- Wendie Renard is a French professional footballer who plays as a centre-back and captains both Division 1 Féminine club Lyon and the France national team.
Wendie Renard shared a beautiful bond with her parents, Marie Helena and Georges Renard. Renard grew up alongside three older sisters.
When she first traveled to Paris at age 16 for a trial with an elite academy, Wendie Renard wasn’t selected. But the teenager didn’t lose hope of making it big time.
Now, Wendie Renard is the most recognizable face of women’s soccer and is one of the most decorated players. For France, Wendie has made 146 appearances and makes it to the top 10 list for most appearances for the women’s team.
Renard had stepped down from the national team earlier this year in January due to the differences with the French Football Federation. But she returned to the side after the appointment of Herve Renard.
But the question lies in whether Herve and Wendie can lead France to its first World Cup glory.
Alex Morgan and her USWNT are considered the favorites to lift the trophy in Australia. But a tiny upset can make it the tournament to remember for ages.
Wendie Renard Parents, Marie-Helena, And Georges Renard
Wendie Renartd’s parents Marie-Helena, and Georges Renard, raised four girls in Martinique, France. The soccer player is the youngest of four.
The French soccer player, Wendi Renard, couldn’t spend much time with her dad. But the time she spent with him was filled with joy.
Georges Renard wasn’t a typical soccer dad. He wouldn’t sit in front of the telly and scream at the players. He loved talking about politics but was the gentlest person for his daughter.
Wendie would follow her father like a shadow. She would even request him to take her to work. For little Wendie, she was living her best life with her family.
But things took a turn for the worse when she was eight. Georges was diagnosed with prostate and lung cancer. During their final meeting in the hospital bed, Georges told his daughter to take care of her mom.
Wendie didn’t shed a single tear after her father’s demise. Some relatives even told Marie-Helena to look after Wendie as she didn’t cry during the funeral.
Wendie And Her Bond With Her Mother, Marie-Helena
Marie-Helena works at a nursery, where she is an assistant. The mother of four, Marie-Helena, shares a strong bond with her youngest daughter.
They were close before Georges’ demise, but after it, they became inseparable. In 1996, when the mother-daughter duo sat watching the Olympics, Marie-Helena teared up after seeing Marie-Jose Perec win gold for France.
Then six, Wendie told her mom one day she would see her on TV and cry. The young girl kept her promise.
Marie was in charge of taking her daughter to her soccer practice session. The duo would leave home at 3 AM and travel 90 minutes to reach the training center.
Marie would drop her daughter at the center and head to her work. When Wendie was called up by French Football Federation in 2006, Marie hesitated to let her daughter travel alone. She cried as her daughter left for Paris.
But after all these years, it seemed to be the best decision made by Wendie.
Wendie Renard Return To The France Squad
In February, Wendie decided to step away from the French squad. The defender said she would not play in the World Cup to preserve her mental health.
After Wendie announced she would not play at the World Cup, Marie Antoinette-Katoto and Kadidiatou Diani followed suit.
The legend of the game, Wendie, criticized the French Football Federation and said the national team set-up was far from the requirements of the highest level.
Wendie also didn’t share the best relationship with former manager Corinne Diacre. Since Diacre became the manager in 2017, she at first stripped Wendie of captaincy and then returned it to her.
After Wendie’s announcement, FFF president Noel Le Graet announced his retirement. And after Graet departed from FFF, Diacre was sacked.
After Diacre’s sacking, Wendie said if the new coach wanted her in the team, she is willing to return.
And the new coach, Herve Renard, didn’t take much time to call Renard back to the squad. In an interview, Renard said he was paid “20 times” more while working as a Saudi Arabia coach.
But having the chance to lead his country was something Renard didn’t want to miss.
