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It is certainly hard to believe that France would be considered underdogs for any competition that they enter. Whether it be football or rugby, or any Olympic event, a global sporting powerhouse like France is always considered one of the favourites.
However, they displayed a below par performance in the 2019 World Cup held in their own backyard and followed it up with a semi-final exit in the Euros last year. The hype around Les Bleus has certainly died down from its once great heights. Below, we look at reasons why France would really be underdogs at the world's grandest stage.
Corinne Diacre's exit
The reasons that France may not be underdogs start right at the top of the organisation. The former President of the FFF, Noel le Graet, was a staunch supporter of former manager Corinne Diacre. However, her results in major tournaments were average at best for a team like France.
Her powers were wavering and, like many French teams in the past, men or women, divides started to appear. Stalwarts of the side like Amandine Henry and Eugenie le Sommer were phased out by Diacre. To remove a combined 270 caps from a squad instantly will for sure cause a tidal wave of problems. Especially when you don't go on to win a tournament.
After Euro 2022, the squad began to unravel even further. Stars who had remained in the squad announced on Twitter that they would now stop playing for the national team. Wendie Renard, Kadidiatou Diani and Marie-Antoinette Katoto all announced that they felt the divides in the national team were too much to bear, and they would take time away.
Naturally, the French public stood behind their heroes, and quite quickly, time was running out for the duo of Le Graet and Diacre. Altough they were kicking and screaming, they were removed from their posts. With interim President Philippe Diallo now in place, the FFF decided to hire Herve Renard as their new coach.
Herve Renard's revolution
Herve Renard had come off the back of a successful 2022 World Cup campaign with Saudi Arabia, a tournament which saw them defeat eventual champions Argentina in the group stages. Having managed various nations across the world, Renard returned to his homeland and immediately reinstated Henry and Le Sommer to the squad. In turn, Wendie Renard, Kadidiatou Diani and Marie-Antoinette Katoto did a u-turn on their announcement.
With now a full squad to choose from ahead of the World Cup, you won't find many fans speaking about France's chances of winning their first world title. Many would still be fixated on the issues and chances of other countries.
With European champions England, how will they cope without their injured players? With the USA, can old heads like Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe still play their part? With Spain, now Alexia Putellas is back in the squad, can she drag them to glory? With Germany, can they go one step further than they did at Wembley last year?
France seem to be very much under the radar, and that is a very dangerous place to put them. The wealth of talent at Renard's disposal is nothing short of extraordinary. A spine of Renard, Henry and Katoto is capable of making any team quake in their boots.
They have been placed in Group F alongside Brazil, Jamaica and Panama. While a clash against the South American champions will be a tasty one, it will be one the French will be confident of winning.
If all ties go as expected, they would face South Korea in the Round of 16. They would possibly face off against either co-hosts Australia or Olympic champions Canada in the quarter finals, again, both winnable games on paper.
That could set them up for a semi-final againt Germany or England, but by then, this will be a French team in their groove and playing their best football. While Diacre didn't have the experience of winning a tournament, Renard most certainly does, winning the Africa Cup of Nations with Zambia and Ivory Coast.
All together, this is a French team that is getting it right in the nick of time, and with questions surrounding many of the favourites, this could well be France's tournament.
Poll : Do you think France will win the World Cup?
Yes
No
15 votes
