The France national football team is a successful European football team, generally considered to be one of the stronger sides in international football today.

France came third in the World Cups of 1958, a reasonably isolated success. The generation of Platini and others came fourth in 1982, and third in 1986. In between, they won the European Championship in 1984.

France's most successful years were the 1990s, the generation of Zidane and others. This team played in the semifinals of Euro 96, two years later hosted and won the 1998 World Cup, and two years later won Euro 2000.

Ranked as favourites despite losing key players through injury (Zidane, Pirès), this team's performance in the 2002 World Cup was dismal, not winning a single game, nor scoring a goal. Despite this they were still the favourites to win Euro 2004, but were beaten in the quarter-finals by the eventual winners Greece.

World Cup record

• 1930 - Round 1
• 1934 - Round 1
• 1938 - Round 2
• 1950 - Did not qualify
• 1954 - Round 1
• 1958 - Third place
• 1962 - Did not qualify
• 1966 - Round 1
• 1970 - Did not qualify
• 1974 - Did not qualify
• 1978 - Round 1
• 1982 - Fourth place
• 1986 - Third place
• 1990 - Did not qualify
• 1994 - Did not qualify
• 1998 - Champions
• 2002 - Round 1

European Championship record

• 1960 - Fourth place
• 1964 to 1980 - Did not qualify
• 1984 - Champions
• 1988 - Did not qualify
• 1992 - Round 1
• 1996 - Semifinals
• 2000 - Champions
• 2004 - Quarterfinals

Famous Players

• Fabien Barthez
• Laurent Blanc
• Eric Cantona
• Marcel Desailly
• Didier Deschamps
• Youri Djorkaeff
• Just Fontaine
• Thierry Henry
• Christian Karembeu
• Raymond Kopa
• Bixente Lizarazu
• Robert Pires
• Michel Platini
• Lilian Thuram
• David Trezeguet
• Patrick Vieira
• Sylvain Wiltord
• Zinedine Zidane

External links

• RSSSF archive of most capped players and highest goalscorers
• RSSSF archive of coaches 1960-