Captain Wendie Renard and all-time leading goalscorer Eugenie Le Sommer have been left out of France’s 23-player squad for next month’s Euro 2025 in Switzerland.
France, who are looking to win a major tournament for the first time, will face England in their Euro 2025 opener on 5 July, 20:00 BST.
Neither Renard, 34, or Le Sommer, 36, were selected for their Women’s Nations League victories over Switzerland and Iceland in the past week – decisions manager Laurent Bonadei said were “not made in the spur of the moment”.
Centre-back Renard, who has played 168 times for France since making her international debut in 2011, missed three of the past four internationals because of injury.
Grace Geyoro, Sakina Karchaoui, Sandie Toletti, Pauline Peyraud-Magnin and Mbock are among those who have worn the captain’s armband in Renard’s absence.
Le Sommer, who has scored a record 94 goals in 200 appearances for France, featured for just 27 minutes of those games, and was due to be honoured last week before the victory over Switzerland in Nancy.
After omitting Renard and Le Sommer from his Nations League squad last month, Bonadei said: “As Einstein said: ‘Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.’ I want different results for this team so I have gone with a different selection.
“It’s something I’ve been thinking about since the start of the season.
“When I announced that everyone had a chance, that no one was indispensable, in my mind it wasn’t just about giving young players a chance but also players who had suffered psychologically after the Olympic Games and making sure that everyone was involved.”
France were beaten 1-0 by eventual silver medallists Brazil in the quarter-finals of their home Olympics.
The squad features four Women’s Super League players – Chelsea duo Sandy Baltimore and Oriane Jean-Francois, Kelly Gago of Everton and Manchester United’s Melvine Malard.
Former Lyon winger Delphine Cascarino has been recalled to the squad, though she is expected to miss the beginning of tournament preparations because of her schedule with club side San Diego Wave.
