Join us on this journey as we dish out the inside scoop on each squad's strengths, weaknesses, players to keep an eye on and what a pass mark might be for each nation.
Next up, we look at Group F team, France.
FIFA Women's World Cup Appearances: 4 (2003, 2011, 2015, 2019)
Best performance at a FIFA Women's World Cup: Quarter-finals (2015, 2019)
Players to watch
In one of the all-time shock calls, Amandine Henry was not selected for Les Bleues' Euro 2022 squad despite her Champions League heroics just days prior in the Champions League final. This was believed to be due to a dispute with controversial former national team head coach Corinne Diacre.
It doesn't look like there will be a repeat of this event with new head coach Herve Renard recently telling the media that the defensive midfielder is an important player for the team, before adding, "My wish is that she is with us for the World Cup."
Amandine Henry's stunning goal in the 2022 UWCL Final has been nominated for the Puskas Award 👏 pic.twitter.com/0EsEgYU9wJ
— DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) January 12, 2023
Henry looks set to be joined by centre back Wendie Renard, who had initially withdrawn from the tournament prior to the aforementioned Diacre’s dismissal. One of the best centrebacks in the women's game, she is also one of the most decorated at club level and will be desperate to add a World Cup winners medal to her trophy room.
C’est toujours un bonheur de gagner ce prestigieux trophée, et de le ramener pour la dixième fois à la maison 🦁
— Wendie Renard (@WRenard) May 13, 2023
Bravo à toute l’équipe 👊🏾
Ce titre est pour vous Président Aulas, et le premier avec la nouvelle direction Michèle Kang et John Textor.
Merci à la TEAM OL ❤️💙 pic.twitter.com/K8fs7QLdeK
PSG captain and France's number eight, Grace Geyoro, has the potential to be a critical player for France. The 25-year-old is playing some fantastic football and looks primed to strut her stuff across Australia and New Zealand this coming July and August.
2⃣0⃣0⃣ Paris appearances for @GraceGeyoro 🗼👏#UWCL // @PSG_Feminines pic.twitter.com/1PR4wgB9ky
— UEFA Women’s Champions League (@UWCL) May 10, 2023
2023 form
Les Bleues are in incredible form in 2023, despite the controversies that have surrounded the squad. France started the year with a 1-0 victory in the Tournoi de France against Denmark. The team followed that up with a 5-1 victory over Uruguay, before a 0-0 tie with fellow heavy hitters Norway.
A pair of friendly victories followed, with France easily handling Colombia 5-2, and securing a 2-1 victory over Canada. France has a pair of warm-up friendlies prior to the World Cup, including a clash against the Republic of Ireland and a huge matchup against Australia.
Harve Renard brought her back following his appointment as the new Head Coach and Eugiene Le Sommer bagged a brace two minutes to help France come from two goals down to beat Colombia 5-2.pic.twitter.com/GtQvQo9tqI
— HF (@hfworld_) April 8, 2023
Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths: Line for line, France has one of the best squads in world football. This is evidenced by the team's incredible run to the Euro 2022 semi-finals without arguably their best player in Henry. If the side can put the drama behind them, their quality will be difficult for anyone to stop.
Les joueuses sont prêtes ! ⚡️
— Equipe de France Féminine (@equipedefranceF) April 11, 2023
🇫🇷🇨🇦 | #FRACAN | #FiersdetreBleues pic.twitter.com/JCvSwlPskS
Weaknesses: We preface this by saying Renard is a fantastic head coach. He has coached Ligue 1 sides Lille and Sochaux. He is also a vastly experienced international coach, having led Ivory Coast, Morocco, and Saudi Arabia with mixed fortunes. All of those jobs however, have been in the men’s game.
Renard has minimal experience in the women’s game, and that, along with just a few months of preparation time with his squad, is why he is Les Bleues' biggest weakness coming into the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
"𝘔𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘪 𝘱𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘦𝘳𝘴 9 𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘭𝘴 𝘦𝘵 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘻 𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘱𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘦́"
— Equipe de France Féminine (@equipedefranceF) April 14, 2023
Les coulisses du match 🇫🇷🇨🇦 > https://t.co/yBkrlptkD2 pic.twitter.com/gxzFwDSb8C
Pass mark
France is a heavyweight of world football, and it is for that reason that, despite the controversies, player withdrawals, and coaching upheaval, the bar is still exceptionally high for this team. Keeping that in mind, anything less than a semi-final berth will likely be viewed as a massive failure for the French side.
Merci pour votre soutien 💙🇫🇷
— Equipe de France Féminine (@equipedefranceF) April 12, 2023
On continue 🔜🌏#FiersdetreBleues pic.twitter.com/9YEo7N9mya
Also don't forget to listen to the Australian World Cup Podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.