Clairefontaine, France: Wendy Renard grew up in a place so remote that locals nicknamed it “The End of the World.”

By the end of the Women’s World Cup, the France captain is hoping to lift high the major international trophy that has eluded the women’s national team.

The majestic defender’s journey begins with a 17,000-kilometre (10,540-mile) journey to Australia, where France open their campaign in Sydney on July 23 against Jamaica.

France’s men have won two World Cups and two European Championships – and reached three other major finals – but the French national team is underperforming. The only women’s team lost in the World Cup semi-finals 12 years ago to the United States.

“We have a lot of quality, but our honors list is empty,” Renard told the Associated Press in an interview at the team’s Clairefontaine training camp outside Paris. “There is a long way to go. But the tougher it is, the better in the end.”

Despite boasting a squad full of players from the hugely successful French club Lyon – the starting line-up for France’s opening match at the 2019 World Cup featured seven Lyon players – France have also reached the European Championship semi-finals once, losing last year to Germany.

“Many of us have experience at the highest level and we need to use it,” said Renard. “The hardest thing is saying, ‘I should have done this, I should have done that. “By then, it will be too late.”

The tournament, being hosted by New Zealand, kicks off on July 20, which is also when Reynard turns 33.

She played 144 international matches and scored 34 goals for France. With Lyon, Reynard won a record 16 league titles and eight UEFA Champions League titles.

She has long been regarded as one of the best players in women’s football, but there is a huge hole in Renard’s international resume.

Renard has a chance to make this right, which in February didn’t seem like it.

Renard said she would not play in the World Cup after saying she no longer felt capable of playing for France. This decision came after years of tensions between then-coach Corinne Diacre and senior players, including Renard.

Striker Marie Antoinette Katoto and striker Kadidiato Diagne also put their football careers on hold until major changes were made.

Two weeks later, Diacre was dismissed, and Hervé Renard was appointed. He won the Africa Cup of Nations as coach of Zambia and Ivory Coast, and led Saudi Arabia to a surprise victory over Argentina in the men’s World Cup last year.

Reduce tensions immediately.

Renard overturned her decision and 33-year-old midfielder Amandine Henry – who had not played for France for three years under Diacre – was called up.

“He has an open mind and he doesn’t judge you. There is a level of confidence. He says things up front, which is very important,” Reynard said of her new coach. “He said from day one his door was always open, that he wanted our feedback: what we thought about the training session, If there is anything we can do more than that. He says we have a joint venture.

Thus, Reynard is among the designated leaders that other players can always approach. The others are striker Eugénie Le Sommer, Henry Oudiane and midfielder Grace Giuro.

When she put her international career on hold, Renard mentioned the need to protect her mental health, a priority topic under the new system.

“The coach talked about it with us. You have to help every member of the team, you can’t leave anyone in the side,” said Reynard. “If she comes into the dressing room in the morning, I know if she feels good or not, and if There was nothing pressing on her mind.”

Renard hopes the strong performance at the World Cup will boost the women’s league back home. Interest waned after France hosted the 2019 edition.

“There was a huge exposure, there was a huge media impact. But we did not succeed in surfing that wave and felt stagnant or even regressed, while other countries benefited from it and formed their leagues.” “Hopefully we can regain the momentum, whatever we’ve lost.”

She points out how the women’s game in England is reaping the rewards of continued investment. In May, a record crowd of 77,390 watched Chelsea defeat Manchester United 1-0 in the FA Women’s Cup Final at Wembley.

They created momentum there in a progressive way, with decisions that were actually made years ago. “For the league and the television rights, a lot has been done,” Renard said. “When we see how full the stadiums are at Wembley, we say to ourselves, ‘Why not? Because when our games are on TV we generally get good reviews, but when they are (on the field) we need to attract more people.

Renard played her entire football career in France, however she continued to improve her English at the World Cup.

I am good in front of my teacher, but she often tells me and says to me, “You are ready, you can speak English,” Renard explained. “I feel that I do not have enough drive yet to express myself properly.” correct. But if I get the chance, I’ll do my best.”

Effort is something Renard learned early on, growing up in Le Precheur (The Preacher) on Martinique’s north coast, about 8,000 kilometers (5,000 miles) from France.

Le Precheur was so far removed from anywhere else on Martinique that it became known as the End of the World.

It’s where she honed her skills for hours every day as a little girl. The beginning of a journey that took her to France as a determined teen.

That could culminate in a win in Sydney on August 20th.