French team coach. Didier Deschamps Tips Zinedine Zidane as Potential Future French National Team Coach

Who are some of the most successful French soccer managers of all time. How has France produced influential coaches that have shaped modern football. What accomplishments define the top French managers in history.

The Legacy of French Football Managers

France has long been a powerhouse in world football, not just for producing talented players, but also for developing influential coaches who have left an indelible mark on the beautiful game. From tactical innovators to trophy collectors, French managers have shaped modern football in profound ways. This article explores the rich history and accomplishments of France’s top coaches, examining how they’ve impacted the sport both domestically and internationally.

Didier Deschamps’ Endorsement of Zinedine Zidane

Current French national team manager Didier Deschamps recently made headlines by tipping former teammate and football legend Zinedine Zidane as a potential successor. “It’s probable that one day he could succeed me on the bench,” Deschamps stated, acknowledging Zidane’s managerial prowess and potential future with Les Bleus. This endorsement from one French football icon to another highlights the continued legacy of French managers at the highest levels of the sport.

The Top 10 French Managers in Football History

Compiling a list of the greatest French managers is no easy task, given the wealth of talent and success the country has produced. However, based on factors such as influence, trophy hauls, and lasting impact, here are ten coaches who stand out in French football history:

1. Albert Batteux
2. Michel Hidalgo
3. Aimé Jacquet
4. Arsène Wenger
5. Didier Deschamps
6. Guy Roux
7. Gérard Houllier
8. Luis Fernández
9. Raymond Goethals
10. Paul Le Guen

Albert Batteux: The Domestic Dominator

Albert Batteux stands as the most successful coach in French domestic football history. His achievements include:

• 8 Ligue 1 titles (record for a manager)
• Led Stade de Reims to 5 league titles
• Guided Saint-Etienne to 4 consecutive league titles from 1967-1970
• Reached two European Cup finals with Reims
• Named one of the best coaches of the 20th century by France Football

Batteux’s tactical acumen and ability to build dominant teams across multiple clubs cement his place as one of France’s managerial greats. How did he manage to achieve such consistent success across different teams and eras? Batteux’s emphasis on attacking football and ability to nurture young talent were key factors in his sustained dominance of French football.

Michel Hidalgo: Architect of Les Bleus’ Renaissance

Michel Hidalgo may not have the domestic trophy haul of some other managers, but his impact on the French national team was transformative. Hidalgo’s key accomplishments include:

• Led France to victory in the 1984 European Championship
• Guided France to a fourth-place finish in the 1982 World Cup
• Helped revitalize the national team after a 12-year absence from major tournaments
• Named World Manager of the Year by World Soccer magazine in 1984

Hidalgo’s tactical approach, which emphasized creative, attacking football, laid the groundwork for France’s future success on the international stage. How did Hidalgo’s philosophy influence subsequent generations of French players and coaches? His emphasis on technical skill and fluid attacking movements became hallmarks of French football, influencing the development of future stars and tactical approaches.

The Rise of Zinedine Zidane as a Manager

While not included in the top 10 list due to his relatively short managerial career, Zinedine Zidane’s rapid rise as a coach deserves special mention. His achievements thus far include:

• 3 consecutive UEFA Champions League titles with Real Madrid (2016-2018)
• 2 La Liga titles
• 2 FIFA Club World Cup trophies
• Named FIFA Best Men’s Coach in 2017

Zidane’s success as a manager builds on his legendary playing career, showcasing his ability to translate on-field brilliance into effective leadership from the touchline. What factors have contributed to Zidane’s quick ascent in management? His tactical understanding, man-management skills, and the respect he commands from players due to his playing career have all played crucial roles in his success.

Zidane’s Potential Future with the French National Team

Given Didier Deschamps’ recent comments, speculation about Zidane’s future with Les Bleus is likely to intensify. Zidane’s connection to the national team as a player, combined with his managerial success at club level, make him an intriguing candidate to eventually take the helm of the French national team. How might Zidane’s tactical approach and experience translate to international management? His ability to manage star players and his experience in high-pressure situations could be valuable assets in guiding France at major tournaments.

The Impact of French Managers on Global Football

French managers have not only shaped domestic football but have also left their mark on the global game. Coaches like Arsène Wenger revolutionized English football during his tenure at Arsenal, while others like Gérard Houllier found success across multiple countries. What common traits or philosophies unite these successful French managers?

• Emphasis on technical skill and ball possession
• Willingness to integrate young talent
• Tactical flexibility and innovation
• Strong focus on player development

These shared characteristics have helped establish a distinct “French school” of football management, influencing coaching approaches worldwide. How has this French influence shaped modern football tactics and training methods? The focus on technical proficiency and tactical flexibility has become increasingly prevalent in top-level football, with many teams adopting elements of the French approach.

