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This article is part of the Guardian’s Euro 2025 Experts’ Network, a cooperation between some of the best media organisations from the 16 countries who qualified. theguardian.com is running previews from two teams each day in the run-up to the tournament kicking off on 2 July.
Overview
France arrive in Switzerland in form. They won all six games in their Nations League group – the first team ever to do so – and were first to qualify for this tournament. Goals have been flowing and the defence has been solid. However, major tournaments and France do not normally go together; they are yet to win the Euros, World Cup or the Olympics. With this in mind the coach, Laurent Bonadei, who was Hervé Renard’s assistant until August 2024, describes France as outsiders.
A few weeks before the tournament the coach made the radical decision to omit three highly experienced players: the captain, Wendie Renard, the vice-captain Eugénie Le Sommer, France’s most capped player, and Kenza Dali. They were key members of the dressing room. “I want different results for this team so I have gone with a different selection,” he said. Paris Saint-Germain’s Griedge Mbock is the new captain.
France are in a tough group with England, Netherlands and Wales but aim to reach the final for the first time. The regeneration of the squad can be seen in every area: six players have no major tournament experience. Recent tournaments saw them lose a semi-final to Germany at Euro 2022, a quarter-final on penalties against Australia at the 2023 World Cup, before a quarter-final exit against Brazil at their home Olympics.
Bonadei has returned to a 4-3-3 formation after experimenting with 3-4-3 when first appointed, a system he dumped after a 4-2 defeat by Spain in December. In attack Les Bleues can count on the speed of Sandy Baltimore and Kadidiatou Diani and they seem to have re-established their defensive strength thanks to the emerging partnership of Mbock and Maëlle Lakrar at centre-back.
The best performance of the Bonadei era came in a 4-0 dismantling of the tournament hosts Switzerland five weeks before the tournament. “It was a perfect evening because we didn’t concede a goal and we scored four,” Bonadei said. “We also hit the woodwork twice. We’re approaching 800 passes, with a 71% possession rate, which is what I asked of them.” This is not the time for them to get overconfident, though, because France have lost their shape in high-stakes games before.
The coach
Laurent Bonadei. Assistant to Renard for the 2023 World Cup and Paris Olympics, Bonadei was promoted to No 1 in August 2024, his first experience as a head coach of a senior side. The French football federation chose “continuity” despite less than ideal results at those two tournaments, and gave him a three-year contract. The former Toulon midfielder is a coach who develops players, after his experience with PSG’s youth teams and Nice’s B team. When he took charge, Bonadei talked about putting in place “a life project” rather than a “game project” and to form a tight-knit group with players who had previously experienced tensions in camp. The players have praised his human touch, and have appreciated that he travelled to see many of them at their clubs.
Star player
In a squad lacking stardust Sakina Karchaoui is the best-known and most recognised individual. Indeed, the Paris Saint-Germain player recently became one of France’s vice-captains, showing her growing influence. Her position has also changed, with the left-back often deployed in midfield. “As a left-back I was so wide that I wasn’t happy with it and Bonadei wanted me to be more central to what we do,” she said. Today, one of Karchaoui’s main aims is to help the younger players and pass on her experience. As well as making sure France win that first major title.
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One to watch
The 27-year-old Paris FC striker Clara Mateo is having the best season of her career. She used to be mainly a right winger but now plays as a false 9 and has started to rack up the goals. She scored 18 in the 2024-25 league campaign, adding seven assists, which made her the top scorer, and best player, in the Première Ligue. Quite a turnaround for a player who was not picked for the 2024 Olympics by Renard. She has two goals and an assist in her past five appearances for France and is now challenging Marie-Antoinette Katoto for a starting spot. “It’s a reflection of the season I have had,” she said. “I’ve been decisive with my club and that is down to the confidence I have in myself at the moment. I’m very happy that it’s working with the French team too.”
Probable lineup
Status of domestic top flight
The Première Ligue turned professional at the start of the 2024-25 season, but two teams, Lyon and PSG, had completed that milestone long ago. The players do not yet have a collective agreement but are paid at least the minimum wage (£1,148 a month). The level is improving but Lyon are still dominating, and finished last season 10 points ahead of second-placed PSG. France collectively failed to capitalise on a home World Cup in 2019 and is still behind in its development of women’s football, whether in terms of attendances (average 1,610, behind England, Spain and Germany), broadcasting (two weekend matches on TV) and the investment in women’s football. As a result, many young players move abroad while some clubs such as Dijon, Le Havre, Reims and Montpellier are even looking to sell their women’s sections to cut costs.
Realistic aim in Switzerland
Semi-finals again. Les Bleues may be in the group of death with England and the Netherlands but have shown a new collective strength and should proceed to the knockouts. Once there they may face Germany, traditionally their bête noire at major tournaments.
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