Never in the history of the European Championship or the World Cup have you made it past the quarter-finals. Accordingly, the victory over the Netherlands last Saturday evening (1-0 after extra time) was historic.
What Germany can expect
If you look at the balance sheets of the French in the past three years, Germany should be scared and anxious. Since the painful quarter-finals at the 2019 home World Cup against the USA (1: 2), the “blue danger” has only suffered one more bankruptcy. In April 2021 they lost 2-0 – again against the US team around superstar Megan Rapinoe, which continues to be the measure of all things in women’s football.
And France itself, with their last 16 victories in a row, has shown that they can hardly be beaten. Only the curious 1:1 against Iceland in the 13th minute of stoppage time in the third group game ended the famous series of the team around captain Wendie Renard, who also plays well at this European Championship.
It was also expected at home that the team from Diacre, which is considered authoritarian, would play for the title. However, the strict boss faces a lot of criticism. With Amandine Henry and Eugénie Le Sommer from Champions League winner Olympique Lyon, she did without two top players and long-term pillars at this tournament.
After the quarter-finals in 2019 in his own country, Henry spoke of a broken relationship between the team and the coach, players would have cried in their rooms. Diacre, nicknamed “the dragon”, criticized Henry’s communication style – and now offered the 32-year-old. The Renard case shows that there is a way back. After differences, Diacre withdrew her captain’s armband after the World Cup – but reversed this measure after discussion. Renard is now fully rehabilitated as a defense chief.
In general, the axis around world star Renard, midfield strategist Grace Geyoro (three tournament goals) and center forward Marie-Antoinette Katoto is unparalleled. The latter is no longer available to France since her cruciate ligament injury in the second group game against Belgium.
France on the outside fire hazard
Katoto’s absence is definitely a major handicap for the French. The PSG striker was replaced by actual winger Melvine Malard against the Netherlands and Iceland. And she also showed her qualities promptly, scoring after 45 seconds on her debut in the starting XI at this European Championship – the fastest goal of the European Championship.