“I have choices to make, I will take them all the way.” The coach of the French women’s football team, Corinne Deacon, claimed the absence of certain executive players by presenting, Monday, May 30 to the 1 p.m. newspaper of TF1, her list of 23 selected for the Euro which will take place. take place in England from July 6 to 31.
Amandine Henry, Eugénie Le Sommer, the top scorer in the history of Les Bleues (86 goals), never called up this season, or even Viviane Asseyi (55 selections), one of the most capped players of the Deacon era, started in 2017 , are not included in this list. This does not stray far from the standard Blue team as it has been renewed for several months.
Asked about these absences of two “historic” executives of the Bleues, Corinne Deacon explained that “the choices were difficult (…), like all lists”. She admitted that “these players have performed well”, and that “the blue jersey represents something extraordinary” for them, but “you can’t just rely on the performance of a day, it’s a job. long-term “.
Another thirty-year-old, the Parisian Kheira Hamraoui, remains at the quay seven months after the violent attack, still unsolved, of which she was the victim. Returned in February after a long absence, but absent from the April camp, the defensive midfielder of PSG pays for her situation in the club, where she has not played for a month, and an altercation in training, and suffers from her execrable relationships with her partners Kadidiatou Diani and Marie-Antoinette Katoto, two players who also play for the France team.
Wendie Renard will wear the armband. The youth card is symbolized by Selma Bacha, Sandy Baltimore and Melvine Malard, for example.
Two surprises
However, the list holds two surprises. Ouleymata Sarr, striker from Paris FC (15 caps), is called up despite a choppy international career, relaunched in February then extended in April after Melvine Malard’s package (also called Monday). The 26-year-old Paris FC striker climbs into the blue wagon at the last minute.
Without Henry or Hamraoui, it is the young Ella Palis, 23, who embarks for the Euro, despite her weak international experience (six selections) and sometimes reduced playing time in Bordeaux. She will be the understudy of Charlotte Bilbault, another Girondine.
As goalkeeper, behind the holder, Pauline Peyraud-Magnin, and Mylène Chavas, Justine Lerond completes the trio in the absence of Solène Durand, who had to forfeit due to injury. Messina plays in the second division, but it keeps the tricolor under-23 cage and has already passed through the Blue box. In defense, Hawa Cissoko is chosen as the fourth axial to accompany the essential Wendie Renard, Griedge Mbock and Aïssatou Tounkara. The left side Perle Morroni, in trouble in Lyon, is the victim of competition from Sakina Karchaoui and Selma Bacha.
“We have been working for a while with this group, which also qualified for the next 2023 World Cup. We have managed to find a balance for a few months, with experience and youth,” said commented Corinne Deacon. She recalled “the common objective with the players: to meet at Wembley on July 31 for the final” and win the first title in the history of the French women’s team.
The coach must officially send her list before June 26 at 11:59 p.m., latest deadline. It will then be possible to substitute a player up to twenty-four hours before the first match, in the event of injury or Covid-19.
The list of Blue for the Euro:
Goalkeepers: Pauline Peyraud-Magnin (Juventus), Mylène Chavas (Bordeaux), Justine Lerond (Metz)
Defenders: Eve Périsset (Bordeaux), Marion Torrent (Montpellier), Griedge Mbock (Lyon), Wendie Renard (Lyon), Aïssatou Tounkara (Atlético de Madrid), Sakina Karchaoui (PSG), Selma Bacha (Lyon), Hawa Cissoko (West Ham)
Milieux : Charlotte Bilbault (Bordeaux), Kenza Dali (Everton), Sandie Toletti (Levante), Grace Geyoro (PSG), Ella Palis (Bordeaux).
Forwards: Sandy Baltimore (PSG), Delphine Cascarino (Lyon), Kadidiatou Diani (PSG), Marie-Antoinette Katoto (PSG), Melvine Malard (Lyon), Clara Matéo (Paris FC), Ouleymata Sarr (Paris FC)