France Fires Women’s National Team Coach Corinne Diacre

The decision comes with less than five months before the Women’s World Cup after Diacre had led the team to the Euro 2022 semifinals.

France fired women’s national team manager Corinne Diacre just four months before the start of the Women’s World Cup.

The French federation (FFF) announced the decision after multiple players decried conditions under Diacre, which the federation deemed as “irreversible” dysfunction.

Last month, French captain Wendie Renard made a shocking announcement that she wouldn’t play at the World Cup this summer due to her discontent with the team. Forwards Marie-Antoinette Katoto and forward Kadidiatou Diani soon followed suit. 

“The numerous hearings conducted have made it possible to establish a very important gap with some top players,” the FFF said in a statement. “This gap has reached a point of no return that damages the team’s interests.”

After taking over in 2017, Diacre led France to the quarterfinals at the 2019 Women’s World Cup and the semifinals of Euro 2022.

“My detractors have not hesitated to attack my personal and professional integrity without bothering with the truth,” Diacre said Wednesday, per ESPN. “I will not let myself be affected by this destabilization operation, which does not take into account my sporting record, and whose only objective is a personal settling of scores.”

The FFF has endured a tumultuous last few weeks after president Noël Le Graët resigned following an audit by the French government that denounced his leadership amid allegations of sexual misconduct.

France opens its Women’s World Cup campaign July 23 against Jamaica before also facing Brazil and Panama in the group stage.