Atlas Lionesses face former Morocco coach Renard as they aim for World Cup quarter-finals

Herve Renard was forthright. “I’m French. I was born in France. I have a French passport, but – and I’m sorry – tomorrow I will be supporting Morocco.”

"Tomorrow", in this case, was December 14th, 2022, which turned out to be merely part one of a seismic World Cup double-header: France versus Morocco. For the men’s version, a semi-final in Qatar, Renard felt uncompromised in his leanings.

He had coached the Atlas Lions for three and a half years until 2019, and his deep bond with the country and many of the players as he watched them make history by becoming the first senior team from Africa or the Mena region to reach the last four of football’s major showpiece, dictated his loyalties.

That remark, made by Renard to French radio, has been replayed more than once in the last few days, because his current job allows no such division of affection. He is now the French-born, French passport-holder who took over France’s women’s national team in March. Having guided Les Bleus to the knockout phase of the World Cup, he finds himself surprised to see the path to the quarter-finals obstructed by Morocco.

Or, rather, “pleasantly surprised,” as Renard put it to the French newspaper L’Equipe, not hiding his residual affection for Moroccan football, but, this time, very determined and focused on his France prevailing.

The surprise at how the Atlas Lionesses have set down landmarks in Australia’s joyously unpredictable World Cup – they are the lowest ranked team to reach the knockouts – is shared by many. Only two weeks ago, Morocco were still soothing the bruises from a 6-0 defeat by Germany in Melbourne. Two wins later, they were finishing above Germany in their group to earn today’s meeting in Adelaide with Renard’s Bleus.

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