What did Les Bleues, eliminated in the quarter-finals of the World Cup, miss? What are you going to focus on this new year? Hervé Renard: I think we lacked efficiency, to be more realistic. I’m thinking of the match against Australia. Afterwards, when we miss five penalties, we only have ourselves to blame. It’s not technical, it’s the mental aspect that comes into play. These are moments that are part of high-level women’s football that will need to be addressed better later. They so deserve to qualify, with everything they have given at work and outside, it is beneficial. I’m sure this will allow this team to grow further. The watchword is the same. We started our adventure together in April. The adventure continues, it’s part of the football paths that we take from time to time. It is through these moments that we build ourselves. We become even more united, I think all the girls came back with the pleasure of seeing each other again, that’s the most important thing.
The stadiums were full in Australia, they were almost empty for the champions’ trophy and in D1. What do you think? This is explained by the fact that not everything that needed to be done for women’s football has been done. There are measures that have been taken recently, it will take a little time to change people’s outlook on women’s football. The World Cup helped to give a better image to the French team, the attendances and audiences, the figures were excellent, it’s a sign. I have said it several times, it is up to us to reach out to the spectators. They have to be good quality stadiums, they have to be a spectacle and not a Sunday amateur match. It’s reductive to say that, but we need a better package. It’s a different match if it’s in big stadiums, that’s the beauty of football, it’s a spectacle above all. France must progress on this front. There are nations which have overtaken France, it is a warning signal, we must look into it.
What is your view on what is happening with the Spanish women’s team? It’s only football that interests me, the rest tires me. I don’t even know about it, I don’t read that information, even if I can understand that there are things. I’m focused and I love football, the rest is not up to me.
Comments collected at a press conference.