France international defender Wendie Renard has publicly criticized the French Football Federation after the governing body omitted her name from a social media post celebrating French nominees for the Ballon d'Or.
The 36-year-old Olympique Lyonnais player was named among the 30 candidates for the prestigious award following a high-flying season with her club. However, the French Football Federation failed to include her in a post on X that congratulated fellow French nominees Selma Bacha and Melvine Malard.
Former France national team striker Eugénie Le Sommer highlighted the omission by posting a message of support for her friend and former teammate on Instagram. Le Sommer wrote in a story that some people had forgotten to congratulate Renard on her nomination.
Renard reshared Le Sommer's tribute and expressed her disappointment at the federation. The defender thanked her former teammate and stated that wearing the France jersey for all those years was visibly no longer enough to be considered French when the time came for congratulations, adding that she remained proud of her sixth Ballon d'Or nomination.
Omission and federation response
Renard, who has earned 168 caps for her country, voiced frustration over what she described as a lack of recognition from the governing body. The defender has not been selected for the French national team since 25 February 2025.
A few hours after the initial omission sparked online reaction, the official France team account shared a new post highlighting Renard and her nomination.
Background on Renard and international career
Renard is widely regarded as one of the most prominent figures in women's football, having served as the longtime captain of both Olympique Lyonnais and the France national team. Throughout her extensive career, she has established herself as a cornerstone of the French defence and one of the world's leading central defenders.
Her club side, OL Lyonnes, is based in Lyon and remains one of the most dominant forces in European women's football. Nominees Selma Bacha and Melvine Malard, who were included in the initial federation post, also play alongside Renard at club level and represent France internationally.
The Ballon d'Or and national governance
The Ballon d'Or is organized annually by the French publication France Football to honor the world's best football players. Renard's inclusion on the 30-player shortlist marks her sixth nomination for the award.
The French Football Federation, based in Paris, is the governing body responsible for overseeing association football in France, including the women's national team known as Les Bleues.
Eugénie Le Sommer, who spoke out in support of Renard, is France's all-time leading goalscorer. She played alongside Renard for both Lyon and the national team over more than a decade.
Looking ahead
Despite not being selected for the national team since February 2025, Renard continues to play a key role for Olympique Lyonnais in domestic and European competitions as the club moves through the current season.
