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ORLÉANS, France — The first Women’s World Cup on French soil was only days away, and Delphine Cascarino, a 22-year-old French wing with the speed and dribbling skills to become a breakout star over the next month, was about to exit the cozy stadium in Orléans where the French team had beaten Thailand, 3-0, in a friendly match. But first she had one last stop to make: A group of about 200 fans, mostly young girls, was waiting for Cascarino and her teammates outside for autographs and pictures.
“We can sense the French public is really here for us and behind us,” Cascarino said.