Wendie Renard insists France career not over amid ‘disbelief, injustice' of Euro 2025 omission
OL Lyonnes centre-back Renard, with 168 international appearances and considered a legend of the game, was not selected for the two Nations League games against Switzerland (May 30) and Iceland (June 3). At that point, according to Renard, she had not been told what that meant for the European Championships.
Advertisement
'I understood from the press conference (to announce the Euros squad on June 5) that I wouldn't be playing,' Renard told Martinique La Premiere, a France TV channel.
'I got a call from the coach beforehand because there were two Nations League matches before. But after that, it's the coach's decision, and I have to respect and accept it. But it's incomprehensible.
'We ask ourselves lots of questions, questions that are in my head and that I will keep to myself. There is disbelief, injustice. I can wake up in the morning and look at myself in the mirror.
'I gave it my all. Only God knows why I am not on that list. I wish this team success and hope they win the title. Choices have been made, and I can only wish them success.'
Advertisement
Renard had been France captain since 2013 but has endured some turbulent times with the national team.
After taking charge in late 2017, coach Corinne Diacre stripped Renard of the captaincy. Renard writes in her book, Mon Etoile (My Star), that Diacre said she was at '40 per cent of her capacity with the French team' and 'perhaps the armband took up too much of her energy'.
In March 2023, Renard withdrew herself from selection for that year's World Cup, stating she 'can no longer support the current system which is far from the requirements of the highest level'.
Following the sacking of Diacre, Renard returned to the squad under Herve Renard (no relation to Wendie) but was unable to guide her team beyond the quarter-final stage of the World Cup or the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Advertisement
'I have always given 30,000, 40,000 per cent for this shirt, which I hold above everything else,' she said. 'That will always be the case because I believe my career is not over. It's the coach's decision, but everything in its own time.'
France start their Euro campaign against defending champions England on Saturday in Group D.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
France, Women's Soccer, Women's Euros
2025 The Athletic Media Company
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Washington Post
8 minutes ago
- Washington Post
Mexico surges past youthful USMNT to hoist the Gold Cup again
HOUSTON — The U.S. men's national soccer team's path to the Concacaf Gold Cup final Sunday night was paved with mostly minor obstacles that — given the roster's innocence and Coach Mauricio Pochettino's cultivations — fit its needs. But on the last day of the last tournament before next year's World Cup, the Americans confronted an opponent and an atmosphere unlike anything else during this three-week regional bash.
Forbes
35 minutes ago
- Forbes
New Ferrari Hypersail Project Will Be Like An Oceangoing Ferrari Hypercar From The Future
Construction of Ferrari's Hypersail project is well underway We all know the legendary Italian brands that produce some of the most revered fashion, cars, and yachts in the world. But Ferrari is different. Ferrari is a religion. And now that Ferrari has just introduced its new Ferrari Hypersail project, high-performance hydrofoiling sailboat technology might never be the same again. The Ferrari Hypersail project has just been introduced Led by Team Principal Giovanni Soldini, Hypersail is a research and development platform focused on offshore sailing onboard a 100-foot-long hydrofoiling yacht is designed by French naval architect Guillaume Verdier to stabilize its flight on three points of contact. Verdier's most notable innovation is the use of a canting keel as the support for one of the foils, with the other two contact points being a foil on the rudder and, alternately, the two lateral foils. Ferrari Hypersail's Giovani Soldini is one of the most experienced offshore racing sailors on the ... More planet 'Hypersail is a new challenge that pushes us to go beyond our boundaries and expand our technological horizons,' says Ferrari Chairman John Elkann. 'At the same time, it perfectly aligns with Ferrari's tradition, drawing inspiration from our Hypercar, three-time winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Designing a yacht for offshore racing is perhaps the ultimate expression of endurance. 'Giovanni Soldini is a key pillar of this project, not only because of his achievements as a sailor but also his unmatched experience in yacht development and construction. The excellent teamwork between Ferrari and Guillaume Verdier is bringing into existence a unique boat that will fly across the oceans, representing a real opportunity for innovation in both the nautical and automotive worlds.' advance drawings of Ferrari's new Hypersail project 'I'm happy and honored to be part of this adventure,' said Giovanni Soldini, Team Principal of Hypersail. 'An exciting challenge, backed by a truly unique team that brings together Ferrari's excellence and the expertise of specialists in ocean sailing design. The meeting of different cultures and advanced technologies is enabling us to build a yacht that is revolutionary in many respects. 'From a nautical perspective, it's innovative in both its structure and how it will fly. On the systems front, Ferrari's contribution is driving the development of on-board control technology that has never been seen before. To prepare as well as we can for the variability and force of the phenomena and conditions encountered at sea, our top priority is to strike the right balance between the pursuit of extreme performance and maximum reliability.' According to advance reports the Hypersail project is aiming for close collaboration between Ferrari, its partners, and suppliers. This approach will be used to develop systems in the areas of aerodynamics, energy efficiency, power management, and kinetic energy. The Ferrari Hypersail project is being built now and will launch next year Technology transfer from the realm of Ferrari sports cars is also key. The yacht will sail with a flight control system developed from the expertise acquired in the automotive sector – employing aerodynamic and structural calculation processes designed to ensure performance and safety for a monohull that will sail across oceans for extended periods with no external support of any kind. The monohull is also designed to operate exclusively using renewable energy sources, including solar, wind and kinetic energy. There is no combustion engine on board, and all the power required to run the control and motion systems for the foils, keel and rudder, as well as the full suite of on-board computers and instruments, must be generated autonomously while under sail. Mama Mia! The prototype is already under construction and due to launch next year. Watch this space.
