France’s Women’s Football Team Off to a Winning Start Under Bonadei
After assuming the role of head coach in late October 2024, Laurent Bonadei is gradually molding his vision for the French women’s football team. His side made a promising start to the UEFA Nations League with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Norway on Friday, February 21st, in Toulouse.
The winning goal came courtesy of Paris Saint-Germain’s Marie-Antoinette Katoto, who entered the match as a substitute in the 60th minute. The striker found the back of the net in the 73rd minute, capitalizing on a corner kick from Selma Bacha.
While the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 is still months away, Bonadei is using this period to experiment with formations and personnel. For the match against Norway, he rested several key players, including captain Wendie Renard, as well as Katoto and Eugénie Le Sommer. The latter eventually made an appearance late in the game, earning her 198th cap, equaling Sandrine Soubeyrand’s record for most appearances for France.
Despite missing some of their most experienced players, France struggled at times against a Norway side led by 2018 Ballon d’Or winner Ada Hegerberg. The Norwegians, ranked 16th in FIFA’s World Rankings, dominated possession for much of the match, with Barcelona midfielder Caroline Graham Hansen coming closest to scoring when her effort struck the crossbar in the 40th minute.
France’s defense, anchored by Griedge Mbock, held firm under pressure, denying Norway clear-cut chances. Mbock, returning to the national team after an injury, showcased her defensive prowess with several timely interventions.
"In the first half, we had trouble getting the ball out of our own half because of the strong wind against us and the intense pressure from Norway," Bonadei admitted.
France’s attacking play was disjointed at times, with Kadidiatou Diani and Melvine Malard failing to make a significant impact. The team registered its first shot on target an hour into the game, through Bacha, and only threatened the Norwegian goal sporadically thereafter.
Coach Bonadei made a tactical switch in the second half, abandoning the 3-4-3 formation he had employed upon his arrival in favor of a more traditional 4-3-3. He also reinstated goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud-Magnin, who made several impressive saves, between the posts.
"I made this choice because Pauline has more experience," Bonadei explained. "Both goalkeepers have similar abilities and complement each other well. They have a healthy competition between them. Pauline will start the next match against Iceland, and until further notice."
Bonadei has the UEFA Nations League group stage and the remainder of the spring to fine-tune his team, which currently sits 11th in FIFA’s World Rankings. The coach aims to instill a sense of stability and fluidity in the team’s play, a task made more challenging by two consecutive quarterfinal exits at major tournaments.
The next test for Bonadei’s France team comes on Tuesday, when they face Iceland, who drew 0-0 with Switzerland in their opening match of the Nations League.