Challenges and Opportunities for Future French Managers

As football continues to evolve, future French managers will face new challenges and opportunities. The increasing globalization of the sport, advancements in technology and data analysis, and changing player dynamics all present unique hurdles for aspiring coaches. How can the next generation of French managers build on the legacy of their predecessors while adapting to these new realities?

• Embracing data-driven decision making
• Developing skills in multi-cultural man-management
• Adapting tactical approaches to counter evolving playing styles
• Balancing traditional French football philosophy with modern innovations

By addressing these challenges head-on, future French managers can continue the country’s proud tradition of producing influential and successful coaches. What steps are being taken at the grassroots level to nurture the next generation of French managerial talent? The French Football Federation’s coach education programs and emphasis on youth development are key initiatives aimed at maintaining France’s position as a footballing powerhouse both on and off the pitch.

The Enduring Legacy of French Football Management

From Albert Batteux’s domestic dominance to Zinedine Zidane’s European success, French managers have consistently left their mark on football history. The potential for Zidane to eventually succeed Deschamps as national team manager represents a continuation of this rich tradition. As the beautiful game continues to evolve, the influence of French coaches remains a constant, shaping tactics, developing talent, and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in football management.

The legacy of French football management is not just about trophies and accolades, but about a philosophy and approach to the game that has influenced generations of players and coaches worldwide. As we look to the future, it’s clear that French managers will continue to play a pivotal role in shaping the landscape of global football, building on a foundation of innovation, skill development, and tactical brilliance that has defined their contributions to the sport for decades.

The 10 Best French Managers Of All Time

France has not only developed some of the greatest footballers to grace the beautiful game, but on the touchline, their coaches have shaped today’s game.

Creating a list of the men deemed to be the greatest French managers is as tough as putting your kids in an order of preference. There are some obvious choices, but whether it be due to their influence on the game, success at some of the best clubs or just the respect they command, narrowing down the list is not easy.

Zinedine Zidane has already won the Champions League and has pushed Real Madrid to the top of La Liga once again, but still in the early stages of his career, he just misses out.

The same fate meets Jocelyn Gourvennec, Hervé Renard, Rémi Garde and many more. They will all have chance to continue their journey, making this list even harder in the future.

Here are Football Whispers’ 10 greatest French managers.

10. Paul Le Guen – Olympique Lyonnais

A little controversial choice to kick things off, but you could argue his merits for hours. Once he left France in 2005, things turned a little sour.

A poor start at Rangers, winning just two of 10 games, makes him one of the worst coaches in Old Firm history. However, this is a man that won three-straight league titles with Olympique Lyonnais. He took over from Jacques Santini won the first of OL’s seven titles and steered the club in a brand-new direction. Gerard Houllier and Alain Perrin would also enjoy success in Lyon, but you can argue that they benefited from the foundations that Le Guen built.

His team is legendary, far more respected than the coach: Sidney Govou, Péguy Luyindula, Juninho Pernambucano and Giovani Élber. All Lyon legends. Le Guen’s influence can’t be forgotten.

He would take over Paris Saint-Germain in the worst term in their history, but stopped them from being relegated and then helped them win the Coupe de la Ligue in 2008.

9. Albert Batteux – Stade de Reims

Ligue 1’de en çok şampiyon olan teknik direktör (8 kez) Albert Batteux pic. twitter.com/MmYXoMdPNu

— Ligue 1 Türkçe (@Ligue1_Turkce) September 14, 2016

Not an instantly recognisable name on the list, but Albert Batteux is the most successful coach in the history of French domestic football. As a player, the midfielder helped Stade de Reims win the title in 1949, but his greatest success would come as he transitions into a manager.

At just 29 years old, the players were unconvinced of his credentials, but by winning the league with the Champagne side in 1953 and 1955, he some silence any doubters. Batteux then took them into Europe and twice reach the final of the European Cup – only to meet the imperious Real Madrid in the final both times. Three more league crowns would follow.

Not to be classed as a one-club-man, he would then kick off Saint-Etienne’s successful spell in the 70’s, helping Les Verts to four league titles in ’67, ’68, ’69 and ’70 – he also won two Coupe de France trophies.

France Football named his as one of the best coaches of the 20th century and in 2008, Stade de Reims named a stand after him.

8. Michel Hidalgo – France

Avant ce #FRAALL comment ne pas avoir une pensée pour Michel HIDALGO, premier sélectionneur français victorieux 1984 pic.twitter.com/r8A5Tdkd8D

— KARL OLIVE (@KARLOLIVE) July 7, 2016

As a player, Michel Hidalgo won the French Division 1 twice. He never lifted the league crown as a manager, but after taking over as manager of the France national team in 1976, he was instrumental in helping rebuild the fortune of Les Bleus.

