held since 2000. In 2011, France recorded a fourth-place finish at the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup; its best finish overall at the competition. In the following year, the team captured the 2012 Cyprus Cup and the fourth place at Women's Olympic Football Tournament.
Hervé Renard has been team manager since March 2023.[3] The current captain of the national team is defender Wendie Renard.[4]
History
Early history
In 1919, a women's football championship was established in France by the Fédération des Sociétés Féminines Sportives de France (FSFSF). On 29 April 1920, a team led by French women's football pioneer Alice Milliat traveled to England and played its first international match against English team Dick, Kerr's Ladies. The match, held in Preston, attracted more than 25,000 spectators. France won the match 2–0 and ended its tour with two wins, one draw, and one defeat. The following year, a return match in France at the Stade Pershing in Vincennes, a suburb of Paris, took place in front of over 12,000 spectators. The match ended in a 1–1 draw. In May 1921, France returned to England for friendlies. The team won its first match 5–1, then suffered three consecutive defeats. In October 1921, the English team returned to France contesting matches in Paris and Le Havre with both matches ending in stalemates. Despite women's football in England being prohibited by The Football Association in December 1921, France continued to go there on tour for matches. A victory for the French in Plymouth was followed by 0–0 draws in Exeter and Falmouth. By 1932, the female game had been called to an end and the women's league formed in 1919 by the FSFSF was discontinued. The last match by the FSFSF international team was another scoreless draw against Belgium on 3 April 1932.
Throughout the late 1960s in France, particularly in Reims, local players worked hard to promote awareness and the acceptance of women's football. A year before getting officially sanctioned, France took part in a makeshift European Cup against England, Denmark, and Italy. The tournament was won by the Italians. The Federal Council of the French Football Federation officially reinstated women's football in 1970 and France played its first official international match on 17 April 1971 against the Netherlands in Hazebrouck with Jocelyne Ratignier and Marie-Claire Caron-Harant scoring.[5] That same year, France took part in the unofficial 1971 Women's World Cup, held in Mexico. The ladies continued the pirate games, which just made it into the margins of FIFA's records, until FIFA began overseeing the competition in 1991. Since 1982, UEFA has governed the European games.
Reinstatement
In 1975, the women's football league was officially reinstated, this time with backing from the French Football Federation, the governing body of football in France. Stade Reims was the best team in the country throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, thus constituted much of the French national squad. For the non-official World Cup in 1978 in Taiwan, the team included the entire Reims squad. The team shared the title with Finland, who never actually played the final. Due to receiving minimal support from the French Football Federation, who ultimately looked at women's football as not being highly regarded, France struggled in international competition failing to advance past the first round of qualification in both the 1984 and 1987 UEFA Women's Championship. Francis Coché, who managed the team during these failures, was later replaced by Aimé Mignot. Mignot helped the team finally get past the first round, however, in the quarterfinals, they lost to Italy, which meant they wouldn't appear at the 1989 UEFA Women's Championship. Despite the initial positives, Mignot failed to continue his success with France failing to qualify for both the 1991 and 1995 FIFA Women's World Cup and losing in the first round of qualification in three straight UEFA Women's Championships. After almost a decade in charge, Mignot was replaced by former women's international Élisabeth Loisel.
With Loisel in charge, the FFF, along with then France national football team manager Aimé Jacquet, moved the women's national team to Clairefontaine, which had quickly become a high-level training facility for male football players. As a result of the move, younger women were afforded the same benefits from the facilities offered by Clairefontaine as the men. The success of female training led to the formation of the Centre National de Formation et d'Entraînement de Clairefontaine, which is now referred to as the female section of the Clairefontaine academy. Under the tutelage of Loisel, the first results appeared encouraging. They reached their first-ever Women's World Cup qualifying for the 2003 edition after defeating England over two legs in a play-off game in London and again at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard. The match in Saint-Étienne attracted more than 23,000 spectators and was broadcast by the popular French broadcasting company Canal Plus. Loisel's squad later qualified for the 2005 European Championship, where they were knocked out in the group stage. She was eventually sacked after failing to qualify for the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup.
