In the end, it was the minutest distinction that separated France from making historical past. On the Lusail Stadium, Argentina received their third title when Gonzalo Montiel scored the successful penalty. However on the sideline, the French have been in tears, understanding that they had didn’t do one of many rarest feats in World Cup historical past.
Les Bleus have been simply near changing into the third staff since Italy and Brazil to defend their title. And for a while, it seemed as if France would just do that earlier than Argentina stole their highlight to assist Lionel Messi lastly win his first World Cup.
Nonetheless, regardless of that, France might be pleased with their efforts. In truth, they’re the primary staff in 20 years to succeed in back-to-back finals, which exhibits how troublesome a feat it’s.
Kylian Mbappe, Olivier Giroud, Ousmane Dembele, Raphael Varane, Hugo Lloris and the remainder of the French squad might retire at this time and nonetheless be thought of legends. Such is the magnitude of Les Bleus’ achievement.
Nonetheless, this squad solely emerged after some time. In truth, France would endure a number of heartbreaks earlier than they might grow to be the drive they’re at this time.
So, how did France went from also-rans to world-beaters?
2010 FIFA World Cup A heartbreak in Africa
France had reached the ultimate of the 2006 FIFA World Cup, with what was the final World Cup for his or her golden era that had received the 1998 FIFA World Cup and 2000 Euros. Nonetheless, with their retirement, there got here a scarcity of world-class expertise. They’d certified for the 2010 World Cup through a play-off win over Eire with a handball objective from Thierry Henry.
The staff was removed from excellent however had managed to qualify for the World Cup. Nonetheless, what adopted was one of many worst campaigns of their soccer historical past. The French began their match with a 0-0 draw towards Uruguay. However issues started to go downhill after they misplaced to Mexico of their second match.
This brought on huge resentment within the squad and the gamers. Striker Nikolas Anelka criticised coach Raymond Domenech for his ways and was despatched dwelling. Consequently, the French gamers didn’t participate in coaching for in the future.
And their humiliation was full as hosts South Africa defeated them 2-1 within the last match. Heads started to roll as Domenech was eliminated. Even Jean-Pierre Escalettes, the then President of the French Soccer Federation (FFF), additionally resigned.
Nicolas Anelka, Patrice Evra, Franck Ribery, and Jeremy Toulalan have been all served with multiple-match suspensions.
Nicolas Anelka has been despatched dwelling from the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa. Learn extra right here. http://bit.ly/aUlDgj #worldcup
— FIFA.com (@FIFAcom) June 19, 2010
2014 FIFA World Cup- The primary indicators of the French golden era
By the point France arrived for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, that they had a much better squad. As well as, additionally they began growing a younger crop of gamers that, simply 4 years later, would ship them their second World Cup. Hugo Lloris, Paul Pogba, Antoine Griezmann, Raphael Varane, and Blaise Matuidi have been all a part of it.
And the staff began their marketing campaign brilliantly, scoring eight objectives within the group levels. They defeated Nigeria within the spherical of 16. Nonetheless, their journey ended within the quarter-finals once they misplaced to Germany, which had their very own golden era.
Nonetheless, the way of defeat prompted criticism of Didier Deschamps’ ways. After falling behind within the thirteenth minute to a Matt Hummels header, France barely tried to equalise.
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Euro 2016- One other tragedy in Paris
France’s subsequent task was the 2016 Euro which was being held on their dwelling soil. By then, French’s golden era was in its last levels as new stars corresponding to Samuel Umtiti, Kingsley Coman, and N’Golo Kante joined the squad.
And identical to the World Cup two years in the past, France received their group. Nonetheless, from there, they began to develop into the match. Les Bleus defeated Eire (within the spherical of 16), Iceland (within the quarter-final), and Germany (within the semi-final) en path to the ultimate. The star of the present was Antoine Griezmann, who scored six objectives and supplied two assists.
Different high performers have been Olivier Giroud (three objectives, two assists) and Dimitri Payet (three objectives and two assists). France have been by far the perfect staff within the match and have been heavy favourites going into the ultimate towards Portugal.
Nonetheless, in a packed Stade de France, Portugal, even with out their talismanic striker Cristiano Ronaldo defeated the hosts courtesy of an extra-time objective from Eder. This was a shock loss for France, with gamers unable to recover from the grief it introduced.
Antoine Griezmann received the Participant of the Event, however France endured one more heartbreak.
2018 FIFA World Cup- France win the second title
Coach Didier Deschamps used the loss within the Euro last to galvanise his gamers for the 2018 World Cup. And France arrived in Russia with maybe the perfect staff within the match. It was a staff that had the right stability of expertise and youth.
Among the many latest stars of the staff have been the 19-year-old Kylian Mbappe and 21-year-old Ousmane Dembele. Others to emerge have been their full-back pairing of Lucas Hernandez and Benjamin Pavard. As well as, France had a squad that boasted gamers corresponding to Varane. Umtiti, Matuidi, Pogba, Kante, Griezmann and Giroud.
