Sacred blue! The French coach makes bold claim that star striker Eugenie Le Sommer is BETTER than Sam Kerr. Here’s why they’re wrong
French coach Hervé Renard has lured the Matildas ahead of their quarter-final showdown by declaring that Les Bleues striker Eugénie Le Sommer is better than Australian captain Sam Kerr.
The French coach brought Le Somme back into the international squad after two years in the wilderness and issued the bold statement in a bid to sack his side ahead of their clash with the Matildas in Brisbane on Saturday.
He believes they need it, despite their impressive 4-0 thrashing of Morocco in the last game.
Because in a friendly match just before the World Cup, Les Bleues lost 1-0 to Australia and as Renard said at a press conference yesterday: ‘We’re not just playing against the national team, we’re taking on the whole country. ‘
That much is true with a record attendance of over 75,000 at two matches for Australia’s games so far at this WWC and record TV viewership, underlining the interest in the Matildas as well.
But his claim that Le Sommer, at 34, is better than Kerr may not be true.
French coach Herve Renard said during yesterday’s press conference about his superstar striker Eugenie Le Sommer (both pictured) that he would not trade her for an Aussie striker
Le Sommer is an amazing finisher and it takes all kinds of play to stop her when she’s around
However, Matilda Sam Kerr is still recognized by Aussie fans as the best female soccer player in the world
“There is no one like her in the penalty area,” Renard said of 34-year-old striker Le Sommer.
“I’ve seen some male players who were incredible in the penalty area, but she has more incredible quality.
“She’s like a surgeon in the penalty area… I wouldn’t trade my striker for the other team’s.”
In comparison, Le Sommer started her career in 2007 and made her international debut in 2009 against Northern Ireland.
She has scored more goals for France than any player, male or female. This includes legends such as Thierry Henry (51) and Olivier Giroud (54).
Le Sommer scored 92 goals behind the net from 183 matches.
She has yet to win an international trophy, but has won 10 Division 1 titles with Lyon, eight UEFA Women’s Championships and eight Coupe de France Féminine titles.
Born in Western Australia, Kerr is five years younger than Le Sommer and has already scored 32 goals for Australia from 60 games played.
At that success rate, if hypothetically rounded to the same number of games Le Sommer has played in 183 games, Kerr would have scored 97 goals – five more than her French rival.
Kerr has started eleven times in World Cup matches and scored five goals.
Le Sommer started 14 times for France at World Cups, scoring eight goals.
In the past 12 months, Le Sommer made 17 appearances for her club Lyon, scoring seven goals.
Kerr made 21 appearances for her club Chelsea, scoring 12 goals.
Both have five assists to their credit in that time.
Aussie coach Tony Gustavsson said clearly and emphatically that if Sam Kerr is fit enough to play 90 minutes, she would play them – ‘This is Sam Kerr we’re talking about.’
Kerr made a solid 12th minute cameo against Denmark and had one powerful shot on goal
So, on all available stats, while Le Sommer is exceptional, Kerr’s stats are better.
What is in favor of the French ladies is that Kerr has only played 12 minutes of this World Cup while playing four full games.
Renard has had a colorful career as a coach. After bringing Saudi Arabia into the men’s World Cup and hatching a plan to beat Argentina in a hugely disrupted first game.
His incredible reading of how rival team Les Bleue’s play will serve them well against Australia.
“Of course the characteristics of the attackers will be different, but Australia like to wait for their opponent, they like quick transitions and getting behind the defence, and they have some very good players to use this system,” he said.
“I’m with one of the best football teams in the world so I want them to have more confidence in themselves… respect all their opponents but don’t be afraid of anyone because they have the quality to have a fantastic tournament.
“I’m sure they realize now how well they can do it.”
Ranked fifth in the world, France is desperate to go at least one step further than at the 2019 World Cup, when Les Bleue were knocked out as hosts in the quarter-finals by eventual champions USA.
Le Sommer, a teammate of Matildas right-back Ellie Carpenter at French club Lyon, has already scored three goals in the tournament, including a brace in France’s 4-0 round of 16 thrashing against Morocco.
We know Le Sommer will play, but when asked emphatically yesterday if Kerr wants to play, Matildas’ coach Tony Gustavsson was candid with his answer.
“No doubt,” he said.
“If she’s fit enough to play 90 minutes, she’ll play 90 minutes.
“We’re talking about Sam Kerr here.”
Neither side has progressed beyond the quarter-finals of a World Cup and the French have a history of underperforming at the big moment; a surprise as many of their players have tasted ultimate club success with Lyon in the Champions League.
Renard has seen a change in the Matilda’s formation when Kerr is not playing, noting that the Aussies play 4-3-3.
France are determined to stick to a fluid 4-3-3 system too, with the great Le Sommer given a free roll to roam in the final third.
“There is a new impetus,” Le Sommer said of Renard since he took over the helm of the French side a year ago, telling the French sports daily L’Equipe.
“It was very positive from the start. He arrived with plenty of sunshine.’