Team under Bruno Bini
Loisel was replaced by former football player and now coach Bruno Bini. Bini had been in charge of several France female international youth sides before accepting the role and was tasked with the job of qualifying for UEFA Women's Euro 2009. Due to the success of the Clairefontaine project and the surprising emergence of the French women's first division, Division 1 Féminine, Bini inherited a team full of emerging, young, and influential talent, which included the likes of Camille Abily, Sonia Bompastor, Louisa Necib, Élise Bussaglia, Laura Georges, and Corine Franco. Bini was also provided with leadership from captain Sandrine Soubeyrand. Early results under Bini were extremely positive with France finishing first in their Euro qualifying group only conceded two goals. France also performed well in friendly tournaments, such as the Nordic Cup and Cyprus Cup. At UEFA Women's Euro 2009, France were inserted into the group of death, which consisted of themselves, world powerhouse Germany, no. 7 ranked Norway, and an underrated Iceland. France finished the group with 4 points, alongside Norway, with Germany leading the group. As a result of the competition's rules, all three nations qualified for the quarterfinals. In the knockout rounds, France suffered defeat to the Netherlands losing 5–4 on penalties after no goals were scored in regular time and extra time.[6]
Corinne Diacre Era
Corinne Diacre was appointed manager of France's women's national team in August 2017.[7] She has led the French national team to success as champions in the SheBelieves Cup in 2017 and runner-ups in 2018. Her time in charge was marked by considerable controversy with a number of veteran players, ultimately leading the France Football Federation to sack Diacre ahead of the 2023 Women's World Cup on 9 March 2023 due to her poor relations with players. "It appears that the dysfunctions observed seem, in this context, irreversible," the federation said in a statement.[8]
Current Manager
Hervé Renard was appointed on 30 March 2023 to be the new manager of France's women's national team with a contract through the Olympic Games in August 2024.[9]
2011 Women's World Cup
Bini's next task was to qualify for the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup after the disappointment of four years earlier. In the team's qualifying group, France finished the campaign scoring 50 goals and conceded none over the course of ten matches (all wins). On 16 September 2010, France qualified for the World Cup following the team's 3–2 aggregate victory over Italy.
At the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup in Germany, France qualified to the knockout stage by finishing in second place in its group after wins over Nigeria and Canada, and a loss to the host team. The team went on to beat England on penalty kicks in the quarterfinals, but lost to the United States in the semi-finals. France finished the competition in fourth place and earned qualification to the Olympic football tournament at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London; it was the nation's first appearance in the competition. Striker Marie-Laure Delie was the only multiple goal scorer for France in the tournament, while defenders Sonia Bompastor and Laura Georges as well as midfielder Louisa Necib were selected to the All-Star Team.
Golden era
France has entered one of the most successful eras in the country's women's football history. In the UEFA Women's Euro 2013 held in Sweden, France stood top of the group, beating Spain, England and Russia to earn its ticket to the quarter-finals. However, Bergeroo's side lost to Denmark in a penalty shootout, thus failing to advance to the semi-finals.
2015 FIFA Women's World Cup
In the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup held in Canada, France was listed to Pot 1, and was a favorite to become champions. France was named to Group F, alongside England, Mexico and Colombia. In the opening match against England, a goal from Eugénie Le Sommer gave France a 1–0 victory. However, France was shocked by Colombia in a 2–0 loss, making Colombia only the second Latin American team to win a Women's World Cup match. Therefore, France's third and final group stage match against Mexico was a must-win. France went on to beat Mexico 5–0 to qualify to the knockout round as top of the group.
In the knockout round, France eased past South Korea in a 3–0 win in Montreal to remain at the same location awaiting the quarter-final match against Germany. In the quarter-final match against Germany, despite dominating the majority of the match, France were unable to capitalize on their chances, which ultimately cost them the game. France were finally able to score in the 64th minute through Louisa Nécib, but failed to keep the lead as Célia Šašić scored on an 83rd-minute penalty kick. The score was 1–1 after 120 minutes, resulting in the match to be decided in a penalty shootout, where France's 5th penalty taken by Claire Lavogez was denied by Nadine Angerer, in which France were eliminated from the tournament losing 4–5 on penalty kicks.
UEFA Women's Euro 2017
France won all matches at the UEFA Women's Euro 2017 qualifying Group 3. The home matches had sizable crowds, with 7,761 spectators attending the Romania match at the MMArena in Le Mans, 15,028 spectators at the Ukraine match at the Stade du Hainaut in Valenciennes, 24,835 spectators at the Greece match at Roazhon Park in Rennes, and 7,521 spectators at the Albania at Stade Jean-Bouin in Paris. The team scored a win and two draws at the UEFA Women's Euro 2017 Group C, and was defeated by England in quarter-finals.
