Latest news with #Bonadei
The Star
20-07-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Soccer-Another last-eight exit for France has players wondering when their turn will come
Soccer Football - UEFA Women's Euro 2025 - Quarter Final - France v Germany - St. Jakob-Park, Basel, Switzerland - July 19, 2025 France players react during the penalty shootout REUTERS/Piroschka Van De Wouw BASEL, Switzerland (Reuters) -France arrived at Euro 2025 riding on one of the hottest streaks in women's football, but another quarter-final exit from a major tournament left the shell-shocked players wondering when it will be their turn to celebrate. France had won 11 in a row before they kicked off against Germany on Saturday, but wilted against the eight-times European champions -- despite having 11 players to Germany's 10 for most of the game -- losing 6-5 in a penalty shootout. "We're wondering when it's going to be smiling for us at last," said Grace Geyoro. Geyoro put France ahead with a 14th-minute penalty in a game that ended in a 1-1 draw after extra time. Les Bleues have now been eliminated in the quarter-finals in seven of the past nine World Cups or Euros. They were also eliminated in the quarters in their last two Olympic appearances, in 2016 and 2024. Germany swept them aside in the 2022 Euro semi-finals. "I don't think we have a psychological problem," said France coach Laurent Bonadei. "We have opponents of quality, and it gets harder and harder. "But I think my players gave us hope; Rome wasn't built in a day." Bonadei, who was hired in August 2024, drew criticism when he left veteran centre-back Wendie Renard and France's all-time leading goalscorer Eugénie Le Sommer off his Euro 2025 squad in favour of younger players. Bonadei quoted Einstein in his decision at the time, saying: "'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." France defender Sakina Karchaoui called the early exit "totally frustrating." "We had so much faith in this group, in what we've built up and so on," she said. "But we don't have to throw it all away; on the contrary, you have to take a lot of positive things from it. And one day it will pass, we know that." Bonadei pointed out after Saturday's loss that France will clash with Germany again in October in a two-legged Nations League semi-final. Germany, meanwhile, play world champions Spain in the semi-finals on Wednesday. (Reporting by Lori Ewing, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
Straits Times
20-07-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Another last-eight exit for France has players wondering when their turn will come
Find out what's new on ST website and app. BASEL, Switzerland - France arrived at Euro 2025 riding on one of the hottest streaks in women's football, but another quarter-final exit from a major tournament left the shell-shocked players wondering when it will be their turn to celebrate. France had won 11 in a row before they kicked off against Germany on Saturday, but wilted against the eight-times European champions -- despite having 11 players to Germany's 10 for most of the game -- losing 6-5 in a penalty shootout. "We're wondering when it's going to be smiling for us at last," said Grace Geyoro. Geyoro put France ahead with a 14th-minute penalty in a game that ended in a 1-1 draw after extra time. Les Bleues have now been eliminated in the quarter-finals in seven of the past nine World Cups or Euros. They were also eliminated in the quarters in their last two Olympic appearances, in 2016 and 2024. Germany swept them aside in the 2022 Euro semi-finals. "I don't think we have a psychological problem," said France coach Laurent Bonadei. "We have opponents of quality, and it gets harder and harder. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Priority for singles, higher quota for second-timer families to kick in from HDB's July BTO exercise Singapore 1 in 3 vapes here laced with etomidate; MOH working with MHA to list it as illegal drug: Ong Ye Kung Singapore 2-in-1 airport police robot on trial can patrol and serve as PMD with ride-hailing feature Asia Rains from Typhoon Wipha batter Hong Kong as it heads for mainland China Business Crypto exchange Tokenize to shut down Singapore operations Asia Tearful relatives await news of victims in Vietnam boat capsize Singapore ComfortDelGro to discipline driver who flung relative's wheelchair out of taxi Singapore Minor Issues: Why I didn't send my daughters to my brand-name primary school "But I think my players gave us hope; Rome wasn't built in a day." Bonadei, who was hired in August 2024, drew criticism when he left veteran centre-back Wendie Renard and France's all-time leading goalscorer Eugénie Le Sommer off his Euro 2025 squad in favour of younger players. Bonadei quoted Einstein in his decision at the time, saying: "'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." France defender Sakina Karchaoui called the early exit "totally frustrating." "We had so much faith in this group, in what we've built up and so on," she said. "But we don't have to throw it all away; on the contrary, you have to take a lot of positive things from it. And one day it will pass, we know that." Bonadei pointed out after Saturday's loss that France will clash with Germany again in October in a two-legged Nations League semi-final. Germany, meanwhile, play world champions Spain in the semi-finals on Wednesday. REUTERS
Hindustan Times
18-07-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Soccer-France coach Bonadei not focused on penalties despite England's wild shootout win
