Zurich, Switzerland - France’s women’s national football team begins their Euro 2025 journey this Saturday against reigning champions England, with a roster full of elite talent but a past haunted by tournament failures, internal conflict, and questions about team culture.
Despite decades of producing world-class players, Les Bleues have never lifted a major international trophy. For striker Marie-Antoinette Katoto, the frustration is clear. “I want people to stop asking me: ‘Why haven’t France won anything when you’re one of the best teams in the world?’” she says. And yet, it's the question hanging over this squad as they kick off their latest campaign in Switzerland.
A Legacy of Talent, But No Trophies
France's squad over the years has been a showcase of brilliance: Louisa Nécib Cadamuro, Camille Abily, Wendie Renard, Eugénie Le Sommer, and now players like Katoto, Grace Geyoro, and Sakina Karchaoui. Yet, the silverware has remained out of reach.
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| France suffer more tournament pain, going out to Brazil in the last eight of the Paris Olympics. |
In fact, the team has reached the semi-finals of a major tournament only three times: the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup, the 2012 London Olympics, and Euro 2021. Their most recent disappointment came just last summer at the Paris Olympics, where they were knocked out by Brazil in the quarter-finals—on home soil.
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“We’ve had opportunities and twice failed to win it at home in France,” Karchaoui admits. “We have to have the humility to admit that.”
Internal Division and Mental Barriers
So, what’s been holding this talented team back?
According to past and present players, the issue goes beyond tactics. A lack of unity, unresolved intra-squad tensions, and a long-standing individualistic mindset have all contributed to France’s inability to convert talent into triumph.
“France sometimes sees football as an individual sport, not a collective one,” says Camille Abily, former international and now assistant coach at Chelsea. “That’s what’s been lacking.”
Geyoro echoes the sentiment: “We’ve relied a lot on individuals to make the difference. Now, we need to focus more on the collective, because we can only win together.”
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The team’s history is littered with conflicts and controversies, such as the 2021 scandal involving players Kheira Hamraoui and Aminata Diallo, and long-running tensions between professional players from Olympique Lyonnais and semi-professionals from Paris FC or PSG.
Former star Sonia Bompastor, now head coach at Chelsea, wrote in her 2025 memoir Une vie de foot that, “We weren’t on the same wavelength at all… For me, losing a match was the end of the world; not for them.”
A Culture Shift in Progress
While past leadership often failed to instill a “winning culture,” today’s setup looks different. Under new manager Laurent Bonadei, who succeeded Hervé Renard in August 2024, the team has brought in full-time mental performance coach Thomas Sammut. Their mission? Break what Bonadei calls the “glass ceiling” that has held back generations.
In a bold move, Bonadei also dropped veterans Le Sommer, Renard, and Kenza Dali ahead of the Euros, signaling a new era and a shift away from relying on legacy stars.
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| France head coach, Laurent Bonadei, describes his team as ‘outsiders’ for Euro 2025. Photograph: Goan Ehrenzaler/AP |
Bonadei has tempered expectations, calling France “outsiders” rather than favorites—despite an impressive run of eight consecutive victories heading into Euro 2025. “Confidence helps develop our game,” he said, “but overconfidence is the trap that awaits us.”
A Tough Group and a Tougher History
France’s group at the Women’s Euro 2025 is one of the most competitive: alongside England, they face the Netherlands—winners in 2017—and a rising Wales side. Their opening match in Zurich against the Lionesses will be a major test of their cohesion, focus, and maturity under pressure.
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Former midfielder Élise Bussaglia, who earned 192 caps, says the French team has historically lacked a unified hunger to win. “There needs to be a bit more of a winning culture,” she said. “It’s not just the federation—it’s everyone: players, staff, fans.”
Even when France has advanced far, the mentality wasn’t always there. “When we reached the 2011 World Cup semi-finals, we were just happy to be there,” Abily recalls.
Time to Change the Narrative?
While blame once fell on underinvestment and a dismissive French Football Federation, things have improved. Bompastor remembers meetings with former FFF president Noël Le Graët, who prioritized image over performance. “The only thing that mattered to him was our popularity rating,” she said in her memoir. That’s no longer the case—but the legacy of low ambition remains a hurdle.
France’s journey through Euro 2025 will test whether that ambition has truly shifted. With a new coach, a refreshed mindset, and a renewed commitment to team-first football, Les Bleues have the tools—but will they finally rewrite their history?
As they face England in Zurich, the battle isn’t just against opponents on the field. It’s against their past—and their own potential.
