Women's World Cup: France Women's Team Profile

With a new head coach and a handful of key injuries to contend with, it will be intriguing to see how France shape up at this year's Women's World Cup.

Having placed fourth at the 2011 tournament in Germany, a first Women's World Cup trophy still eludes the French but there has been steady improvement in recent years and with controversial coach Corinne Diacre having since departed, there is now more optimism in the camp that the 9/1 shots can contend.

Incoming head coach Herve Renard brings with him plenty of international experience but will have to strike the right balance in a squad featuring established names and bright prospects.
 

France's World Cup record:

Having not qualified for the first three Women's World Cups between 1991 and 1999, France reached the group stage of their maiden campaign in the USA in 2003.

After failing to qualify for the subsequent Women's World Cup in 2007, the French defied all expectations in 2011 in Germany, achieving a fourth-placed finish after making the semi-finals but losing to the USA 3-1.

In the two Women's World Cups since, including the 2019 edition on their own patch, France have reached the quarter-finals, and will be hoping to make even more of an impact in Australia and New Zealand this year.

They have played 19 Women's World Cup matches in total, recording 10 wins, three draws and six defeats.
 

How France qualified:

It was smooth sailing for France in their qualifying campaign for the 2023 Women's World Cup. 

Stationed in Group I in European qualifying, they won all 10 of their matches against Wales, Slovenia, Greece, Estonia and Kazakhstan. 

In the process, they racked up 54 goals and conceded only four and it was a particularly bright qualifying campaign for forward Marie-Antoinette Katoto, who scored 10 times but she will unfortunately be unavailable for the World Cup through injury.
 

The Manager - Herve Renard:

With the relationship between her and her players fractured, Diacre left her position as head coach of France's women's team earlier this year and in her place came Renard, a manager with plenty of experience of international football in the men's game.

Former Lille boss Renard has previously overseen Ivory Coast, Morocco and Saudi Arabia, who he led to a shock victory over Argentina at the Qatar World Cup last year.

Renard only took the reins in April and since his appointment, a number of players who had been frozen out of the French squad during Diacre's tenure have made their return, such as Lyon striker Eugenie Le Sommer.

The 54-year-old Frenchman has breathed new life into this France team, overseeing a 5-2 win against Colombia and a 2-1 victory over Canada in his first two matches in charge.

Renard has twice won the Africa Cup of Nations, first with Zambia in 2012 and then with Ivory Coast in 2015 in the men's game.
 

Confirmed France Squad:

Preliminary squad of 26. Final 23 set to be confirmed at the end of June.

Goalkeepers: Pauline Peyraud-Magnin, Solene Durand, Constance Picaud, Mylene Chavas.

Defenders: Wendie Renard, Sakina Karchaoui, Eve Perisset, Aissatou Tounkara, Elisa De Almeida, Selma Bacha, Estelle Cascarino, Maelle Lakrar.

Midfielders: Amandine Henry, Amel Majri, Grace Geyoro, Kenza Dali, Sandie Toletti, Lea Le Garrec, Oriane Jean-Francois, Laurina Fazer.

Forwards: Eugenie Le Sommer, Kadidiatou Diani, Viviane Asseyi, Clara Mateo, Naomie Feller, Vicki Becho.
 

France's key players: 

In a big blow for Renard, France are set to be without Katoto and Delphine Cascarino for this year's Women's World Cup, massively depleting their options in the attacking third. 

As a result, veteran Lyon forward Le Sommer, who has scored 88 goals in 177 appearances for her country, will need to perform, as will PSG star Kadidiatou Diani, who was a key part of the team's frontline at the Women's Euros last year. 

France will also be looking to midfielder Grace Geyoro, who struck three goals at Euro 2022, to play more of an attacking role. 

At the back, all eyes will be on veteran defender and captain Wendie Renard, who is now 32 and heads into the 2023 Women's World Cup looking to prove she can still cut it at the top level.
 

France's Group Fixtures:

Group F

France vs Jamaica, Sydney, 23rd July 2023

France vs Brazil, Brisbane, 29th July 2023

Panama vs France, Sydney, 2nd August 2023