Three days after being announced as the new head coach for France, Olivier Echouafni has now released the full 20-player roster for the two matches that France will be playing during the international break.
The national team will face Brazil this Friday and Albania next week Tuesday as their preparations for Euro 2017 continues. Echouafni has called up many familiar faces but he has also brought in some well-known names back into the fold and also brought in some youth as well.
Veteran leadership continues for France
Captain Wendie Renard will feature once again for her country, alongside her usual partner in the centre of defense, Laura Georges. Georges had missed the Olympics due to injury and will be looking forward to returning to international duty again now that she has fully recovered. Sarah Bouhaddi will seemingly continue as the first choice goalkeeper while experienced campaigners Camille Abily, Eugénie Le Sommer, Amadine Henry, Élise Bussaglia and Marie-Laure Delie make up the rest of the core group to return to international duty.
Gaëtane Thiney, who had seemingly fallen out of favour with former head coach Phillipe Bergeroo after the 2015 Women's World Cup, has been summoned back to the national team while the likes of Annaïg Butel and Julie Soyer also return to the national team after not being named to the roster for quite some time. Missing from this roster, is the likes of Louisa Necib and Sabrina Delannoy who have retired from football and international duty respectively. Laure Bolleau continues to recover from injury and both Elodie Thomis and Amel Majri will not be available due to injury.
Younger players are given another opportunity
After a strong showing at the Olympics, Kadidiatou Diani and Griedge Mbock-Bathy have been recalled by Echouafni as they continue to impress for both and country. Clearly, the French federation see these two players as ones for the future and two of the players who will be the core of the national team for years to come. Clarisse Le Bihan has also joined up with the national team as an option up top for France. Sandie Toletti has the opportunity to add to her four senior caps and Eve Périsset could make her debut for the senior side within the next week and a half.
Not much is known about how Echouafni will set his team out but the majority of the team that has been called up should be able to get the job done against Brazil and in particular Albania. Echouafni will no doubt have been brought in to try and give France that one last push they need to be able to defeat the top teams in the world, something they have continually failed to do in the biggest tournaments, and a friendly against Brazil is the perfect opportunity to start that process.
Full squad
Goalkeepers: Sarah Bouhaddi (Olympique Lyonnais), Meline Gerard (Olympique Lyonnais), Laëtitia Philippe (Montpellier HSC).
Defenders: Annaïg Butel (FCF Juvisy), Kelly Gadéa (Montpellier HSC), Laura Georges (Paris Saint-Germain), Griedge Mbock-Bathy (Olympique Lyonnais), Eve Périsset (Paris Saint-Germain), Wendie Renard (Olympique Lyonnais), Julie Soyer (FCF Juvisy).
Midfielders: Camille Abily (Olympique Lyonnais), Charlotte Bilbault (Montpeliier HSC), Elise Bussaglia (VfL Wolfsburg), Kenza Dali (Paris Saint-Germain) Kadidiatou Diani (FCF Juvisy), Kheira Hamraoui (Olympique Lyonnais), Amandine Henry (Portland Thorns FC), Claire Lavogez (Olympique Lyonnais), Gaëtane Thiney (FCF Juvisy), Sandie Toletti (Montpellier HSC).
Forwards: Marie-Laure Delie (Paris Saint-Germain), Clarisse Le Bihan (Montpellier HSC), Eugénie Le Sommer (Olympique Lyonnais).