2019 FIFA Women's World Cup
In March 2015, France was selected to host the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup of the tournament. Having automatically qualified as hosts, France was considered a favorite to win the tournament, along with the United States. The team opened with three victories against Norway, Nigeria, and South Korea, winning its group with a total of 9 points.[10] In the round of 16, France defeated Brazil by a score of 2–1, but lost to the United States in the quarterfinal with the same score of 2–1. This Women's World Cup was particularly notable, as it was used as a platform by many women's teams to campaign for equal pay between men and women.[11]
Team image
Nicknames
The France women's national football team has been known or nicknamed as the "Les Bleues (The Blues)".
UEFA Women's Euro
Television channel | Period |
---|---|
Direct 8 | 2009, 2013 |
France Télévisions | 2017 |
TF1 | 2022 |
Overall competitive record
Overall record
Results and fixtures
- The following is a list of matches in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.[12][13]
Win Draw Loss
2022
11 November Friendly | Norway | 1–2 | France | La Nucia, Spain |
21:10 | Stadium: Estadi Olímpic Camilo Cano |
2023
15 February 2023 Tournoi de France | France | 1–0 | Denmark | Laval, France |
21:10 |
|
Report | Stadium: Stade Francis Le Basser Attendance: 7,409 Referee: Monika Mularczyk (Poland) |
18 February 2023 Tournoi de France | France | 5–1 | Uruguay | Angers, France |
21:10 | Report |
|
Stadium: Stade Raymond Kopa Attendance: 9,070 Referee: Lorraine Watson (Scotland) |
21 February 2023 Tournoi de France | France | 0–0 | Norway | Angers, France |
21:10 | Stadium: Stade Raymond Kopa |
7 April Friendly | France | 5–2 | Colombia | Clermont-Ferrand, France |
19:10 | Stadium: Stade Gabriel Montpied |
6 July Friendly | Republic of Ireland | 0–3 | France | Dublin, Ireland |
Stadium: Tallaght Stadium |
23 July 2023 FIFA WC | France | 0–0 | Jamaica | Sydney, Australia |
20:00 UTC+10 | Report | Stadium: Sydney Football Stadium Attendance: 39,045 Referee: María Carvajal (Chile) |
29 July 2023 FIFA WC | France | 2–1 | Brazil | Brisbane, Australia |
Report |
|
Stadium: Lang Park Attendance: 49,378 Referee: Kate Jacewicz (Australia) |
2 August 2023 FIFA WC | Panama | 3–6 | France | Sydney, Australia |
Report | Stadium: Sydney Football Stadium Attendance: 40,498 Referee: Laura Fortunato (Argentina) |
8 August 2023 FIFA WC R16 | France | 4–0 | Morocco | Adelaide, Australia |
Report | Stadium: Hindmarsh Stadium Attendance: 13,557 Referee: Tori Penso (United States) |
12 August 2023 FIFA WC QF | Australia | 0–0 (a.e.t.) (7–6 p) | France | Brisbane, Australia |
Report | Stadium: Lang Park Attendance: 49,461 Referee: María Carvajal (Chile) | |||
Penalties | ||||
22 September 2023–24 UEFA Nations League | France | 2–0 | Portugal | Valenciennes |
Report | Stadium: Stade du Hainaut Referee: Tess Olofsson (Sweden) |
26 September 2023–24 UEFA Nations League | Austria | 0–1 | France | Vienna |
Report |
|
Stadium: Franz Horr Stadium Referee: Jelena Cvetković (Serbia |
27 October 2023–24 UEFA Nations League | Norway | v | France | TBD |
31 October 2023–24 UEFA Nations League | France | v | Norway | TBD |
30 November 2023–24 UEFA Nations League | France | v | Austria | TBD |
5 December 2023–24 UEFA Nations League | Portugal | v | France | TBD |
Coaching staff
Current personnel
- As of 9 March 2023.[14]
Position | Name |
---|---|
Head coach | Hervé Renard |
Assistant coaches | Éric Blahic Laurent Bonadéi David Ducci |
Goalkeeping coach | Gilles Fouache |
Fitness coach | Thomas Pavillon |
Managerial history
- Pierre Geoffroy (1971–1978)
- Francis-Pierre Coché (1978–1987)
- Aimé Mignot (1987–1997)
- Élisabeth Loisel (1997–2007)
- Bruno Bini (2007–2013)
- Philippe Bergeroo (2013–2016)
- Olivier Echouafni (2016–2017)
- Corinne Diacre (2017–2023)
- Hervé Renard (2023–present)
Players
Current squad
The following 24 players are named in the squad for the 2023–24 UEFA Women's Nations League matches against Norway on 27 and 31 October respectively.[15]
Caps and goals are correct as of 26 September 2023, after the match against Austria.
Recent call-ups
The following players have also been called up to the squad in last 12 months.
