A year after missing the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand due to injury, Amandine Henry will be content, for the time being, with a role as a midfield understudy for the French team for the women’s football tournament at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Hervé Renard is currently without Eugenie Le Sommer (35 years old), the top scorer in the history of Les Bleues, who is still recovering, but also without Amandine Henry, the team’s great technical leader for many years (and star captain during the 2019 World Cup).
For the first match of the group stage against Colombia, Thursday at Groupama Stadium (9 p.m., live on France 2), the French coach is launching a midfield composed of Sandie Toletti at number 6, Grace Geyoro alongside her as a hub and Kenza Dali as a detonator with the ball at her feet. This was the midfielder who lined up during the 2-1 victory against Sweden, two weeks ago, synonymous with qualification for the next Women’s Euro (in 2025 in Switzerland). Amandine Henry came on in the 79th minute to help her team maintain its lead on the scoreboard.
Selma Bacha as Amandine Henry
Hervé Renard’s choices will be closely followed for this entry into the competition which promises to be delicate, against the Colombia of Linda Caicedo, the 19-year-old prodigy of Real Madrid. Despite Le Sommer’s physical condition, Selma Bacha has also lost her place in the eleven, while she was essential at Euro 2022 (but less so at the Oceania World Cup). Delphine Cascarino and Kadidiatou Diani will thus play on the wings to feed the center forward Marie-Antoinette Katoto.
In defense, Élisa De Almeida gives up her place at right back to Maëlle Lakrar (both are central players), while Griedge Mbock is associated with captain Wendie Renard in hinge. Goalkeeper Solène Durand, fullback Ève Périsset, defensive midfielder Léa Le Garrec and forward Vicki Bècho are the four reserves of the French women’s team (they train every day with their teammates).
The probable line-up of the Blues according to
The Team: Peyraud-Magnin – Lakrar, Mbock, Renard, Karchaoui – Geyoro, Toletti, Dali – D. Cascarino, Katoto, Diani.
