Herve Renard, manager of France, looks on during the Round of 16 game against Morocco at the FIFA Women's World Cup at Hindmarsh Stadium in Adelaide, Australia, August 8, 2023. /CFP
Herve Renard, manager of France, looks on during the Round of 16 game against Morocco at the FIFA Women's World Cup at Hindmarsh Stadium in Adelaide, Australia, August 8, 2023. /CFP
France will play Australia in the quarterfinals at the FIFA Women's World Cup at Brisbane Stadium in Brisbane, Australia, on Saturday. Herve Renard, manager of Les Bleues, believes their opponents are under great pressure as the hosts of the tournament.
"We know exactly what we're in for," Renard told reporters. "The host country, we know that that can be a good or bad thing. This is what the French team went through in 2019. It can be hugely disappointing as it was for France when they were knocked out. We're hoping to put Australia through exactly what France went through when they were the host country in 2019."
Four years ago, France lost to USA 2-1 in the quarterfinals of the World Cup at home at the Parc des Princes in Paris. The last time they faced Australia was in a friendly ahead of this year's World Cup. France lost 1-0 in that game in Melbourne. Renard doesn't think that result affects the team's morale.
Eugenie Le Sommer (#9) of France scores a header in the Round of 16 game against Morocco at the FIFA Women's World Cup at Hindmarsh Stadium in Adelaide, Australia, August 8, 2023. /CFP
Eugenie Le Sommer (#9) of France scores a header in the Round of 16 game against Morocco at the FIFA Women's World Cup at Hindmarsh Stadium in Adelaide, Australia, August 8, 2023. /CFP
"Your mindset is completely different for the quarterfinals," he said. "We've come with great ambition, and if you've come with great ambition, you need to be capable of beating the best teams. There's nothing to fear here, but we will respect Australia because Australia has a lot of qualities."
France achieved their best record at the Women's World Cup in 2011 by reaching the semifinals in Germany. Australia's best record of the tournament was advancing to the quarterfinals and they did it in 2007, 2011 and 2015.
Both teams made it out of their group as No. 1 and witnessed the elimination of a traditional powerhouse in their groups – Canada were knocked out in Group B and lost to Australia; Brazil exited Group F and lost to France.
France beat Morocco 4-0 in the Round of 16 in which Australia eliminated Denmark 2-0.