In 1982, with a team spearheaded by Michel Platini and Dominique Rocheteau, Hidalgo helped France finish fourth in 1982, after failing to qualify for the tournament for 12 years – only losing to Germany on penalties. The Normand-native would get his moment two years’ later as he guided the hosts all the way to European Championship glory.

After lifting the French Manager of the Year award in 1982, World Soccer magazine named him World Manager of the Year in 1984

7.

Luis Fernández – PSG

Luis Fernandez quitte RMC. pic.twitter.com/wieyHUDgMv

— L’info médiatique (@infomedias_) July 30, 2016

Successful as a player, he was part of the magnificent midfield that helped France win the 1984 European Championships under Hidalgo. Then, Luiz Fernandez went into management. He turned AS Cannes into a European team before heading to the bright lights of Paris. Although he never won the league, he did pick up two domestic trophies and became a bit of a cup expert. In 1996 he guided the club to the Cup Winners’ Cup, becoming the first French manager to win a European trophy.

Laurent Blanc won more at PSG than Fernández, but with more support and in a much stronger position, The Spanish-born coach would return in 2000 for a second-term and was instrumental in bringing Ronaldinho to Europe. Fernández should be on this list for that reason alone.

Now, the coach is more famous for being part of talk radio channel, RMC and his program, Luis Attaque.

6. Jean-Claude Suaudeau – FC Nantes

Joueur puis entraîneur mythique du #FCNantes, Jean-Claude Suaudeau fête aujourd’hui ses 78 ans ! #TeamFCN pic.twitter.com/9BNAfGgFv0

— #TeamFCN Officiel (@TeamFCN) May 24, 2016

READ MORE: ALLEZ LES BLEUS: THE FORGOTTEN EUROS OF FRANCE 1984

When looking at the greatest ever French managers, you have to look at the men behind the most successful club sides. With eight Ligue 1 titles, FC Nantes deserve their place in French football history and the 1994-95 team will never be forgotten.

In charge of that team was Jean-Claude “Coco” Suaudeau. It was his second spell at the club he won two titles with as a player and he was looking to emulate his 1983 success as coach. Suaudeau would go one better. Not only did they lift the title, but they went 32 games unbeaten during a single season, a record still to be beaten. Players such as Claude Makélélé, Christian Karembeu, Patrice Loko and Reynald Pedros starred in that side, but it will always be the team that Coco built.

José Arribas won three titles with Les Canaris and Jean Vincent won two, but it was in the way Suaudeau was victorious that puts him ahead of the others.

5. Robert Herbin – Saint-Etienne

Une légende fête aujourd’hui ses 77 ans… Joyeux anniversaire Monsieur Robert Herbin ! pic.twitter.com/eow4wZo51B

— AS Saint-Étienne (@ASSEofficiel) March 30, 2016

One mistake that OGC Nice might always regret is rejecting Robert Herbin as a youngster. The utility player was snapped up by Saint-Étienne in 1957, and the rest they say, is history.

As a player, he won five league titles and three Coupe de France trophies. Not bad, then within four years of his last cup as a player, he won three straight league titles as a coach. Thrown in the Coupe de France in three out of four years, a spot in the Champions League final against Bayern Munich and another league crown in 1981 and you have one of the most decorate men in French football history.

Blending youth with stars such as Michel Platini and Dominique Rocheteau, the red-haired coach had an amazing 11-year spell at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, until he left for bitter rivals Lyon in 1983. Karma struck though, and he couldn’t save them from relegation.

He also remains the only coach in modern football to score a goal. At the end of the 1974-75 campaign, after his 36th birthday, and with Sainté already crowned champions, he played at full-back and scored from the spot in a win over Troyes.

4. Didier Deschamps – France

The famous water-carrier of the French national team. His career might not get better than lifting the World Cup on home soil in 1998, but through his managerial exploits, he’s definitely trying.

With AS Monaco, he won the Coupe de la Ligue in 2003 and then with an excellent team, consisting of Jérôme Rothen, Ludovic Giuly and Fernando Morientes, he took them all the way to the Champions League final. Only to be beaten 3-1 by Jose Mourinho’s FC Porto.

Juventus fans will always remember fondly for guiding them out of Serie B in 2007, but it was back in his home country that he really developed. Before PSG’s dominance, he helped Marseille win Ligue 1 in 2010, then three straight Coupe de la Ligue crowns.

His biggest success has come with the national team as Deschamps had to rebuild the team after Raymond Domenech and Laurent Blanc.

Harmony, no drama and a blend of youth an experience. The first signs of progress were seen in Brazil, but after falling at the final hurdle during Euro2016, France showed they were finally free of the ghosts of 2010.

