The French women’s national football team is preparing to compete in the Euro for the eighth time. After three quarter-final appearances between 2009 and 2017, Les Bleues have never progressed beyond a semi-final, which they reached in 2022. On Saturday evening, they will face reigning champions England in their opening match, in Zurich, Switzerland. On June 25, ahead of his first major international tournament as head coach, Laurent Bonadei, former assistant to Hervé Renard, spoke to Le Monde about how he had “spent many years preparing to become the number one.”
What is the atmosphere like among Les Bleues before the start of the Euro?
I sense a positive working atmosphere with committed players who, for now, are respecting everything we’ve put in place. We’re building on a foundation of trust thanks to our latest results, which should allow us to push ourselves even further.
This Euro will be your first major competition as head coach. Are you looking forward to this debut?
I’ve already experienced the Nations League [since February 2025]. With Les Bleues, this is my first competition in a short and prestigious format. I also got the chance to take part, as head coach of Saudi Arabia, in the [men’s] Arab Cup in 2021 [eliminated in the group stage]. Hervé [Renard] let me manage that tournament. These experiences allowed me to prepare for this kind of event.
You have 78.45% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only.
