It's amazing, but the French team, double Olympic champion 2008 and 2012 and silver medalist in 2016 still doesn't have the ticket for Tokyo in their pocket. She must pick him up as a priority during the Euro (from 9 to 26 January) which begins for her against Portugal this Friday. The Blues must be European champions or finalists against Denmark, reigning world champion and already qualified.
If they fail, they will have to go through an Olympic Qualification Tournament (TQO) in April in Paris. Where to place the France team today in the world hierarchy? Is it possible that the Blues will not be at the Olympics next summer? We asked various actors from Starligue clubs to give us their opinion.
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Is France still a benchmark?
No doubt! Even if it is an orphan of its international titles, France remains, in the eyes of the players in the championship, a super power of the sticky ball: "We always have superstars at each position with this intact desire to win" launches the semi-center Nîmes O'Brian Nyateu. “A Euro is higher than a World Cup or the Olympic Games. If the Blues succeed, we will have an idea of ​​their real level. I have no doubt it is still very high, ”continues Mathieu Bataille, the pivot of Ivry.
Will the Blues be at the Tokyo Olympics?
"The opposite is not even possible! We talk about Experts all the same and they know how to get out of all situations ”proclaims the Montpellier half-center Kylian Villeminot. "There is not the slightest doubt: they will go to the Games" sums up Benali Beghouach, the assistant coach of Istres. The only downside for Erick Mathé, Chambéry's coach: “The international level is tightening, European places are expensive. So unfortunately there is a possibility of not going to the Olympic Games ”. Prudence, it is said, is a mother of safety ...
Will they qualify from this Euro 2020? “Even if it will be difficult because there are other very competitive teams, the French must seize this opportunity. There will be a second chance afterwards, but the pressure will be very significant, ”said Raul Gonzalez, the Spanish coach of PSG. "To get to know them well, the guys know how to outdo themselves and the more difficult it is, the better they are," says Kylian Villeminot. Patrice Annonay, the goalkeeper of Tremblay, is more direct: "There is competition, Denmark which is very strong but France has all the resources to win this Euro" Pierre Montorier, the coach of Créteil, is categorical: "They will go to the Euro final and qualify for Tokyo "
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Should we go through the qualification tournament?
It is a possible solution but not dramatic. The TQO will bring together four nations from April 17 to 19 in Paris and it will be necessary to finish in the first two to go to Japan: “It will be difficult to qualify via the Euro. France has no margin. I am convinced that she will qualify with the TQO, ”thinks Jérôme Fernandez, Aix coach and double Olympic champion. Same story for his fellow world champion 1995 Philippe Gardent in Toulouse: “The Euro is open and random. With the TQO behind, there will be a qualification at the end, that's for sure ”
For everyone, the concern is not whether the Blues will go to the Games. The real thrill is knowing the color of the medal they will bring back from Japan: “The ambition will be to win gold. Even if it will be a matter of details, it is always the objective when you are the France team, ”retorts our interlocutors in summary.
