History was made in Bangkok as France reached the World Championship quarterfinals for the first time. Les Bleues, led by Héléna Cazaute, stunned world No. 5 China with a 3-1 victory (25-19, 27-25, 22-25, 25-20).
The win marks a dramatic turnaround for the French side, who had been swept aside by China at the Paris 2024 Olympics and again in the Nations League earlier this year. This time, the team showed remarkable determination. Cazaute (22 pts), Amélie Rotar (18 pts), and Iman Ndiaye (20 pts) played starring roles. Yuanyuan Wang led China with 15 points, while Mengjie Wu added 13 points as the team’s second-highest scorer.
Returning to the World Championship after 51 years, France’s journey is already historic. Next, they face Brazil or the Dominican Republic with a chance to advance to the semifinals and extend their remarkable run.
Cup tree provided by Sofascore
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