Women's Euro 2025: France captain Griedge Mbock out of England clash

A lack of weight in the French defense. Griedge Mbock, the captain of the Blues, will not be able to take her place in central defense Saturday evening, at 9 p.m., against England , for the French team's first match at the Euro .

"Unfortunately, she's feeling a little discomfort in her calf. We won't take any risks, she still needs specific care. She'll be with us but not on the pitch," announced French coach Laurent Bonadei at a press conference on Friday, July 4. "Last week, tests didn't reveal any tears or blood bags. It's just temporary fatigue like Amel [ Majri, midfielder for Les Bleues and Olympique Lyonnais, editor's note] may have had . We need a little more time. I'm pretty confident she'll be able to join us soon."

For several days, uncertainty had hung over whether the PSG player would be in the squad for the French team's first match. Griedge Mbock had been spared for the French team's last friendly match, against Brazil last week, and had not trained with her teammates since June 25. She was still absent this Friday morning, unlike the other 22 players who were able to participate normally in the session.

The young Alice Sombath, 21, who plays for Olympique Lyonnais, could replace her in central defense alongside Maëlle Lakrar.