Amber Barrett has urged the Republic of Ireland to treat Tuesday's trip to Grenoble as a cup final, insisting Carla Ward's squad will go all out to beat France and secure automatic qualification for the 2026 Women's World Cup.

Barrett's intervention proved decisive on Saturday evening when she came off the bench in the 76th minute and scored a late winner against the Netherlands in Cork, with more than 12,000 supporters inside the ground. That result lifts Ireland to second in Group A2, one point behind France, and sets up a straight shootout at the top of the table.

Barrett: 'We are going to give everything we have'

Speaking to RTÉ after the final whistle, Barrett was clear about Ireland's mindset heading into the decisive fixture.

"We do not have anything to lose," she said. "When we started the group, what everyone was looking at was not finishing fourth. We avoided that tonight and we have nothing to lose on Tuesday — we are going to give everything we have."

The striker acknowledged the safety net that remains available to Ward's squad. Even if Ireland fail to win in Grenoble, they retain a seeded play-off berth in October and December. However, Barrett made plain that a play-off place is not the ambition.

"Whatever happens, we still have the play-offs in October and December," she added. "But Tuesday is a cup final."

Respect for an 'unbelievable' French side

Ireland arrive in France on the back of three unbeaten matches, yet Barrett was quick to caution against complacency. Laurent Bonadei's France side beat Ireland 2-1 at Tallaght Stadium in March, and Barrett has no intention of underestimating them on their own patch.

"We are not taking the French for granted — they are an unbelievable side," she said. "Recover, get ready and let's go again."

She also highlighted how the squad's collective mentality has sharpened since the start of the campaign. Even with a draw against the Netherlands being a perfectly acceptable result in some quarters, Ward's instructions were unambiguous from the beginning of the week.

"Before, if you were 2-2 against the Netherlands, you would probably be rubbing your hands together and saying 'we will take this'," Barrett explained. "But Carla said from the start of the week, let everyone know we will be going to win the game. Against the Netherlands, we were for it and we were trying to win that game — there was no doubt about it."

What automatic qualification would mean

A victory in Grenoble would send Ireland to back-to-back Women's World Cups, building on the historic qualification the team achieved for the 2023 tournament in Australia and New Zealand. It would represent a significant statement for the women's game in Ireland and for head coach Ward, who has clearly instilled a winning-first culture in the squad.

The stakes could scarcely be higher, yet Barrett's message is straightforward: trust the preparation, play without fear, and let the result take care of itself. With the atmosphere in Cork still ringing in their ears, Ward's players will travel to Grenoble knowing that a nation is behind them.

Frequently asked

When is Republic of Ireland vs France in World Cup qualifying?
The match takes place on Tuesday in Grenoble, France. Republic of Ireland need a win to secure automatic qualification for the 2026 Women's World Cup.
What happens if Republic of Ireland don't beat France?
If Ireland draw or lose in Grenoble, they retain a seeded play-off spot, with those play-off matches scheduled for October and December.
Who scored for Republic of Ireland against the Netherlands?
Amber Barrett came off the bench in the 76th minute and scored the winning goal against the Netherlands in Cork to keep Ireland's automatic qualification hopes alive.