France captain

Feb 24 (Reuters) - France captain Wendie Renard will not play at this year's Women's World Cup to preserve her mental health, she said on Friday, with fellow internationals Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Kadidiatou Diani following suit soon after her announcement. Renard, who is widely considered one of the best defenders in women's football, played for France in international games against Norway, Denmark and Uruguay earlier this month. She has 142 caps for France and plays for French side Olympique Lyonnais. According to a Renard was stripped of the France captaincy by Diacre following their quarter-final exit at Euro 2017, before regaining it in 2021. Diacre has previously attracted criticism from other French players, including Gaetane Thiney and Sarah Bouhaddi. "I love France more than anything, I am not perfect, far from it, but I can no longer support the current system, which is far from the requirements of the highest level," Renard said on social media. "It is a sad day but necessary to preserve my mental health. It is with a heavy heart that I come to inform you of my decision to step back from the French team. "Unfortunately, I will not be playing in this World Cup under such conditions. My face may hide the pain but my heart is suffering... and I don't want to suffer anymore." Renard received support from her Lyon team mate Ada Hegerberg, who quit Norway's national team for five years in protest over the treatment of women's soccer in the country. "How long will ...

History beckons for France's captain at the World Cup final, if Les Bleus can overcome Lionel Messi and Argentina at Lusail Stadium. France are aiming for back-to-back World Cup triumphs, propelled by a golden generation of talent who could continue dominating for years to come. Even a raft of injuries to some of Didier Deschamps' biggest stars hasn't stoppedthem progressing in Qatar. The French captain could become the first skipper in World Cup history to lift his second title on Sunday, let alone the first to win two successive editions. He'll have one of the toughest jobs on Sunday, however; stopping an in-form Messi from scoring. The Sporting News gives the lowdown on Lloris here. MORE: Who is France team captain? Hugo Lloris, France's No.1, is wearing the armband at his sixth major tournament in Qatar. The vastly experienced goalkeeper has thrived at his fourth World Cup, 10 years after becoming France's first-choice captain. He skippered his national side for the first time at just 23. That longevity has seen him overtake Lilian Thuram – father of 2022 squad member Marcus – as Les Bleus' most capped player after 144 matches. At 35, only goalscorer Olivier Giroud (36) and backup keeper Steve Mandanda (37) are more senior squad members than Lloris. Where does France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris play? Away from the international duty, Lloris is the first-choice goalkeeper for Premier League side Tottenham. Lloris began his career with Nice on the Cote d'Azur, rising through ...

Read more Paris Saint-Germain forward Mbappe, 24, accepted the role after discussions with coach Didier Deschamps. His first game as captain will be Friday's Euro 2024 qualifier against the Netherlands at the Stade de France, Les Bleus' first match since their World Cup final disappointment in Doha on December 18. Tottenham goalkeeper Lloris, 36, brought an end to his international career in January, in the weeks after Lionel Messi's Argentina side beat the French in a penalty shootout following a thrilling match that ended 3-3 in extra-time. Lloris had been skipper for more than a decade. Atletico Madrid attacker Antoine Griezmann was named vice-captain after Manchester United centre-back Raphael Varane also hung up his boots following the defeat to Argentina in December. Mbappe, who scored a hat-trick in the World Cup final defeat, had been heavily linked with the captain's role for weeks. Michel Platini, who captained France to victory in the 1984 European Championship, said the decision was "a very good idea". "In giving him the responsibility of the captaincy, it allows Kylian, when necessary, to go still further, higher, stronger," Platini, the ex-head of European football's governing body UEFA, said in a statement to AFP. Mbappe helped Les Bleus to World Cup glory as a teenager in 2018 and has established himself as arguably the leading forward on the global stage. The Paris-born former Monaco player is vice-captain at PSG behind Brazilian defender Marquinhos and le...

March 14 (Reuters) - Former France captain Wendie Renard, who announced last month that she would step back from the national team, said she is open to making a return if former coach Corinne Diacre's successor deems her worthy of a recall. Renard Last week, Diacre was "It's the coach who will select me if I perform well with my club ... but why not (make a return)?" she said. "I am a competitor at heart. I love this jersey and I want to do everything to win a title with it." France will be looking to win their maiden World Cup at this year's showpiece event, which is being co-hosted by New Zealand and Australia from July 20-Aug. 20. They begin their campaign in Group F against Jamaica on July 23 before facing Brazil and Panama.

This week could witness a seismic shift in the French soccer world with Noel Le Graet's French Football Federation presidency over after an astonishing show of disrespect towards the legendary Zinedine Zidane over the weekend has led to him being The entire French soccer world has been absorbed by this latest controversy while an audit into the FFF amid Paris Saint-Germain superstar, FIFA 2022 World Cup Golden Boot, and French soccer's golden boy Kylian Mbappe. In the increasingly politicized world of global soccer, the 24-year-old is one of -- if not the -- most recognizable faces of the game and his recent reception at a Brooklyn Nets NBA game suggests that Mbappe's reputation grew further thanks to his displays with France in Qatar. The former AS Monaco man was top scorer at the World Cup with eight goals including a breathtaking final hat-trick to finish ahead of PSG teammate Lionel Messi for the Golden Boot despite the French defeat on penalties to Argentina in Lusail. Macron even sought immediate association with Mbappe in the painful moments after Les Bleus fell to their Albiceleste conquerors from the spot which speaks volumes about the sort of clout that the Frenchman carries on the world stage in political as well as soccer terms. Mbappe and the FFF already locked horns earlier in the year when the man from Bondy boycotted interviews as part of an international call-up in protest against certain sponsors which go against the persona that he and his family have ca...