Misogynistic remarks by legendary French coach Guy Roux: 'Women are made to give birth, not play football!'

Legendary French coach Guy Roux has once again stirred controversy in France after making misogynistic remarks about women’s football. The 87-year-old spoke in an interview with L'Est Éclair, triggering strong reactions across the French sporting public.

“Women have wider hips and are made to give birth. Football is not for wide hips,” Roux said during the interview. His comments were widely condemned for reinforcing outdated stereotypes and dismissing the women’s game.

The former Auxerre coach went further when asked about the appeal of women’s football. “If you ask me whether women’s matches are attractive, I would point you to lower-division games played in front of 800 spectators,” Roux added.

A pattern of controversial remarks

This is not the first time Roux has been criticised for such statements. Around ten months ago, he drew similar backlash during the farewell match of former French international Djibril Cissé.

At the time, Roux commented: “Do you want a bold comparison? This looked like a women’s football match,” a remark that was also labelled misogynistic by critics and advocacy groups.

A legendary career overshadowed

Despite the controversy, Guy Roux remains one of the most influential figures in French football history. He began his playing career as a midfielder at AJ Auxerre in 1954, later becoming player-coach before taking over as head coach, a role he held until 2005.

His greatest achievement came in 1996, when he led Auxerre to the only French league title in the club’s history. Under his guidance, the club also won the French Cup four times, in 1994, 1996, 2003 and 2005, establishing Auxerre as a respected force in French football.