New challenge awaits bullish Bleuettes

• France qualified for the last 16 at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup

• Franck Plenecassagne’s side will play USA or China PR in the next round

• Sharlie Yerro, Margot Collin and their coach reflected on the group stage and outlined their ambitions for “this new tournament” in an interview with FIFA

Six points, second place in Group D and a ticket to the Round of 16: France have done their job so far. Although they have yet to fully convince, Les Bleuettes have cleared the first hurdle at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Morocco 2026™. As the competition heads into the knockout phase, it’s win or go home, and France face a stern test against USA or China PR if they are to make the quarter-finals.

France’s journey through the group stages was far from smooth sailing. The European side had to overcome the compact defences of Venezuela and Zambia to grind out their two wins in Group D. “They are both teams that managed to shut us down, didn’t offer much in the way of attack and just wanted to counter-attack. We are a team that plays on the transition, so it was difficult. We’re not really used to playing this sort of match," Plenecassagne told FIFA. Despite these difficulties, the young French players managed to get the job done to secure the essential points for qualification.

Although the 2-0 defeat to Japan was disappointing, it also provided valuable lessons. Facing the group's toughest opponents, the French players delivered their most complete performance in terms of gameplay, and Plenecassagne was upbeat despite the final scoreline. “I preferred the match against Japan, because I saw so much intensity in our game. We were playing exactly how we want to be playing. This match was certainly the truest reflection of the tournament's level", the coach stressed.

The match served as a reminder to Emma Motyka’s team-mates of the level now expected of them. Against stronger opponents, space is harder to find, mistakes are punished and efficiency becomes crucial. France know what they must improve if they are to progress further in the tournament.

Beyond the results, the group stage has also given the team an opportunity to grow with each game. Attacker Margot Collin highlighted her team’s ability to learn from their early matches. “Against Venezuela, we won, but there were still lots of things to improve on. We managed to do it against Japan. Defensively, we were solid, even though we conceded two goals. Today [against Zambia] was even better; we were in control right to the end. We’re improving every match.”

With qualification secured, Les Bleuettes can now recover before turning their attention to preparations for the Round of 16. “Another tournament is about to begin. We’ve got quite a few days ahead of us. Unlike the EUROs, where we’re forced to play match after match, this time we’ll be able to recover. We’re going to celebrate qualifying first, and then we’ll start preparing for what comes next. To be honest, the conditions are excellent; we’ve got everything we need to work properly — everything’s running smoothly”, explained Plenecassagne.

France will face either USA or China PR in the next round, with both sides posing a formidable challenge. Les Bleuettes will need to raise their game if they are to keep their World Cup campaign alive.

“Whoever we play, we’ll stay focused on our style of play and our main strengths”, insisted midfielder Sharlie Yerro. Margot Collin is equally confident about the mood in the squad. “They’re both very good teams, but we can’t wait to show what we’re capable of, whether we face China PR or USA. We’ll give it everything we’ve got, and we know we can do it.”

The first objective has been achieved. Les Bleuettes have earned the right to continue their World Cup campaign, but they know the toughest challenges still lie ahead. As a new phase of the competition begins, France intend to give themselves every chance of going even further.