The French women’s football team will play the first final in its history on Wednesday, that of the Nations League against Spain. While the task promises to be difficult against the reigning world champions, the Blues want to believe in it and hope to gain confidence a few months before the Paris Olympic Games.
Published on: 02/28/2024 – 08:11
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The Blues finally have the opportunity to add a major title to their record by facing Spain in Seville on Wednesday February 28 in the final of the UEFA Nations League, a biennial competition organized for the first time.
Since the official creation of the French women’s national team in the early 1970s, it has only won friendly tournaments such as the Cyprus Tournament (2012, 2014), the She Believes Cup (2017), or more recently the French Tournament (2020, 2022 and 2023).
Against Spain, the opportunity is too good to embellish the trophy cabinet and finally enter the big leagues. “It could be a very big detonation, it would send a big message to say that France is ready to play this kind of big competition. For me, the League of Nations is very important, that’s what can also to help us take the small step that will enable us to have a good Olympics”, summarized the goalkeeper of the French team Pauline Peyraud-Magnin to AFP.
Win the first Nations League final
Coach Hervé Renard also has his sights set on the Olympic Games this summer in Paris, for which France and Spain are already qualified. He knows that this final will allow his players to reach a new level: “We are facing the world champions who have been intractable for several months. It is a great challenge in front of us that we must take on with enormous determination” , he insisted after the semi-final won against Germany, before adding: “We have to have this rage to go for something more”.
The coach has warned that he will not be satisfied without a victory on Wednesday in this first Nations League final. A speech that is well inscribed in the minds of its players. “It’s the first so it will remain engraved, now we will have to win,” insisted central defender Elisa De Almeida.
During their last match against the German selection, their bane for many years, the Bleues showed serenity, particularly in attack thanks to a great performance from Kadidiatou Diani and Eugénie Le Sommer.
The French defense also showed some good things. She took the upper hand very quickly over the Germans, thanks in particular to her central hinge composed for the first time of Griedge Mbock and Maëlle Lakrar, due to the withdrawal of captain Wendie Renard.
Aitana Bonmati predicts a tight final
If all the lights are green since the elimination in the quarter-finals of the World Cup this summer against Australia. the French will have to raise their level against the Spanish who will have the advantage of playing this final at home. Because despite the good record against the Iberians that the Blues have posted with 10 wins and 3 draws in 13 matches, they do not appear today as the favorites for this final.
Since its world title last August, Spain has not slowed down and continues to tread water. Monterrat Tomé’s players won five of six matches in the league stage of the competition, scoring 23 goals, a competition record. On Friday, the Spanish women soundly beat the Netherlands (3-0) thanks to goals from World Cup stars Jenni Hermoso, Ona Batlle and Aitana Bonmatí.
Full of confidence, the Spaniards, however, fear their opponents. “It’s 50-50. France is a team that I respect a lot because I have faced French teams like Lyon or PSG many times and I think they have great players capable of creating a lot of danger “On a physical level, it’s a very strong team,” said thus declared to the newspaper l’Équipe the last Ballon d’Or Aitana Bonmati. “So, for me, the final will be close and there is no favorite.”
With AFP
