The French team, beaten on Tuesday in the Netherlands (2-1), still hopes to secure their qualification for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil by facing Auxerre on Saturday (9:10 pm). The Bleues need to address their defensive fragility, a long-standing weakness of Laurent Bonadei’s group. The defeat on Tuesday marked the twelfth consecutive game in which the Bleues conceded at least one goal, despite the absence of key players like Vivianne Miedema. This loss allowed the Netherlands to take the lead in Group A2, one point ahead of France.
In the aftermath of the defeat, the coach highlighted defensive lapses that led to the goals, emphasizing the need for improvement in defensive cohesion and reaction to turnovers. The recurring defensive frailty is partly attributed to the lack of collective understanding in a defense disrupted by numerous injuries.
Selma Bacha, sidelined with a calf injury, was forced to withdraw from the matches against the Netherlands. The defensive leader Griedge Mbock, captain of the team since May 2025, missed a significant portion of the Euro 2025 due to a calf injury.
The experienced goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud-Magnin, who conceded both goals, faces questions about her performance and lack of playing time. Despite not playing games after joining Denver earlier this year, she maintains the trust of her teammates and coach who stress the collective defensive effort.
The coach and players acknowledge the need for defensive improvement as a collective responsibility, emphasizing the importance of teamwork in pressing, transitions, and ball recovery to enhance their possession-based game. The focus is on defending as a team, involving every player from the attackers to the goalkeeper.
