
Women's Euro 2025: France banks on mental training to overcome knockout-stage nerves
Before heading to Switzerland for the European Championship, the French players were once again confronted with this recurring theme. At both the World Cup and the Olympics, their campaigns ended at the quarter-final stage. This disappointing pattern has repeated itself seven times in the last eight major international tournaments since 2013 (Euros, World Cups and Olympic Games). Facing Germany on Saturday, July 18, in Basel, the French side has a chance to book their place in the final four – a stage they have reached only once in the past 12 years, at the 2022 tournament in England.
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France 24
4 hours ago
- France 24
Ledecky-led USA to use world championships as springboard to LA 2028
Ledecky is headed to a seventh world championships on a high note, having lowered her longstanding world record in the 800m freestyle in May -- her first long-course world mark since 2018. She also posted the second-fastest 1,500m free ever this season and swam the second-best 400m free of her career -- all signalling that she remains a force, 13 years on from her breakthrough Olympic gold in the 800m free in London in 2012. The world championships begin on Sunday and if Ledecky sweeps her three individual events and is part of a winning 4x200m free relay, she would take her tally of world golds to 25. That is just one shy of Michael Phelps's overall record of 26 world titles. The 28-year-old Ledecky said she isn't focusing on that type of comparison, or indeed on comparisons with her younger self. After years in which she felt she could threaten a world record in virtually every race, Ledecky said she had stopped putting expectations on herself. "I just kind of swim a little more free and just try to improve in different areas, improve off of the previous year or the previous two years or whatever it is, rather than always comparing myself to my 19-year-old self or whatever it may be," she said. Ledecky is right to be cautious, especially with newly minted world record-holder Summer McIntosh waiting in the 400m free. Ledecky's presence and level-headed approach will anchor a US team that is a mix of experience and young talent. The men are aiming to bounce back from a lackluster Paris Olympics at which Bobby Finke's record-breaking 1,500m free gold was the only victory for the US men. The United States still topped the medals table with eight golds to Australia's seven, and 28 medals in total, but it was the Americans' lowest Olympic total since the 1988 Games in Seoul. After the women kept America afloat in Paris they look strong again. Gretchen Walsh has twice lowered her 100m butterfly world record this year and won the 50m fly at the US trials with the fourth-fastest swim ever. Regan Smith, the 100m backstroke world record-holder, heads a formidable women's backstroke line-up eager to challenge Australia's Kaylee McKeown, who won double backstroke gold at the Tokyo and Paris Olympics. Setting a tone With Finke again leading the way, the US men emerged from the domestic championships in June with contenders in multiple events. Luke Hobson became the first American since Phelps to break 1min 44sec in the 200m freestyle with a time of 1:43.73 and Jack Alexy posted a sizzling 46.99sec in the 100m free. Luca Urlando owns the first and third-fastest times this year in the 200m butterfly and Shaine Casas signalled he's ready to take the fight to French star Leon Marchand in the 200m individual medley. "The US men are pretty strong, so I think that was a really encouraging week of swimming for all of us," Carson Foster said in June after securing his place in Singapore with a series of second-place finishes at the US trials. "I'm really excited for worlds." Ledecky called the Singapore squad "a great group." "It will be a lot of good energy," she said. "We want to set the tone as a whole team, a whole unit, this summer, and build from there." © 2025 AFP


France 24
7 hours ago
- France 24
Spain beat Germany with Bonmati extra-time goal to reach Euro 2025 final
A tense game in Zurich was ticking down towards penalties when reigning Ballon d'Or Bonmati struck in the 113th minute, surprising the usually reliable German goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger at her near post. It was not one of Barcelona star Bonmati's most influential performances, yet she still delivered when it mattered to keep Spain on course to win their first European Championship crown. "We knew that the goalkeeper often leaves her near post open in these situations, so I didn't think twice. I didn't want the game to go to penalties," said a beaming Bonmati. Spain were also grateful to goalkeeper Cata Coll for some vital interventions, including a spectacular double save to deny Klara Buehl and Carlotta Wamser right at the end of normal time, as Germany were agonisingly eliminated. The Spaniards will now face reigning European champions England on Sunday in Basel in what will be a repeat of the 2023 World Cup decider, when La Roja triumphed 1-0 in Sydney. If Montse Tome's side come out on top again, they will become the first nation to hold both the world and European titles at the same time since Germany almost 15 years ago. Spain had never beaten Germany before, and now they advance to their first ever Euro final, with the chance to cement their status as the leading force in international women's football. "We have made history again today, getting to a first Euro final and beating Germany for the first