Amandine Henry Ruled Out of Women’s World Cup with Calf Injury
France midfielder Amandine Henry has been ruled out of the Women’s World Cup due to a calf injury. The French Football Federation announced that Henry, who has 93 caps, has sustained a left calf injury and will be replaced by defender Aissatou Tounkara.
Henry had not played for her country since December 2020 due to a row with former coach Corinne Diacre. She recently signed for National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) side Angel City after spending 15 years with French side Lyon.
France Begin World Cup Campaign Against Jamaica
France will begin their Women’s World Cup campaign against Jamaica on 23 July. They are in the same group as Brazil and Panama. The French Football Federation said they are confident that the team can still perform well despite the absence of Henry.
Reaction to Amandine Henry’s Injury
The news of Henry’s injury has been met with disappointment from fans and players alike. France captain Amel Majri said: “We are all very sad for Amandine. She is an important part of our team and we will miss her presence on the field.”
Henry herself expressed her sadness at missing out on the tournament, saying: “It’s a huge disappointment for me not to be able to take part in the World Cup. I wish my team all the best and will be supporting them from home.”
France’s Chances at the Women’s World Cup
Despite the loss of Henry, France are still considered one of the favourites to win the tournament. They have a strong squad, with players such as Majri, Eugenie Le Sommer, and Wendie Renard, and are currently ranked fourth in the world.
France have also had success in recent tournaments, winning the SheBelieves Cup in 2019 and finishing runners-up in the 2019 World Cup. With such a talented squad, they will be looking to go one better this time around and lift the trophy.
Conclusion
Amandine Henry’s injury is a huge blow for France ahead of the Women’s World Cup. However, they still have a strong squad and are one of the favourites to win the tournament. All eyes will be on them as they look to go one better than their 2019 performance and lift the trophy this time around.