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
AJ Dybantsa, the potential No. 1 NBA pick in 2026, leads U.S. to gold: Takeaways
Team USA entered the FIBA U19 World Cup in Switzerland as the gold medal favorite, and the Americans lived up to the hype, capturing the title with a dominant 109-76 victory over previously unbeaten Germany in Sunday's championship game. Both teams were 6-0 heading into the final, but the Americans' depth and firepower proved too much for a German squad led by Texas Tech standout and All-Big 12 freshman Christian Anderson Jr. Advertisement Incoming BYU star freshman AJ Dybantsa capped off an impressive tournament run by achieving his goal — bringing home the gold with Team USA and taking home MVP honors with averages of 14.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.1 steals per game. Throughout the tournament, Dybantsa showed why he is such a highly touted prospect and presumed by many to be the No. 1 pick in next year's draft. Dybantsa can impact both ends of the floor at a high level and has the potential to be a two-way star at the next level. He didn't shoot well from 3 in this tournament (11.1 percent), but he should benefit by playing in BYU's offense, a system that will give him wide-open opportunities. What Dybantsa can do with the ball in his hands is reminiscent of Paul George. He is a big-shot creator with an excellent feel for the game, who can get downhill to either score or make plays for others. He also has a great motor; you don't typically see kids ranked this high play this hard so consistently. He had a steal in every game but one (France), but his length and activity were always a problem for opposing teams. AJ Dybantsa 🇺🇸 (@AJ_Dybantsa) Was named 'MVP' of the FIBA U19 World Cup. The BYU Cougars (@BYUMBB) freshman averaged:20 Minutes14.3 Points (50% FG | 84% FT)4.1 Rebounds 2.3 Assists1.1 Steals42 free throws made (1st) — Hoops HQ (@hhqsports) July 6, 2025 Dybantsa is one of the favorites to go No. 1 in the 2026 NBA Draft, and for good reason. But the 2026 class isn't as clear-cut as Cooper Flagg's 2025 class. This class has four prospects capable of going first, including Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson (Kansas), Cameron Boozer (Duke) and Mikel Brown Jr. (Louisville). Several prospects boosted their draft stock during the World Cup, including Brown and Anderson. Advertisement Brown, in particular, made a major statement — firmly inserting himself into the conversation as a potential No. 1 overall pick. He led Team USA in scoring (14.9 points) and assists (6.1) on 46/47/82 shooting splits. He also led the team in efficiency and made 3s (20). His combination of skill and feel as a lead guard will have plenty of NBA teams lined up wanting him to run the show. Louisville's Mikel Brown Jr again put together another elite offensive performance vs Cameroon this time. Mikel had: 24 points 2 rebounds 8 assists 9-12 FG5-6 3PT19 minutes Mikel has been firmly making his case as a top 5 prospect in the 2026 draft class — Arman Jovic (@PDTScouting) July 1, 2025 As for Anderson, he will be in the running to be Big 12 Player of the Year and first-team All-Big 12, alongside teammate JT Toppin, as the Red Raiders look to make another deep tournament run. Anderson averaged 17.3 points (10th in the tournament), 4.9 rebounds and 6.6 assists (second in the tournament), including two games in which he scored 27 and 29 points. He was arguably the best guard in the tournament, displaying similarities in his game to NBA veteran Dennis Schröder. Anderson will be on the German National Team for the 2028 Olympics. The 2025-26 season is set to be a landmark year for the Big 12, with the league welcoming its most loaded freshman class ever. Ten of the top 24 prospects — and 16 of the top 100, including Baylor's Koa Peat — are set to bring their talents to the conference. In Team USA's win, Peat became the first player to win three World Cup titles in FIBA youth competitions. Peat was one of the more consistent players throughout the tournament, averaging 12.6 points and 6.9 rebounds. There were 54 college players in this tournament, which speaks to the depth of talent in the sport, especially as more international players come over. Advertisement Eric Reibe (Germany) and Jacob Furphy (Australia) make UConn deeper and more dangerous. Foreign prospects like Dash Daniels (Australia) get most of the headlines, but Furphy may be the best pro of all the international prospects in this tournament. The Washington Huskies are also in great shape moving forward, with JJ Mandaquit (Team USA) and Hannes Steinbach (Germany).
