Women's France team: Delphine Cascarino, seriously injured knee, forfeit for the World Cup

Europe 1 with AFP / Photo credits: Jose Jordan / AFP 19:12 p.m., May 25, 2023

The France team, already weakened by injuries or long convalescences, has lost one of its nuggets for the World Cup next summer in Australia and New Zealand, with the inevitable forfeit of striker Delphine Cascarino, hit in the right knee. "It's a great sadness for her and for the France team. We will do everything so that she is very proud of us, "responded to AFP the coach of the Blues, Hervé Renard, adding: "we will miss her".

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Delphine Cascarino, an unstoppable executive of Les Bleues

The new coach will have to cope without the Lyon winger with legs of fire, unstoppable manager of the Blues (56 caps, 14 goals) at 26 years old, perceived as one of the main assets in the quest for a first international title in the women's category. The season of the Lyonnaise ended Sunday following a contact with the Parisian Elisa De Almeida during the poster of the championship and "final" of the D1 at the Parc des Princes. The verdict fell on Thursday: the French nugget suffers from a "partial rupture of the right anterior common ligament as well as mobility and laxity requiring reconstructive surgery," OL announced in a medical statement, adding that she will be "absent from the field for several months". "With you Delphine," said her teammate Ada Hegerberg, Ballon d'Or 2018.

The tears of the OL number 20 had made us fear the worst, and the worst was confirmed after several medical examinations. The delays of unavailability related to this type of injury make it impossible to present in Oceania, in July and August. The Cascarino family will only be represented by Estelle, his twin, on the other side of the globe, a great disappointment for Delphine, substitute at the 2019 World Cup in France, then taulière of the dressing room and regular holder, behind her shy smiles.

Several players in uncertain form

The soup to the grimace continues for Hervé Renard, whose plan of march is thwarted by the state of uncertain, even worrying, form of several players before the announcement of his expanded list, scheduled for June 6. Defender Griedge Mbock, injured since September, is starting from a long distance. Her Lyon teammate Amandine Henry, on sick leave, has not played since early March. As for Marie-Antoinette Katoto, the star centre-forward of PSG and Les Bleues has been dragging a serious injury since July 2022 and has still not tasted the competition.

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The horizon seems clearer for PSG winger Kadidiatou Diani, another star of the selection who suffered a collarbone injury, whose recovery does not jeopardize his call-up for the World Cup. "The feasibility percentages are diverse. If we talk about Kadidiatou Diani, the percentage will be much higher. For Marie-Antoinette, a little less. And then for Griedge, maybe a little less, "described Hervé Renard in an interview with AFP on Sunday, a few hours before Cascarino's injury.

Hervé Renard loses a major asset

The forfeit of the number 20 represents a heavy loss for the Blues, semi-finalists of the last Euro and considered as one of the favorite teams for the 2023 World Cup. The twin of Estelle Cascarino, another French international, often acts as a detonator of the French offensives thanks to her sudden accelerations, devastating outbursts and confusing dribbling, when she herself is not at the conclusion of the actions. For example, she scored twice against Colombia (5-2) and provided an assist on the opening score against Canada (2-1) in the last meeting in April, the first of the Renard era.

Former coach Corinne Diacre had taken advantage of her versatility, using it sometimes on the left wing, sometimes on the right side when the usual owner of the position, Diani, was absent or repositioned as a centre-forward. Without Cascarino, Hervé Renard loses a major offensive asset, as well as a quiet and consensual personality, two valuable qualities during a major competition. OL women, upset by numerous injuries this season, will also have to do without his services for the beginning of the next financial year.