Five months before the European Championship, scheduled for July 6 to 31 in England, the tricolors begin their year 2022 with a visit to Le Havre, the first of the three stops that the Tournoi de France (friendly) offers them in Normandy, with Brazil and the Netherlands.

The sporting results will certainly be scrutinized, especially against the European champions and vice-world champions from the Netherlands, but the reintegration of Hamraoui will be one of the challenges of the back-to-school internship.

"It's true that there are problems, it's not the only one, in the past too" there have been, admitted captain Wendie Renard, Tuesday in front of the press.

But "for the moment it is going well, there is nothing to be alarmed about", added the Lyonnaise, urging her partners to go "all in the same direction".

France defender Wendie Renard (d) and midfielder Kadidatou Diani during the friendly match against Switzerland on February 20, 2021 at the Stade Saint-Symphorien in Metz FRANCK FIFE AFP/Archives

Since the 2019 World Cup, the strong choices made by Corinne Deacon have responded to a logic aimed at regenerating the France group by sportingly dismissing the experienced Gaëtane Thiney, Amandine Henry or more recently Eugénie Le Sommer, to make room for the youngest.

Fires extinguished

This strategic shift was made at the cost of a lot of turbulence, media and internal, but the sporting results were generally positive and the coach held firm, with the support of its president Noël Le Graët.

"There were difficulties with some old ones who stopped, or that Corinne had stopped. Today it's another group, younger, but which plays in a remarkable way", noted the boss of the Federation. French football club in November with AFP.

At the start of the season, Deacon was able to put some water in her wine by giving the captain's armband to Renard - from whom she had taken it away at the start of her term - a decision taken by the staff on behalf of "the general interest".

This gesture of openness was greeted with enthusiasm by the team, who appeared smiling and relaxed during the last gathering.

The recall of Hamraoui (32), almost three years after his 36th and last selection, challenges insofar as the middle of Paris SG maintains fresh relations with certain teammates, such as Kadidiatou Diani and Marie-Antoinette Katoto, who reproach him of having suspected their partner Aminata Diallo and their entourage after his attack in early November.

Midfielder Kheira Hamraoui (d), during training for the France team, on April 1, 2019 in Clairefontaine-en-Yvelines FRANCK FIFE AFP / Archives

Is it likely to rekindle embers in a peaceful locker room?

"The players who make up the France team are professional," replied the coach on Thursday, calling on them to show "humility and cohesion".

"There is no subject about Kheira Hamraoui", she cut off Tuesday, insisting: "The subject on a daily basis is the France team".

Additional "Weapon"

The risk is however real, as Deacon herself had pointed out in October before the Parisian, finally forfeited through injury, was forced to postpone her return to the national team.

"We will be attentive to his life in the group, because you need this mix between performance on the ground and a good state of mind in group life. When we live together for twelve days during a rally, or on a big competition like at the Euro, everyone has to get along well“, had pointed out the technician.

Last week, the former captain of Les Bleues slightly reversed the order of his priorities at a press conference.

"What guides me is the state of mind of the France group but also the performance of the players on the pitch."

The potential contribution of Hamraoui in the team, it is true, does not suffer from any dispute within a tricolor midfielder usually squared by Grace Geyoro (PSG), Charlotte Bilbault (Bordeaux) and Sandie Toletti (Levante, in Spain).

The former Barcelonan, titled in the Champions League last May, offers a rare athletic and technical profile, an additional "weapon" for the Euro, according to Deacon.

It remains to be seen how the locker room will digest this very special return.

© 2022 AFP