They’re called Les Bleues. On paper, they should have won everything by now. Seriously. If you look at the roster of the France women's national football team over the last decade, it’s a "who’s who" of world-class talent that has consistently dominated the club level with Lyon and PSG. But the trophy cabinet at the national level? It’s surprisingly empty. No World Cups. No European Championships. Not even an Olympic podium finish until very recently. It’s one of the most fascinating, and frankly frustrating, stories in international sports.
It’s weird.
How does a team with Wendie Renard—arguably the greatest center-back to ever lace up boots—constantly fall just short? To understand where the France women's national football team is headed in 2026, you have to look at the scars they’ve picked up along the way. It’s a mix of bad luck, tactical stubbornness, and some of the most public internal drama we’ve ever seen in the women’s game.
The Corinne Diacre Era and the Breaking Point
For a long time, the story wasn't about the goals. It was about the locker room. You can't talk about the France women's national football team without mentioning the tenure of Corinne Diacre. She was in charge for six years, and "polarizing" doesn't even begin to cover it.
Diacre had a reputation for being an iron-fisted disciplinarian. She stripped Amandine Henry—the hero of so many Champions League finals—of the captaincy. she froze out Eugénie Le Sommer, France's all-time leading scorer. It felt like the team was playing with one hand tied behind its back because the manager was at war with her best players.
Everything broke in early 2023.
Captain Wendie Renard basically said, "I’m out." She announced she wouldn’t play at the 2023 World Cup because she could no longer support the system in place. It was a massive gamble. Kadidiatou Diani and Marie-Antoinette Katoto followed suit. It was a full-blown mutiny. But it worked. The French Football Federation (FFF) realized they couldn't go to a World Cup without their spine. Diacre was out, and in came Hervé Renard—the guy who had just led Saudi Arabia to that shock win over Argentina in the men's World Cup.
💡 You might also like: Navy Notre Dame Football: Why This Rivalry Still Hits Different
The Hervé Renard Effect: Vibes and Tactics
Hervé Renard brought the white shirt and the charisma, sure, but he also brought a sense of peace. He immediately brought Le Sommer back. He made the players feel like they actually wanted to be there again.
But here’s the thing: vibes only get you so far.
Under Renard, the France women's national football team played a much more expansive, attacking style. They were fun to watch. At the 2023 World Cup, they looked like world-beaters at times, especially in that 6-3 demolition of Panama. But then came the quarterfinals against Australia. It was a marathon. A penalty shootout that felt like it lasted three days. France lost 7-6 on penalties.
It was the same old story. Close, but not quite.
The critics pointed out that while the atmosphere improved, the tactical rigidity remained a slight issue in big moments. France tends to rely heavily on wing play and the aerial dominance of Renard on set pieces. When teams figure out how to double-team Diani or disrupt the service to the box, the French midfield sometimes struggles to find a "Plan B."
Why the French System Produces So Much Talent
If you’re wondering why France is always a favorite despite the lack of silverware, look at the infrastructure. The Clairefontaine academy isn’t just for the men. The FFF has poured resources into youth development, and it shows.
📖 Related: LeBron James Without Beard: Why the King Rarely Goes Clean Shaven Anymore
Most of the France women's national football team comes through a domestic league, the Première Ligue (formerly D1 Arkema), which has been the gold standard in Europe for years. Olympique Lyonnais Féminin has won the Champions League a record eight times. When your national team is basically the core of the best club team in history, expectations are going to be sky-high.
- Wendie Renard: The captain. A literal giant in the box.
- Grace Geyoro: The engine room. One of the most underrated box-to-box midfielders in the world.
- Marie-Antoinette Katoto: Pure clinical finishing. When she's healthy, there isn't a better #9 in Europe.
- Sakina Karchaoui: Speed. Her overlaps from left-back are basically a cheat code.
The depth is insane. Even their "B" team would probably rank in the top 15 in the world. This creates a weird pressure cooker environment where anything less than a trophy is seen as a total disaster back in Paris.
The "Curse" of the Quarterfinals
Is it a mental block? Honestly, it might be.
The France women's national football team has a haunting relationship with the quarterfinal stage of major tournaments. 2015 World Cup? Out in the quarters. 2019 World Cup (at home!)? Out in the quarters. 2023 World Cup? Quarters. 2024 Olympics? Quarters again, losing to Brazil in a game they dominated but couldn't finish.
It’s a pattern that’s hard to ignore.
Some analysts, like former English international Anita Asante, have suggested that France sometimes lacks that "tournament street smarts." They play beautiful football, but they don't always know how to win ugly. When the game becomes a scrap, France sometimes loses its composure. You saw it against Brazil in the 2024 Olympics—France had a penalty, missed it, hit the woodwork, and then conceded on a counter-attack. It was peak "French heartbreak."
👉 See also: When is Georgia's next game: The 2026 Bulldog schedule and what to expect
The Roadmap to 2027 and Beyond
So, what’s the move? The France women's national football team is currently in a transition phase. Hervé Renard’s departure after the Olympics left a vacancy that requires more than just a "player-friendly" coach. They need a tactician who can solve the scoring droughts in knockout games.
The youth is coming through, though. Players like Vicki Becho and Julie Dufour are starting to take more responsibility. There is a shift away from the "Golden Generation" that included the likes of Eugénie Le Sommer (who is nearing the end of her legendary career) toward a faster, more transitional style of play.
The talent isn't the problem. It never was.
The challenge for France is building a cohesive identity that doesn't rely on individual brilliance to bail them out. They need to figure out how to handle the pressure of being the "favorites" because, until they actually lift a trophy, that tag is going to feel more like a weight than a compliment.
How to Follow Les Bleues Properly
If you're looking to actually track this team and understand the nuance, don't just watch the highlights.
First, keep an eye on the domestic battles between Lyon and PSG. That's where the national team's chemistry is built—or broken. When those two teams are at each other's throats, the national team often feels the tension. Second, watch the integration of the U-19 players into the senior squad. France’s youth teams are currently cleaning up in European competitions, and that winning DNA needs to bleed upward quickly.
Actionable Steps for Fans and Analysts
- Monitor the Coaching Appointments: The FFF’s choice for the next cycle will signal if they are going for another "big name" or a development-focused coach. A tactical shift toward a 4-3-3 with a holding pivot is what most French analysts are calling for to protect the backline.
- Watch the Health of Katoto: France’s win percentage drops significantly when Marie-Antoinette Katoto is sidelined. Her ability to hold up play is the glue for the entire attack.
- Check the UEFA Nations League Standings: This has become the primary proving ground for the France women's national football team. It’s where they test their mettle against top-tier European opposition like Spain and Germany outside of the high-pressure World Cup environment.
- Analyze the Set-Piece Data: France scores over 30% of their goals from dead-ball situations. If that number drops, they are in trouble, because their open-play conversion rate has historically been lower than that of the USWNT or Spain.
The story of French women's football isn't over. It’s just in a very long, very dramatic middle chapter. They have the players. They have the money. They have the fans. Now, they just need to find a way to win that final game.