BASEL, Switzerland, July 18 (Reuters) - France coach Laurent Bonadei has not given much focus to penalty kicks ahead of his team's quarter-final clash with Germany at Euro 2025 on Saturday, despite the wild shootout between England and Sweden on Thursday. HT Image Reigning champions England reached the semi-finals after squeezing past Sweden in an error-filled shootout. "We worked a lot on (penalties) before the 2023 World Cup in a specific way, and this time, I preferred not to overload them with this too much, because we don't know how it happens," Bonadei told reporters. "Last night, we saw players who were really under pressure. And, yes, you can actually put them under pressure during the training, but it's not the same as during the game. When it's the game, when they are tired, when there's a pressure of the audience, maybe it can be completely different. "The players do it in an individual way with their own pace at the end of every session, sometimes they try two, three, four, or five penalties, but it's very difficult to recreate the context of the game." France poured in 11 goals from nine different scorers in their three group games to establish themselves as one of the best attacking teams at Euro 2025. France captain and defender Griedge Mbock is set to return against Germany after being sidelined for a month with a calf injury, and said she is not nervous about kicking off her European campaign in what is sure to be an intense quarter-final. "I'm not scared. I trust my co-players, and I know that even within the pace, I haven't played for one month, but I know that my teammates will be able to help me and to fill the gap, any gap, if I have a lack of pace," she said. "We are a collective and I'm lucky because I'm in this collective sport and I can count on my co-players. This is a real plus. No, I'm not really scared." (Reporting by Lori Ewing in Bern, Switzerland; editing by Pritha Sarkar)
Straits Times
18-07-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
France coach Bonadei not focused on penalties despite England's wild shootout win
BASEL, Switzerland - France coach Laurent Bonadei has not given much focus to penalty kicks ahead of his team's quarter-final clash with Germany at Euro 2025 on Saturday, despite the wild shootout between England and Sweden on Thursday. Reigning champions England reached the semi-finals after squeezing past Sweden in an error-filled shootout. "We worked a lot on (penalties) before the 2023 World Cup in a specific way, and this time, I preferred not to overload them with this too much, because we don't know how it happens," Bonadei told reporters. "Last night, we saw players who were really under pressure. And, yes, you can actually put them under pressure during the training, but it's not the same as during the game. When it's the game, when they are tired, when there's a pressure of the audience, maybe it can be completely different. "The players do it in an individual way with their own pace at the end of every session, sometimes they try two, three, four, or five penalties, but it's very difficult to recreate the context of the game." France poured in 11 goals from nine different scorers in their three group games to establish themselves as one of the best attacking teams at Euro 2025. France captain and defender Griedge Mbock is set to return against Germany after being sidelined for a month with a calf injury, and said she is not nervous about kicking off her European campaign in what is sure to be an intense quarter-final. "I'm not scared. I trust my co-players, and I know that even within the pace, I haven't played for one month, but I know that my teammates will be able to help me and to fill the gap, any gap, if I have a lack of pace," she said. "We are a collective and I'm lucky because I'm in this collective sport and I can count on my co-players. This is a real plus. No, I'm not really scared." REUTERS
The Star
05-07-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Soccer-France coach says team can still improve after beating England
Soccer Football - UEFA Women's Euro 2025 - Group D - France v England - Stadion Letzigrund, Zurich, Switzerland - July 5, 2025 France coach Laurent Bonadei before the match REUTERS/Denis Balibouse ZURICH (Reuters) -France can play even better despite putting on a strong performance to comfortably beat England 2-1 in their Women's Euros Group D opener on Saturday, Les Bleus manager Laurent Bonadei said. The victory in Zurich was the first time the reigning champions have lost the opening match in a title defence of the Women's Euros. "We can do better every time," Bonadei told reporters. "We have to improve in each department of the team, in defence, in midfield and offensively." The coach said France found the going tough at the start and end of the match when England were on top. But his team made the most of their chances, scoring twice during their dominant spell while England managed only a late consolation goal. "Each game is decided on the details and it's not easy to win this type of game," Bonadei said. "But I want to say that I am proud of my players, because they never give up in this game and keep control and keep calm in the difficult moments." The performance would give France confidence for the rest of the tournament, he said, adding: "We work at the training sessions every time to improve and to do better, and we want each game to make our fans proud." (Reporting by John Revill; editing by Clare Fallon)
