France’s Ability To Bounce Back Was Key (Solene Durand interview)

France goalkeeper Solene Durand speaks to She Kicks before her country’s first home World Cup, preparing for her first major tournament as understudy to Sarah Bouhaddi. The 24-year-old describes herself as vocal, comfortable in possession and keen to take an active part in building attacks. Asked for the key moment on the road to France, she points not to a win but to a defeat: the 4-1 loss to England at the 2018 SheBelieves Cup and the squad’s positive reaction to it, which she says got them back on track and bonded the team. She talks about a kit cut and designed specifically for women, a sign that more attention is being paid to the women’s game, and about the childhood dream of playing a World Cup on home soil.