FRANCE98 – France Team Page

France’s obstinate quest for more substantial honours than the third place achieved in Sweden in the 1958 World Cup under the leadership of Albert Batteux, with a side built around the backbone of the Stade de Reims team, was finally rewarded when the exceptionally gifted “Platini generation,” managed by Michel Hidalgo then Henri Michel, established a solid reputation in the international arena.

The immediate successors of the vintage teams of the eighties failed to live up to expectations, but since the traumatic exit from the 1994 World Cup, Aimé Jacquet has got the train back on the rails. An unbeaten run of 30 games and a semi-final place at Euro 96 have restored confidence and rekindled ambitions.

These are two qualities that this talented group will not want to be short of in the 1998 World Cup, for the host team is already being tipped as favorite.

The Players for the Tournoi de France

# Player Pos. Club Age Caps* Goals*

16 Fabien BARTHEZ G Monaco 26 6

1 Lionel CHARBONNIER G AJ Auxerre 30 0

5 Laurent BLANC D FC Barcelona 31 59 11

2 Vincent CANDELA D AS Roma 23 4

8 Marcel DESAILLY D AC Milan 28 33 1

4 Franck LEBOEUF D Chelsea 29 9 2

12 Bixente LIZARAZU D Athletic Bilbao 27 27 1

18 Bruno N’GOTTY D Paris SG 27 4

15 Lilian THURAM D Parma 25 22

7 Didier DESCHAMPS M Juventus Turin 28 58 4

6 Youri DJORKAEFF M Inter Milan 29 27 14

19 Christian KAREMBEU M Sampdoria Genoa 26 26 1

3 Pierre LAIGLE M Sampdoria Genoa 26 5

17 Patrick VIEIRA M Arsenal 25 23 5

10 Zinedine ZIDANE M Juventus Turin 25 23 5

13 Ibrahim BA F Bordeaux 24 3 1

9 Christophe DUGARRY F AC Milan 25 18 2

21 Marc KELLER F Karlsruhe 29 3

11 Patrice LOKO F Paris SG 27 25 7

22 Florian MAURICE F Lyon 23 1

20 Nicolas OUEDEC F Espanol Barcelona 25 6 1

14 Robert PIRES F Metz 23 5 2

*Caps and Goals as of 30 May 1997

11 Oct 1997 France – South Africa 2-1

11 Jun 1997 France – Italy 2-2 (Tournoi de France)

7 Jun 1997 France – England 0-1 (Tournoi de France)

3 Jun 1997 France – Brazil 1-1 (Tournoi de France)

2 Apr 1997 France – Sweden 1-0

26 Feb 1997 France – Netherlands 2-1

22 Jan 1997 Portugal – France 0-2

9 Nov 1996 Denmark – France 1-0

9 Oct 1996 France – Turkey 4-0

31 Aug 1996 France – Mexico 2-0

26 Jun 1996 France – Czech Republic 0-0 (Euro 96) Czech Republic won on penalties

22 Jun 1996 France – Netherlands 0-0 (Euro 96) France won on penalties

18 Jun 1996 France – Bulgaria 3-1 (Euro 96)

15 Jun 1996 France – Spain 1-1 (Euro 96)

10 Jun 1996 France – Romania 1-0 (Euro 96)

5 Jun 1996 France – Armenia 2-0

1 Jun 1996 Germany – France 0-1

European Champion in 1984 World Cup semi-finalist in 1958, 1982, and 1986

Semi-finalist in the European Championship 1996

Aimé JACQUET
Born on 27 November 1941 at Sail-sous-Couzan (Loire)

Playing Career

1961 – 1973 AS Saint-Etienne

1973 – 1976 Olympique Lyonnais

Managerial Career

1976 – 1980 Olympique Lyonnais

1980 – 1989 Girondins de Bordeaux

1989 – 1991 Montpellier-Hérault

1990 – 1991 AS Nancy-Lorraine

Joined the National Technical staff at the start of the 1992/93 season. Assisted national team coach Gérard Houllier from 15 July 1992. Appointed French national team coach on 17 December 1993.

Honours

Player

2 full French caps

5 times winner of the French championship with Saint-Etienne (1963-64, 1966-67, 1967-68, 1968-69, 1969-70)

3 times winner of the French Cup with Saint-Etienne (1962, 1968, 1970)

Club Manager

3 times champion of France with Bordeaux (1983-84, 1984-85, 1986-87)

twice winner of the French Cup with Bordeaux (1986, 1987)

National Team Coach

semi-finalist of Euro 96

winner of the Kirin Cup 94 in Japan