Can Les Bleues Overcome Their German Hoodoo?

France and Germany start favourites for Euro 2017

- Glenn Moore

When, in the wake of another tournament failure, France appointed Olivier Echouafni as coach, it seemed an odd choice. The 44-year-old’s experience consisted of brief spells at men’s clubs Amiens and Sochaux, neither top flight at the time, and his strongest link to the female game was as “patron of the women’s section” when a player at Nice.

Odd, but perhaps inspired. France, hugely talented but so often chokers on the grand stage, head into this summer’s European Championship, which takes place in Holland from July 16 to August 6, looking as though they may finally realise their rich potential.

Les Bleues are the female equivalent of Spain’s men prior to 2008: a delight to watch, brimming with quality, tipped for every tournament...but always falling short. La Roja cracked it at Euro 2008 and promptly set off on a silverware spree; France’s female footballers have the ability to do the same, not least as they host the 2019 Women’s World Cup, but they must break the dam first.

French clubs are already dominant in Europe. Lyon are back-to-back Champions League winners and this year’s beaten finalists were domestic rivals Paris Saint-Germain. The bulk of their squad comes from these clubs and they have the confidence boost of winning the She Believes Cup in March. It may have been a friendly tournament, but was a prestigious one, and France’s 3-0 demolition of their USA hosts, the reigning world champions, stunned women’s football.