- Wendie Renard is one of 23 nominees in the running for the 2022 FIFA FIFPRO Women's World 11
- In another great season, Lyon defender won French league and Women's Champions League
- Could Renard make history with a seventh Women's World 11 appearance?
Wendie Renard is on the brink of a new personal achievement. The France defender was one of the leading stars of the 2021/22 season, and this may enable her to become the player with the most appearances in the history of the FIFA FIPRO Women’s World 11.
Renard is one of the 23 players who received the highest number of votes from their fellow professionals and is in the running to be one of the defenders chosen for the best women’s team of 2022.
If she succeeds it will be the seventh time Renard has been in the World 11, a figure no women's player has ever reached up to now.
Renard is in the running alongside fellow defenders Lucy Bronze (Manchester City/Barcelona, England), Ellie Carpenter (Olympique Lyonnais, Australia), Ashley Lawrence (Paris Saint-Germain, Canada), Mapi Leon (Barcelona, Spain), Irene Paredes (Barcelona, Spain) and Leah Williamson (Arsenal, England).
How does the World 11 voting work?
The 2021/22 season
In her heart of hearts, Renard must feel optimistic of making yet another World 11 despite the tough competition. During the 2021/22 season, she once again captained Olympique Lyonnais to the French league title and the Women’s Champions League.
In all competitions she completed 27 matches – always as an undisputed starter – and scored seven goals, two of them in the European semi-final against PSG. One of those ties enabled her to reach 100 appearances in the Champions League, an unprecedented record for the competition.
With France she was a semi-finalist at the Women’s EURO 2022. She regained the captaincy after going four years without wearing the armband. The Bleues lost to Germany and were unable to reach the final.
Months before, in February 2022, the French team won the Tournoi de France. In all, Renard played 13 matches with her national team in the season and netted five times.
Individual achievements 2021/22
- First footballer to play 100 matches in the Women’s Champions League
- Player with the most final appearances in the Women’s Champions League: 10
- Player with the most final wins in the Women’s Champions League: 8 (shared with Eugenie Le Sommer)
Renard and the FIFA FIFPRO Women’s World 11
The fact that she holds the women's record of six appearances shows Renard’s wonderful relationship with the FIFA FIFPRO Women’s World 11.
Renard has been ever-present in the Women's World 11 since 2015, thanks to the votes of her fellow professionals.
A fact that really puts her achievement into perspective is that the three players closest behind her – Lucy Bronze, Marta and Alex Morgan – have made two fewer appearances, with four each.
“Lasting over time is not something everyone can achieve. You have to demand a lot of yourself and also challenge yourself because every match has its own truth, every season has its own truth”
— by Wendie Renard
The football world talks about Renard
"She is an icon in Lyon, in France, throughout the world for her physique, but also for her talent."
Amandine Henry, Olympique Lyonnais and France
"As a defender, she is an amazing player and super needed in all counts of the game – whether it’s in the attack or the defence."
Kadeisha Buchanan, Chelsea and Canada
"Her will to win made her what she is today. To me she’s the best defender in the world and perhaps the best player in the world."
Farid Benstiti, winner of four French league titles as Olympique Lyonnais manager
When will the 2022 FIFA FIFPRO Women’s World 11 be known?
The 2022 FIFA FIFPRO Women’s World 11 will be revealed at The Best FIFA Football Awards 2022 on Monday 27 February 2023.
It will be made up of the 11 players – out of the 23 who made it to the final list – who receive the highest number of votes in their position.