Previous squads
|
|
|
Records
- As of 22 September 2023, after the match against Portugal.[16]
- Players in bold are still active, at least at club level.
Most caps
|
Most goals
|
Honours
Invitational trophies
- Cyprus Cup: Winner 2012, 2014[17]
- SheBelieves Cup: Winner 2017
- Tournoi de France: Winner 2020, 2022, 2023
Competitive record
FIFA Women's World Cup
FIFA Women's World Cup record | Qualification record | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Result | Position | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA | |
1991 | Did not qualify | UEFA Euro 1991 | |||||||||||||
1995 | UEFA Euro 1995 | ||||||||||||||
1999 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 7 | |||||||||
2003 | Group stage | 9th | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 16 | 10 | |
2007 | Did not qualify | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 15 | 4 | ||||||||
2011 | Fourth place | 4th | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 53 | 2 | |
2015 | Quarter-finals | 5th | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 3 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 54 | 4 | |
2019 | Quarter-finals | 6th | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 4 | Qualified as host | ||||||
2023 | Quarter-finals | 6th | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 4 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 54 | 3 | |
2027 | To be determined | To be determined | |||||||||||||
Total | 5/9 | 0 Titles | 24 | 13 | 5 | 6 | 44 | 24 | 56 | 45 | 6 | 5 | 201 | 29 |
- *Draws include knockout matches decided by penalty kicks.
Match history
Olympic Games
Summer Olympics record | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Result | Position | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA |
1996 | Did not qualify | |||||||
2000 | ||||||||
2004 | ||||||||
2008 | ||||||||
2012 | Fourth place | 4th | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 8 |
2016 | Quarterfinals | 6th | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 2 |
2020 | Did not qualify | |||||||
2024 | Qualified as host | |||||||
2028 | To be determined | |||||||
2032 | ||||||||
Total | 3/9 | 0 Titles | 10 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 18 | 10 |
UEFA Women's Championship
UEFA Women's Championship record | Qualifying record | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Result | Position | GP | W | D* | L | GS | GA | GP | W | D* | L | GS | GA | |
1984 | Did not qualify | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 4 | ||||||||
1987 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 15 | |||||||||
1989 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 15 | 3 | |||||||||
1991 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 7 | |||||||||
1993 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 10 | |||||||||
1995 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 3 | |||||||||
1997 | Group stage | 6th | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 14 | 6 | |
2001 | Group stage | 6th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 5 | |
2005 | Group stage | 6th | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 32 | 7 | |
2009 | Quarter-finals | 8th | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 31 | 2 | |
2013 | Quarter-finals | 5th | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 2 | |
2017 | Quarter-finals | 6th | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 0 | |
2022 | Semi-finals | 3rd | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 5 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 44 | 0 | |
2025 | To be determined | ||||||||||||||
Total | 7/13 | 0 Titles | 26 | 11 | 8 | 7 | 39 | 34 | 90 | 59 | 15 | 16 | 238 | 64 |
- *Draws include knockout matches decided by penalty shootout.
See also
References
- "The FIFA/Coca-Cola Women's World Ranking". FIFA. 25 August 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
- "Tous les matchs – FFF". Fff.fr. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
- "Fédération Française de Football". www.fff.fr. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
- "Wendie Renard sur le capitanat : " J'ai surtout accepté par rapport au groupe France "". L'Équipe. 17 September 2021. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
- Longman, Jeré (25 June 2019). "In Women's World Cup Origin Story, Fact and Fiction Blur". The New York Times. p. B10. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
- "Bini: The truth is on the pitch". FIFA.com. 10 May 2012. Archived from the original on 20 July 2012. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
- "France". fifa.com. Archived from the original on 8 June 2019.
- "French federation sack women's national coach Diacre". Reuters. 9 March 2023. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
- "Hervé Renard officiellement nommé sélectionneur des Bleues". L'Équipe (in French). Retrieved 10 May 2023.
- "FIFA Women's World Cup Table 2019". ESPN.
- Wise, Justin (7 July 2019). "Crowd in stadium chants 'equal pay' after U.S. women's soccer World Cup victory". TheHill.
- "Tous les matchs Equipe de France féminine – FFF". www.fff.fr.
- "Calendrier Equipe de France féminine – FFF". www.fff.fr.
- "STAFF ÉQUIPE DE FRANCE FÉMININE". fff.fr. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
- "LA LISTE DES VINGT-QUATRE BLEUES" (in French). 19 October 2023. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
- "Toutes les sélectionnées" (in French). Footofeminin. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
- "Cyprus Women's Cup". RSSSF.