The France and Lyon defender came sixth in FIFA’s award in 2019, but the trophy she won for it has now gone missing
Lyon and France defender Wendie Renard has appealed for help after losing a trophy for being named in FIFA’s team of the year on a train.
The 29-year-old centre-half, who came sixth in the running for the 2019 Women’s Ballon d’Or, accidentally left her suitcase on a carriage of the Paris-Lyon service on Thursday.
While train station staff managed to retrieve and return her suitcase, Renard discovered that her FIFA The Best trophy, which had been alongside another award from France Football, was missing.
Renard explained the situation on Twitter, posting: “Yesterday, I took the Paris-Lyon train at 9:56am (non-stop) and I arrived at 12:00 at Part-Dieu station [in Lyon].
“Unfortunately for me, I forgot my cabin suitcase and in it I was carrying my trophies (France Football and The Best). I realised this once I got home, so I left and went back to Perrache Station
“The reception desk handed me the suitcase, but The Best trophy was no longer inside. For my part, I did what I had to. But I count on SNCF [France’s national railway company] staff to help me find the trophy.”
Regarded as one of the best defenders in world football, Renard is now in her 13th season at Lyon, Europe’s dominant force.
Now club captain, Renard has won the Division 1 Feminine in each of her 13 seasons at the club as well as six Champions Leagues – including the last four in a row.
She scored three goals from defence at the 2019 Women’s World Cup, including France’s consolation goal in their 2-1 quarter-final defeat to the United States.
Renard eventually finished ninth in the voting for The Best FIFA Women’s Player, with the USWNT’s World Cup winner Megan Rapinoe voted as winner despite only playing six games for her club side Reign FC.
Renard’s Lyon team-mates Lucy Bronze, Amandine Henry and Ada Hegerberg were also named in the top ten.
The Best is a relatively new addition to the annual awards circuit, having originated as recently as 2017.
American Carli Lloyd, the Netherlands’ Lieke Martens and Brazilian legend Marta were the three players to lift the winner’s title before Rapinoe this year.
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