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.”

Just a day after France women’s national team coach Corinne Diacre vowed to remain at the helm despite the departures of key players, the national federation dismissed her from her post.

The French Football Federation pointed to the “fracture” in her relationship with the players in its announcement of the decision Thursday. The “very significant divide” within the team “has reached a point of no return,” the FFF said.

Three top French players had refused to play for their country in this summer’s World Cup under the “current system,” they announced on Feb. 24.

France captain Wendie Renard and star forwards Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Kadidiatou Diani all cited issues with Les Bleues management in their decisions to step away from the national team. Both Katoto and Diani called for “necessary changes” as a prerequisite for their return.

Yet Diacre pushed back against the criticism of her leadership.

“I have been the subject of a smear campaign that is astonishing in its violence and dishonesty,” she said in a statement Wednesday.

The FFF executive committee cited “irreversible” dysfunction in its decision to part ways with the 48-year-old coach. A four-person panel commissioned by interim FFF president Philippe Diallo had reviewed Diacre’s tenure in the wake of the players’ departures.

Diacre had coached the France senior national team since 2017. She was involved in a number of controversies during her tenure. She stripped Renard of her captaincy in 2017 before reinstating her as captain in 2021, and she left Katoto off the 2019 World Cup squad.

The four-person panel has been charged with finding a replacement coach “as soon as possible” as the team, No. 5 in FIFA’s world rankings, continues its preparations for the World Cup.

France women’s national team coach Corinne Diacre has vowed to remain at the helm despite the departures of several top players.

Three top French players have refused to play for their country in this summer’s World Cup under the “current system,” they announced on Feb. 24.

France captain Wendie Renard and star forwards Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Kadidiatou Diani all cited issues with Les Bleues management in their decisions to step away from the national team. Both Katoto and Diani called for “necessary changes” as a prerequisite for their return to the team.

Yet Diacre plans to stay on as coach through the World Cup, she said in a statement released Wednesday. She also pushed back against criticism of her leadership.

“I have been the subject of a smear campaign that is astonishing in its violence and dishonesty,” she said.

Diacre has coached the France senior national team since 2017, but she has been involved in a number of controversies during her tenure. For example, she stripped Renard of her captaincy in 2017 before reinstating her as captain in 2021. She also left Katoto off the 2019 World Cup squad.

“My detractors have not hesitated to attack my personal and professional integrity without bothering with the truth,” Diacre said. “I will not let myself be affected by this destabilization operation, which does not take into account my sporting record, and whose only objective is a personal settling of scores.”

French Football Federation president Noël Le Graët resigned in February, which brought a temporary halt to the FFF’s consideration of Diacre’s fate. Her future will be discussed at a meeting of the FFF executive committee on Thursday, per reports.

Three of the biggest stars on the France women’s national team are stepping away from international duties ahead of this summer’s World Cup.

France captain Wendie Renard, Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Kadidiatou Diani all cited issues within the national team in their decisions, which they announced Friday via social media.

Renard wrote in her statement that she “can no longer support the current system, which is far from the requirements of the highest level,” so she would “not be playing in this World Cup in such conditions.” The 32-year-old defender has played for the national team since 2011.

Katoto and Diani pointed to issues with Les Bleues management, though they did not cite coach Corinne Diacre by name. Both forwards called for “necessary changes” as a prerequisite for their return to the team.

The World Cup is set to kick off on July 20 in Australia and New Zealand.

France won the title at the round-robin Tournoi de France earlier this week, beating Denmark 1-0 and Uruguay 5-1 and playing to a 0-0 draw against Norway. Renard started all three of the matches, Diani two of them. Katoto is recovering from an ACL tear she sustained last July.

“My face can hide the pain, but my heart hurts and I don’t want to hurt anymore,” Renard wrote in her statement. “Thank you for your support and respect for my decision.”

Lyon is heading to the Champions League final after defeating Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 in the second leg of the semifinal matchup and completing a 5-3 win on aggregate.

Lyon was in control of the game from the opening whistle, taking the lead on Ada Hegerberg’s header in the 14th minute. It was the Norwegian star’s fifth goal in five UWCL games.

PSG equalized in the 62nd minute, with Marie-Antoinette Katoto slotting in a deflected shot, and appeared on the verge of mounting a comeback.

A late goal from Lyon captain Wendie Renard put the contest out of reach for PSG. Renard rose high in the box and nodded in a free kick to restore Lyon’s lead in the 83rd minute.

The 2-1 scoreline held until the final whistle, securing Lyon a spot in the Champions League final.

Lyon will meet Barcelona in the championship game, a rematch of the 2019 final, which Lyon won 4-1. The game is set for May 21 at 1 p.m. ET at Juventus Stadium.

It’s the end of an era for Olympique Lyonnais.

The seven-time champion was 31 games unbeaten in the Champions League until Sunday, when Paris Saint-Germain turned the tables and won the return leg of the semifinal 2-1. 

It was the home leg for Lyon as they entered up 1-0 from Paris. After just four minutes, American striker Catarina Macario put them ahead further with the first goal of the game. 

But PSG didn’t go quietly. 

Midfielder Grace Geyoro struck midway through the first half to begin the comeback for Les Feminines. 

The winner came from an own-goal by central defender Wendie Renard, who was the lone goal for Lyon in Paris. 

With the tie levelled at 2-2, PSG edged ahead on away goals to take the win. 

“I don’t think we realise what we’ve done yet. We played a great game collectively from start to finish,” Geyoro said. “We knew we had to come here and score two goals. And we did that. We never gave up.”

PSG, who have never won the women’s Champions League, will face Barcelona for a place in the final starting Sunday, April 25. Bayern Munich will play Chelsea in the other semifinal.