On Saturday evening in Basel, the French team will confront their challenges: the quarter-finals and their nemesis, Germany.

In the last European Championship, Les Bleus were knocked out in the semi-finals by the Germans. Since that setback in 2022, the French have faced two additional disappointments: in the quarter-finals of the 2023 World Cup and again in the quarter-finals of the 2024 Olympic Games.

Overall, they have been eliminated eight times at this stage of major tournaments, a phenomenon referred to in journalistic terms as the "glass ceiling".

When Herve Renard assumed the role of France coach, Jean-Michel Aulas - the head of French women's football - asserted that he was the one to help Les Bleus finally reach the semi-finals, but Laurent Bonadei has consistently stated he wants to implement "a three-year project". In other words, the duration of his contract as the head coach of Les Bleues.

Before the tournament, there was no longer any discussion of setting targets. France, outside the top 10 in the FIFA rankings, became "underdogs" and began their EURO with the ambition of "going as far as possible".

However, with three victories in three matches in a tough group following a streak of 11 consecutive wins in all competitions, France is now aiming higher once more.

"This group has advanced a bit faster than I anticipated, which is positive. It has fueled our ambitions for this Euro," stated Bonadei, who suggested at the outset of the competition that if they were to fail inSwitzerland,the experience would benefit them for the next World Cup.

Breakthroughs rather than glass ceilings.

The players themselves can no longer accept being eliminated in the group stage.

"Yes, being knocked out in the quarter-finals would be considered a failure, " Sandie Toletti remarked at a press conference on Thursday. We are competitors with ambitions.

Alongside her, Sakina Karchaoui reminded us: "We're a fresh group with a new coaching staff. Many of the players in the current squad have not faced France vs Germany, so we're a new generation with new aspirations. We must remain humble, but we must also maintain our determination to win."

In front of the media, Laurent Bonadei declined to address the issue of the quarter-finals' glass ceiling, opting instead for a more optimistic perspective:

"I prefer to discuss the milestones we've achieved. As the project, which has been in motion since last October, has evolved, I believe this team has grown stronger.

"There have been friendly matches, the Nations League phase, and then this group, which was labeled as the group of death, but the team has taken another significant step forward. Therefore, I have a lot of confidence in them to advance past this stage."

Although he insists that France are not favorites in this quarter-final against a struggling Germany, who lost 4-1 to Sweden in their last group match but have a history of eight European championships, Bonadei sees another strong indication that his team should not be underestimated:

"If the German coach mentioned he was considering deploying a five-man defense, even though that would genuinely surprise me, it indicates he is wary of conceding goals against a team that has averaged three goals per game over the last ten months.

"And if the major football nations start thinking this way, it signifies that we are truly making progress and that we will eventually be in a position to surpass the quarter-finals."

Les Bleues contemplating beyond the quarters?

A proponent of positivity, the Les Bleus coach has faith in his players' capacity to "downplay the event" and "ensure it remains just a match", rather than merely another quarter-final where their journey could end.

Griedge Mbock, the captain of this team but seated on the bench since the tournament began, supports these remarks:"We're composed because we've also put in significant effort. We're on a winning streak that has instilled a lot of confidence in us. We are aware of our strengths.

Bonadei has no intention of returning to France on Saturday evening and is already looking forward to a potential semi-final. While he typically announces his lineup the day before the match, Herve Renard's former assistant has altered his plans for this quarter-final, explaining:

"I'm preparing for the second half, the conclusion of the match, the scenarios... Our goal is to play three matches in eight days. Once I know who qualifies for the semi-final between Switzerland and Spain, I'll have a clearer vision of how to organize."

Clear evidence that the quarter-finals no longer truly intimidate Les Bleus.

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