The Story of France National Team in The World Cup Part 1

France qualified for the FIFA World Cup fifteen times and was absent from the finals of 1950, 1962, 1970, 1974, 1990, and 1994.

It was one of the four European teams that participated in the first edition of the FIFA World Cup that took place in Uruguay in 1930.

France won the 1998 FIFA World Cup and the 2018 FIFA World Cup, came second during the 2006 FIFA World Cup, ranked third in the 1958 FIFA World Cup and the FIFA World Cup1986, and the fourth year in the 1982 FIFA World Cup.

France 1998: The Story of The First Title

France hosted the 16th edition of the World Cup on its soil, from June 10 to July 12, 1998, and France was chosen to organize the tournament on July 2, 1992, in the Swiss city of Zurich, after a competition with Morocco and the withdrawal of Switzerland from the race.

This tournament is the first to witness the participation of 32 teams instead of 24 in the previous tournament in 1994 in the United States of America.

The FIFA decision to increase the chances of qualification, especially from the continents of Africa and Asia to the World Cup finals, without prejudice to the percentage allocated to each of Europe and South America.

The tournament witnessed the participation of several countries for the first time in its history, namely South Africa, Croatia, Jamaica, and Japan 171 goals were scored in the tournament, which is the highest total number of goals scored in a single tournament (Shared with the 2014 World Cup).

France topped its group in the first round with three consecutive victories.

At the Velodrome in Marseille, the French team defeated South Africa 3-0, scored by Christophe Dugarry, Thierry Henry, and South African defender Pierre Issa, by an own goal.

Then France swept at the Stade de France, the Saudi team 4-0.

The goals of the French national team were scored by Thierry Henry 2, David Trezeguet, and Bixente Lizarazu

In a match in which Zinedine Zidane received a red card after attacking the Saudi player Saeed Al-Owairan.

France concluded the group stage with a 2-1 victory over Denmark at Stade Guerlain in Lyon. Youri Djorkaeff and Emmanuel Petit scored for France, while Michael Laudrup scored the only goal for Denmark.

In the second round, the French national team faced Paraguay at the Polar Douli stadium in Lens. The 90 minutes of the match ended in a goalless draw.

Veteran Laurent Blanc scored the golden goal in extra time, specifically in the 114th minute, declaring France's qualification to the quarterfinals.

In the quarterfinals, France faced Italy at the Stade de France in Paris.

And the 120 min ended 0-0, so the two teams resorted to the penalty shootout, where France won 4-3.

Zidane, Trezeguet, Henry, and Laurent Blanc scored for France, and Lizarazu missed, while Roberto Baggio, Costacurta, and Vieri scored for Italy, while Albertini and Di Biago missed.