France Coach Corinne Diacre Just Can’t Get Along

It was June 11, 2019, the eve of France’s World Cup match against Norway, and Corinne Diacre was dazzling the press with her deadpan humor.  “I’m strict and intransigent,” she joked.  “We don’t have any fun here.  The girls are very unhappy.”  And the media laughed and laughed.

The only problem is that her players actually are unhappy. And Diacre is on the brink of losing control of a once-formidable France squad.

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Lyon Offside’s 2019 Women’s Player of the Year

Thirty-seven games, thirty-four wins, zero losses, and five trophies. All in all, not a bad 2019 for OL Féminin, which closed out a decade of dominance with yet another show of European–and even global–supremacy. We could be here until 2020 shouting out all the players whose show-stopping performances contributed to a hugely successful year, but before the calendar flips, we’ve picked our Lyon Offside 2019 Women’s Players of the Year.

Lyon Or Bust: OL At The Women’s World Cup

It’s not unusual for the world’s best female soccer players to converge on Lyon over the summer . . . it’s just that usually they’re all wearing rouge et bleu and gearing up for preseason action. But this summer brings an international twist as the FIFA 2019 Women’s World Cup sweeps across France. All roads lead to Lyon, as the Parc OL will have the privilege of hosting the tournament’s semifinals (July 2 and 3) and final (July 7).

OL Féminin sends a tournament-leading 16 players (including the all-but-officially-announced Nikita Parris) to compete with their respective nations for women’s soccer’s greatest prize. Set aside hoisting the trophy–Which World Cup-bound Fenottes stand the best chance of actually advancing to the final four to compete at their home stadium? We’ve ranked the players and their national teams’ chances below.

Whose Penalty Is It Anyway? A Closer Look At OL Féminin From The Spot

Death.  Taxes.  And Saki Kumagai scoring penalties for Lyon.  For years, those were the three things we could all count on.  But nothing lasts forever (except maybe Lyon’s dominance in D1 Féminine), and things took a turn as last season came to a close.  Kumagai saw a penalty saved, Coach Pedros began shuffling the deck, and all of a sudden the world’s most lethal team has become decidedly less lethal from the spot.

Golden Women and Golden Boys: Lyon has them all

So far, 2018 has been a good year for Lyon players. OL Féminin has long been recognized as the preeminent force in women’s football while OL’s Academy is perpetually ranked as one of best in Europe. Lyon’s dominance in both sectors has been rewarded with a host of nominations, with the likes of Houssem Aouar, Ada Hegerberg, Amandine Henry, and Tanguy Ndombélé getting the attention they very much deserve.

France Football, the publication that gives out the Ballon d’Or, one of the most prestigious individual awards a footballer can win, is finally launching editions for women and youth. About time, too! See below for details.