Hervé Renard: “I’m going to leave Les Bleues after the Olympics”

In Saint-Denis

How do you judge the draw for Les Bleues? A coach never judges a draw leniently. Sometimes we are devastated and it goes well, and we can also feel it so in the end… (he pouts). We inherit Canada, the reigning Olympic champion. We cannot say that he is an easy opponent. On the contrary. Colombia had a great World Cup with a very athletic team that beat Germany. We have New Zealand, who beat Norway at the 2023 World Cup. They are opponents to respect, but it is always better to finish first in the group, especially when we see what can await us in the quarter-final if we have the chance to qualify. When we looked at the 12 teams competing, the level was very high.

Does this draw make things even more concrete, with the desire to do battle tomorrow? We already have some formidable opponents to face between now and the Olympics, with Sweden, Ireland and England. We don't have time to focus on the Games, but of course it makes us want to be there as quickly as possible. It will be good preparation.

You want to bring back a medal to France. Gold and nothing else?I came to women's football to do better than what has been done so far. You (the media) were not completely satisfied with a World Cup quarter-final, I hope you were satisfied with the first final of a continental tournament, even if we lost it, this had never happened with the Blues. Today, the best result of the Olympics with the girls is 4th, the objective is to do better. We all have dreams, but talking about them doesn't do much good. We must begin this competition which will be magnificent and exceptional. It's up to us to want to achieve something big.

President Diallo announced your departure after the Olympics. Are the players notified? Can this disrupt the group? After the Ivory Coast episode which could have disrupted the group even if we beat Germany (in the Nations League semi-final), the snipers were aimed at me... I am at the end of the contract on August 31 and to be clear, I announced to the FFF that I will not continue. This won't bother anyone, especially the girls, who are used to changing coaches in their club. The most important thing is them, not the coach. The most important thing in women's football is that we have to progress. When I read comments, you are never satisfied, but you have to take steps in life. We still need to progress, French football is not the best football in the world. That doesn't mean you can't win the Olympics.

Why not continue with the Blues? Because my contract ends on August 31 and I will return to men's football.