Hervé Renard has only been coach for less than a year and, yet, we have the impression of having lived a life with this French women's team.
Relaunched popularity, a World Cup at the end of the planet, injuries, tears and, Wednesday evening in Seville, this disappointing defeat (2-0) in the final of the League of Nations.
The next big event is now called the Paris 2024 Olympic Games (July 26 – August 11).
But rest assured that a lot will still happen between now and then.
The Blues, who are all returning to the club between this Thursday and Friday, will first meet again at the beginning of April for a new gathering.
With those at the beginning of June and the beginning of July, there will be three before the Olympics.
For six official qualifying matches for Euro 2025, which will take place in Switzerland.
UEFA will draw the groups on March 5 with a seeded French team, which will therefore avoid Spain, which is not bad news given the gap between the two. teams observed Wednesday evening.
But this promises Les Bleues a hellish pace, and this is undoubtedly what worries Hervé Renard the most.
Les Bleues lost in this Nations League final (2-0).
Heading now for the @Paris2024 Olympics 🇫🇷 🔜#ESPFRA #FiersdetreBleues pic.twitter.com/CzH6XH5r3b
— French Women’s Team (@equipedefranceF) February 28, 2024
Because the coach remembers the start of his adventure, disturbed by the absence or injuries of big names.
Marie-Antoinette Katoto, Griedge Mbock, Delphine Cascarino, Amandine Henry… Hervé Renard is right to think that with these players, his World Cup career could have gone beyond the quarter-finals.
All back and in good shape, they will necessarily weigh on the Olympic destiny of the French team, in search of a first gold medal, at the Parc des Princes on the evening of August 10.
When the Blues meet again at the beginning of April, they will also know their opponents at the Games.
The draw for the Olympic tournament will take place on March 20.
With only 12 nations (16 for men), the field promises to be very tough and the room for error will be limited in the first round.
United States, Brazil, Colombia, Spain, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, Australia: these are some of France's potential opponents, while only the two tickets from the African continent remain to be distributed.
Also read “By winning, it will mobilize more supporters”: the French women’s team facing the challenge of popularity
The big challenge for the FFF will also be to continue the growth of its women's football thanks to this French team.
After the beautiful images of a full stadium in Rennes at the beginning of December against Austria (3-0) or the 30,000 spectators in Lyon last Friday against Germany (2-1), the Federation is counting on the momentum of the League of Nations and the Olympic meeting to, once again, mobilize the crowds.
Les Bleues will not play in venues with 60,000 seats like in Lyon for the three home matches scheduled before the Games.
But filling stadiums with 20 to 30,000 seats would be another victory.
Eugénie Le Sommer and Wendie Renard with OL, Grace Geyoro and Sakina Karchaoui with PSG have, finally, missions to take on at club between a new formula championship (with playoffs) and a Champions League which offers the prospect of a sororicidal duel in the semi-final.
Five months before the Games, here we go.
But it's still very far away.