Wendie Renard has returned to the France women’s national team in the first roster under new coach Hervé Renard.
The 32-year-old defender stepped away from the team in February alongside fellow stars Kadidiatou Diani and Marie-Antoinette Katoto. The players cited growing dissatisfaction with team leadership and called for “necessary changes” as a prerequisite for their return. While not mentioned directly by the players, then-coach Corinne Diacre was cited as a major reason behind their decision.
During her tenure, Diacre clashed with many players. After the star players made their stand in February, the coach was fired by the French Football Federation in March.
The federation pointed to the “fracture” in Diacre’s relationship with players and “irreversible” dysfunction in its decision to part ways with Diacre. The “very significant divide” within the team “has reached a point of no return,” the FFF said.
Hervé Renard, no relation to Wendie, was announced as the new France women’s national team coach Thursday ahead of the team’s April friendlies against Colombia and Canada.
On his first roster, Wendie Renard has returned to the team. Diani and Katoto are injured and thus were not included on the roster. But whether or not Renard will once again be captain of the team remains a question mark.
“I always make it a practice to let the interested parties know before anyone else,” Hervé Renard said. “First I’ll have a chat with her and get the pulse of this group, but I’m looking forward to it.”