The French began their journey with two wins and a draw. Nonetheless, that didn’t show to be a blessing for them as they have been handed essentially the most formidable opponent in Argentina. The 2 groups met within the Kazan Enviornment. France took the lead early earlier than Argentina scored two objectives to enter the lead at half-time.
The French struck again, with Pavard scoring the objective of the match earlier than Mbappe’s brace put the match past Lionel Messi and Co.
France simply received their subsequent match towards Uruguay with objectives from Varane and Griezmann. Nonetheless, then got here their most difficult task. Other than France, Belgium additionally had their finest staff in historical past, eliminating Brazil within the quarter-final.
And the match was tightly contested with few clear-cut probabilities. Nonetheless, the sport’s solely objective got here within the 51st minute when Umtiti received on the tip of the nook to present his staff the lead.
Going into the ultimate, followers nonetheless remembered the Euro loss towards Portugal. Even Didier Deschamps acknowledged that his gamers have been nonetheless not over the loss. “Two years in the past, I keep in mind what occurred two years in the past. We’ll go into this last to win it, as we now have nonetheless not gotten over the (2016) last,” Deschamps mentioned earlier than the ultimate.
France confronted Croatia within the last. The staff led by the enigmatic Luka Modric had received each knockout match both on penalties or within the extra-time. Furthermore, Croatia had perfected the artwork of dragging their staff down with their spectacular defence earlier than attempting them out and defeating them.
Nonetheless, within the last, France confirmed why their class and as they opened the scoring within the 18th minute. The Vatreni equalised however a penalty awarded after a VAR assessment received France their lead earlier than half-time.
Any hopes the Croatians had of a comeback have been shortly dashed away by way of two sensible objectives scored by Pogba and Mbappe. And after years of frustration and heartbreaks, France received their second World Cup title delivered to them by their golden era.
⭐️⭐️#FRA
France have received the 2018 FIFA #WorldCup in Moscow! #FRACRO // #WorldCupFinal pic.twitter.com/fZhmJmxjVh
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) July 15, 2018
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2022 FIFA World Cup- France’s golden era script historical past
On the 2022 FIFA World Cup, one of many first jobs France had at their fingers was to interrupt a curse. Since 2010, each defending champion had been eradicated within the group stage. Italy in 2010, Spain in 2014, and Germany in 2018 had all fallen prey within the first spherical.
To make issues extra difficult, the staff have been additionally with out their star midfield duo of N’Golo Kante and Paul Pogba. This implies the baton within the midfield was handed to gamers such because the younger star Aurelien Tchouameni and the skilled Adrien Rabiot. France additionally had new stars, corresponding to Dayot Upamecano, Marcus Thuram, Eduardo Camavinga, Ibrahim Konate, Jules Kounde, and Theo Hernandez.
France didn’t care a lot for the curse as they once more topped their group with two wins over Denmark and Australia. Within the spherical of 16, France defeated Poland with two objectives from Mbappe and one from Giroud.
Standing subsequent in line within the quarter-finals have been England, who themselves have been a drive to reckon with Tchouameni opening the scoring. Nonetheless, England equalised within the second half earlier than Giroud introduced his appreciable sport expertise to present them the lead once more.
England’s persistence received them one other penalty, however Kane blazed the ball excessive into the stands. France held on for the rest of the sport and went into the ultimate 4.
And ready for them within the semi-finals have been Morocco, a staff that had confronted Belgium, Spain and Portugal and nonetheless didn’t concede a objective. The Africans had mastered the artwork of resolute defending and had the sensible Yassine Bounou saving the whole lot thrown at him. In truth, the one objective they conceded was an personal objective.
The match was, in a approach, a rematch of the Croatia match 4 years again. As well as, France have been additionally with out the companies of star defender Dayot Upamecano and Adrien Rabiot. Nonetheless, such was the depth of the French squad that that they had enough replacements within the type of Youssouf Fofana and Ibrahim Konate.
And it took France solely 5 minutes to interrupt Morocco’s defence as Theo Hernandez volleyed the ball into the online. Morocco, who have been by no means behind within the World Cup, got here laborious, however the spectacular Lloris in objective ensured France’s lead remained intact. Substitute Randal Kolo Muani added one other to place the match past Morocco’s attain.
This took them one step close to to their dream of defending their title. And in top-of-the-line finals ever performed within the World Cup, France got here down from 2-0 to stage the match within the last minutes to take the sport into further time. Then, after falling behind another time, they battle again.
Nonetheless, France misplaced on penalties to lose the ultimate within the cruellest manners. Lionel Messi and Co. went dwelling with the trophy, whereas the French returned dwelling understanding they have been on the cusp of changing into top-of-the-line groups ever in World Cup historical past.
However nonetheless, France have managed to do what few groups have managed. And make no errors; with a number of of their gamers but to hit their prime, they are going to be one of many favourites to win the title in 2026.
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