time," said Bonmati. "We are proud to be part of this generation of players, but this is not over yet. We can enjoy this and then tomorrow we need to start thinking about England." Germany, meanwhile, had been hoping to avenge their defeat by England in the last Euro final in 2022, but they will not add to their record tally of eight European Championship victories. "She doesn't have to take responsibility. She made so many wonderful saves to get us where we are," Germany coach Christian Wueck said of goalkeeper Berger. "There is no blame, we are very proud of the team." Spain should have been the fresher of the two sides, having played their quarter-final against hosts Switzerland a day before Germany got the better of France on penalties after playing almost the whole game with 10 players. Tale of two goalkeepers Germany were also missing three starters from that match, with Kathrin Hendrich and Sjoeke Nuesken suspended while right-back Sarai Linder was injured. Wueck's team did unsurprisingly have the majority of the 22,432 crowd behind them at Zurich's Letzigrund Stadium, and they also had Berger in goal. A star of the win over France, she made a fine save to keep out a shot from Spain's Esther Gonzalez -- her teammate at Gotham FC in the United States -- just before the midway point in the first half, tipping the ball over for a corner. Spain captain Irene Paredes headed against the post from a Claudia Pina corner and Gonzalez was again denied by Berger before half-time. It was then Germany's turn to have the best chances in the second half, but Coll made a crucial block from Buehl just after the hour mark, and the Bayern Munich star also curled a free-kick just wide late on. Then came the stunning double save from Coll right at the end of the allotted four minutes of injury time, as the Barcelona goalkeeper kept out a deflected Buehl shot that was looping in and quickly got up to stop Wamser's follow-up. That was a sign that it would not be Germany's night, and they then saw defender Sophia Kleinherne come off in tears early in extra time after overstretching while trying to stop Salma Paralluelo going clean through on goal. Spain's winner eventually came, as Bonmati let a ball from Athenea del Castillo run past her in the area before beating Berger with a shot from a tight angle. There was still time for Coll to excel again, flying to her left to save from Lea Schueller as Spain held on.


France 24
18 hours ago
- France 24
Springboks omit Mapimpi, De Klerk for Wallabies Tests
Salmaan Moerat, who captained the Springboks to victory over Italy this month, is also left out of a 37-man squad consisting of 20 forwards and 17 backs. The two Tests against the Wallabies mark the start of the southern hemisphere title defence by South Africa, which also includes two matches in New Zealand and home and away games against Argentina. "It is always challenging to reduce the squad, especially given how the expanded group of players put up their hands (in four build-up matches)," said head coach Rassie Erasmus. "But we always said we would select a smaller, more manageable squad during the Rugby Championship. "This group includes several experienced players and a few younger guys, who grabbed their chances in the last few Tests, so we are pleased with this squad for the first two matches." Veteran winger Mapimpi loses out only because of fierce competition to fill the number 14 and 11 shirts between Cheslin Kolbe, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Edwill van der Merwe. Kolbe and Arendse are the current first choices while Van der Merwe sparkled during July, scoring four tries in successive victories against Italy and Georgia. Canan Moodie, who plays at centre or on the wing, also starred during the four-match build-up for the Rugby Championship and his versatility should make him a strong candidate for at least a place on the bench. Hotly contested De Klerk drops out of the hotly contested scrum-half race with in-form Grant Williams, Cobus Reinach and Morne van den Berg preferred. Head coach Rassie Erasmus has said that 2023 World Cup winner Jaden Hendrikse -- not part of the build-up squad -- could also come into the reckoning later this season. The absence of Moerat leaves Eben Etzebeth, Lood de Jager, Ruan Nortje, R.G. Snyman and possibly Cobus Wiese competing for the lock positions. Cobus Wiese has been a second-rower for much of his career, but was deployed as a number 8 against Georgia last weekend in the absence of older brother Jasper, who is serving a four-match ban. Fit-again Jean-Luc du Preez and utility loose forward Kwagga Smith are other options to partner probable flankers Pieter-Steph du Toit and captain Siya Kolisi in the back row. South Africa face Australia at Ellis Park in Johannesburg on August 16 and at Cape Town Stadium seven days later. Squad Forwards: Lood de Jager, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Jean-Luc du Preez, Eben Etzebeth, Vincent Koch, Siya Kolisi (capt), Wilco Louw, Malcolm Marx, Bongi Mbonambi, Franco Mostert, Ox Nche, Ruan Nortje, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Kwagga Smith, RG Snyman, Marnus van der Merwe, Marco van Staden, Boan Venter, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Cobus Wiese Backs: Kurt-Lee Arendse, Damian de Allende, Andre Esterhuizen, Aphelele Fassi, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Ethan Hooker, Jesse Kriel, Cheslin Kolbe, Willie le Roux, Manie Libbok, Canan Moodie, Handre Pollard, Cobus Reinach, Edwill van der Merwe, Morne van den Berg, Grant Williams, Damian Willemse dl/bsp © 2025 AFP