France captain Wendie Renard said on Friday that she will not play at this year’s Women’s World Cup to preserve her mental health, adding that she “can no longer support the current system”.
Renard, who plays for Lyon and is widely considered to be one of the best defenders in women’s football, represented France in international games against Norway, Denmark and Uruguay earlier this month.
The 32-year-old has won 142 caps for Les Bleues. According to a report in French multimedia outlet RMC Sport, Renard will not play for the national team as long as coach Corinne Diacre is in charge.
Renard was stripped of the France captaincy by Diacre following their quarter-final exit at Euro 2017, before regaining it in 2021.
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