France's Euro 2025 quarter-final exit leaves players questioning future
Grace Geyoro, who scored France's lone goal from the penalty spot in the 14th minute, summed up the frustration: 'We're wondering when it's going to be smiling for us at last.' The defeat extends a painful pattern—France has now been eliminated in the quarter-finals in seven of their last nine World Cup or European Championship campaigns, including their past two Olympic appearances in 2016 and 2024.
Head coach Laurent Bonadei, appointed in August 2024, defended his squad selection, which controversially excluded veterans Wendie Renard and Eugénie Le Sommer. 'Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result,' he said, quoting Einstein. 'I want different results for this team, so I have gone with a different selection.'
Defender Sakina Karchaoui admitted the loss was 'totally frustrating' but urged the team to stay positive. 'We had so much faith in this group, in what we've built up,' she said. 'But we don't have to throw it all away; on the contrary, you have to take a lot of positive things from it.'
Bonadei highlighted an upcoming Nations League semi-final against Germany in October as a chance for redemption. Meanwhile, Germany advances to face world champions Spain in the Euro 2025 semi-finals. - Reuters
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
9 minutes ago
- The Star
Athletics-Richardson arrested for domestic violence in Seattle, report says
FILE PHOTO: Jul 31, 2025; Eugene, OR, USA; Sha'Carri Richardson places second in women's 100m heat in 11.07 during the USATF Championships at Hayward Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images/File Photo (Reuters) -Reigning 100 metres world champion Sha'Carri Richardson was arrested for domestic violence at a Settle airport four days before the start of the US Track & Field Championships, USA TODAY Sports reported on Friday. The 25-year-old, who won Olympic silver in the 100 at the Paris Games, allegedly pushed her male companion who then fell into a nearby column after an argument, according to a police report obtained by USA TODAY Sports. The report said she was detained on the evening of July 27 and released the following day. Reuters has contacted Port of Seattle Police Department, Richardson's agent and US Track & Field for comment. Richardson withdrew from the 100 semi-finals in Eugene, Oregon on Friday after participating in Thursday's heats. She is guaranteed a spot in the 100 at the world championships in September due to her win at Budapest in 2023. (Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
New Straits Times
an hour ago
- New Straits Times
Anastasija Sevastova ousts two-time defending champ Jessica Pegula in Montreal
MONTREAL: Anastasija Sevastova saved nine of 13 break points on Friday while recording a 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 victory over two-time defending champion Jessica Pegula in the third round of the National Bank Open in Montreal on Friday. Sevastova of Latvia had a first-serve percentage of 71 percent while rallying to upend the third-seeded Pegula. Sevastova, 35, had a hard time explaining what happened. "Somehow, I was down 2-0 in the second set and started to play better and better," Sevastova said. "Third set, I played really good. Just trying to stay on the court as long as possible." Pegula appeared to be sailing when she won eight of the first 11 games. But Sevastova won the next four games to jumpstart her comeback. After winning the second set, Sevastova lost the opening game of the third set before steamrolling Pegula the rest of the way. Pegula was perplexed over her collapse. "It was a strange match for me," Pegula said. "I felt like I was in complete control, and then I played a couple of terrible games." Sevastova was ranked as high as No. 11 in 2018 before injuries hampered her career. She was ranked No. 396 entering Friday's match. In 2018, Sevastova advanced to the US Open semifinals before losing to eventual runner-up Serena Williams. She will next face the winner of that 2018 US Open — Naomi Osaka. Osaka, a former No. 1 player, moved into the fourth round with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over No. 22 Jalena Ostapenko of Latvia. Osaka of Japan had five aces and converted 6 of 9 break-point opportunities. Ostapenko trailed 3-1 in the second set when she attempted to rally. She moved within one game before Osaka closed it out. No. 6 Madison Keys struggled early before recovering for a 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory over Caty McNally. No. 16 seed Clara Tauson of Switzerland notched a 6-3, 6-0 triumph over Yuliia Starodubtseva. There was little drama to be found in the four night matches. No. 2 seed Iga Swiatek of Poland breezed past Germany's Eva Lys 6-2, 6-2; No. 5 seed Amanda Anisimova dismissed Great Britain's Emma Raducanu 6-2, 6-1 in 64 minutes; and No. 10 seed Elina Svitolina of Ukraine spent just 55 minutes to defeat Russian Anna Kalinskaya 6-1, 6-1. The only three-setter of the bunch saw Czech 11th seed Karolina Muchova take down Swiss 17th seed Belinda Bencic 6-7 (2), 6-2, 6-3. Muchova saved 10 of 11 break points to keep herself afloat. — REUTERS
New Straits Times
4 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Olympic swim greats Phelps, Lochte, rip US World Championships performance
LOS ANGELES: Olympic swimming great Michael Phelps and his longtime US teammate Ryan Lochte took a swipe at the US team's performance at the World Championships in Singapore on Friday with social media posts depicting a funeral. Lochte, whose 12 Olympic medals include six gold, shared an image on Instagram depicting a funeral that featured a tombstone inscribed: "In loving memory of United States Swimming" with the dates 1980-2025. "They set the bar high — until they stopped reaching for it," the inscription says, Lochte adding the caption: "Call it a funeral or call it a fresh start. We've got 3 years." Phelps, who counts a stunning 23 gold among his 28 Olympic medals, shared Lochte's post, adding: "Is this the wake up call USA swimming needed? Let's find out ..." The United States headed to Singapore aiming to use the world championships as a springboard to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. But they were slow off the blocks after acute gastroenteritis swept through the team at a pre-championships training camp affecting the "overwhelming majority" of swimmers, according to team officials. Through the first seven of nine days of competition, their five gold medals were tied for the most with Australia and their total of 20 was seven more than the Aussies. After her 200m breaststroke gold on Friday, Kate Douglass acknowledged it had been a "rough week" for the US team.
