On the eve of the friendly match between France and Canada, which will take place tonight at 21h, Amandine Henry and Eugénie Le Sommer presented themselves at a press conference at Roazhon Park (Rennes). The opportunity for the captain and vice-captain of the Blue to tackle the match against the 4th nation in the FIFA rankings, but also to discuss how they locate this team of France.


There was a strong result against Nigeria (8-0) but despite all a speech Corinne Deacon who was a little mixed on the way. What is your opinion on that?

Amandine Henry: Of course the result is very good, but we must put the way too because we have to be much more demanding to reach this world cup. Do not relax. We know that every game, it is important to have a good start and we must not wait half an hour to be present.


What you showed in the second period, however, was encouraging. Especially in terms of compliance with the instructions, the coach emphasized. That's what you relied on to prepare for this game against Canada?

Amandine Henry: Yes it's sure that at half-time the coach was not very satisfied with us, at the technical level where we had a lot of waste. That's what made the second half a little more applied. We put more movements and that's what made us better.


Eugenie, you are a little "Breton of the stage". What does it mean to come back to Rennes? We know that the public here is very fond of the French women's team.

Eugénie Le Sommer: Yes, I really like coming back to my region. And I know that in addition the audience often responds here, so it's always nice to be encouraged and to feel the audience behind us. And yes, I am Breton, necessarily to replay on my land I am the happiest.


It's a good thing also to arrive in good conditions, with this good result on Friday, to prepare for the Canada match?

Eugénie Le Sommer: Yes, of course it's easier to tackle this second match when you have a very big win in the first match. After that we will not rest on it. We also know that, without being disrespectful in Nigeria, they were lower in Canada. It's going to be a very tough game waiting for us [against Canada], and it will be a different complement to what we had to face in Nigeria.


At a year of great maturity, where do you stand compared to the other teams?

Eugénie Le Sommer: I think we are among the best teams, we are in the top 10 world. Afterwards, in a competition it can go very fast and one can very well be favorite and fall in chickens. There is not really any truth in football. We have a place of "favorites" but we will not have to be satisfied with that. The team is under construction, we still have a lot of progress to make and the classification means nothing. What will count will be the matches and win the matches especially.


Amandine Henry: To know where we are is a little complicated. We are focused on ourselves. It's sure to meet different nations with different styles that allows us to gain experience. After, the goal of the game is to be present on the day, so it is useless to be the best now and not answer present in a year. It will be necessary to be conquering.


Just on the progress to make, you can detail a little?

Eugenie Le Sommer: Gather experience. Gain trust. Find automatisms. Because it is true that we all play in different clubs and when we arrive in the France team we must succeed in speaking the same language on the field. It's not always easy so these games are also good for that. Then it makes it possible to confront other teams, to have different scenarios, to be ready for everything when we play this world cup.

Amandine, what portrait can you tell us about Canada?

Amandine Henry: It's an athletic team. They play almost all in the United States, so yes I expect athletic players, who like duels. It will be up to us to take possession of the ball and not be afraid of the duel simply. Then put the first opportunities as soon as we get them.


You are two experienced players. This is very important for the France team, especially to help keep his "calm" in big matches?

Amandine Henry: In big matches or small games anyway you always have to keep calm. It's very important, and the fact that we are executives of this team, we must show the example. Do not lose your football too, even if the scenarios are completely different sometimes. Whether you lose or win, you have to keep our line of playing football and moving forward.


Eugénie Le Sommer: Yes, we have that experience. But as Amandine said it's up to us to set an example, to surround young people. We have a lot of young people who have little experience in the team, so these matches also allow to gather this experience that will be needed in major competitions. It is necessary that with each selection they gather this, and with us to accompany them and to try to make that the team is powerful.


With Infosport + (Canal) and Ouest France