3. Guy Roux – Auxerre

Success is not always measured in trophies and gold, sometimes it’s more important to look at what someone has achieved, what they brought to the game and how they changed it. That is why Guy Roux is still one of the most respected coaches in France.

In what was actually his second of three spells at the AJ Auxerre, he would remain part of the club for an unprecedented 44 years, from 1961 to 2005. His introduction to the club was as bizarre as they come. He arrived at the club in 1961 to play in a friendly against Crewe Alexandra. With the English side struggling with injuries, they were looking for a translator to ask Auxerre to loan them some players. Roux stepped in, played against the French side and President Jean Garnault offered to sign him up. Roux wanted to be player/coach but Garnault was reluctant due to his lack of experience.

The future coach would lay out a six-page letter of his ideas of how to run the club and manage the team, eventually they accept due to the fact he is the cheapest option available. He returned from military service in 1964 and 32 years later, Auxerre would win their only Ligue 1 crown.

Roux would continually develop talent at the Burgundy club. His influence could been seen in France’s 1998 World Cup and throughout all the coaches that have crossed his path. French football would not be the same with Monsieur Roux

2. Aimé Jacquet – France

A successful club manager in his own right – he won the Coupe de France twice and three league titles with Bordeaux in the 1980s, however, it was his appointment as Director of the National Technical Training Centre in 1991 than would begin his path to greatness.

A year later he was appointed as Gérard Houllier’s assistant for the national team. Failure to reach the ’94 World Cup saw Jacquet named provisional manager.

Reaching the semi-finals of Euro ’96 lay the foundations for what would come two years later.

It nearly all went downhill the year before the tournament. Third place at Le Tournoi had the fans calling for his resignation and the press continually labelled him as incompetent.

France may not have been flamboyant or eye-catching, but they were well-organised and disciplined. The perfect blend of youth and experience in the squad, he knew that defence was their strength and let them lead from the back, it was a masterstroke in knowing what makes your squad tick. Tactical astuteness from Jacquet saw them expose Brazil and set-pieces, and the rest, as they say, is history.

1.Arsène Wenger – Arsenal

Regardless of how his story at Arsenal ends, Arsène Wenger’s place at the top table of football management should never be belittled of forgotten.

Arriving from Japan, no one gave the French boss a chance of success. However, Le Professor, changed modern football for the better. He signed players he believed in, got the best out of what was there when he arrived at Highbury and he also turned Arsenal into a professional team that looked nothing like teams of that era knew existed.

His influence is why players are healthier and fitter. Wenger changed the way Arsenal trained, his immense attention to detail. He transformed the way his players ate and trained and this filtered down through the leagues. Watching the likes of Tony Adams, Martin Keown and Lee Dixon extend their careers, convinced other managers they needed to do the same.

As a man-manager, they are not many better. Thierry Henry and Robin van Persie just two of his many success stories.

The only issue with Wenger is, he changed the game 20 years ago. Now, the modern game seems to have somewhat passed him buy. Money in the game has changed, teams have caught up in the technical and analytical preparation, and, although not the view of everyone, he’s lost some of the fans.

It may be time for the Frenchman to move on, let someone else pick up the baton, but no one manager has had more influence on the modern game then Strasbourg’s most famous son.

Watch Episode 11 of Football Whispers TV.

FIFA World Cup 2018: France coach Didier Deschamps on brink of history

A firm hand on the tiller for France comes not only from captaining a World Cup-winning team 20 years ago, but also from some harsh lessons in Didier Deschamps’ six years as coach.

Unfairly derided as a “water carrier” in his playing days in the French midfield, Deschamps has proven both innovative and brave as coach, and is now one victory away from joining an elite club.

READ | Reputations burnished, others buffeted at ‘best World Cup ever’

Only Brazil’s Mario Zagallo and Germany’s Franz Beckenbauer have won the World Cup as both a player and a coach. Deschamps will join them if his team win Sunday’s final against Croatia in Moscow.

His six years in charge have provided not only a French record 52 wins in 82 matches but also see him deal with the bitter disappointment of defeat at home in Paris to Portugal in the 2016 European Championship final plus the storm over Karim Benzema’s suspension.

Deschamps was accused of racism and had graffiti to that effect scrawled on the wall of his house after Benzema was kicked out of the team over a sex tape scandal, but making bold decisions has been a hallmark of his tenure.

READ | FIFA World Cup: Three key battles that will decide the France vs Croatia final

Paul Pogba was dropped during the last World Cup in Brazil, Samuel Umtiti brought in during EURO-2016, and in Russia two inexperienced fullbacks were chosen from the start of the tournament.

The fact that only nine players have survived from the EURO-2016 squad shows a steely streak, with Deschamps not hesitating to offer a chance to players with potential. Kylian Mbappe would seem obvious, but Lucas Hernandez and Benjamin Pavard on the flanks now looks inspired.

TEAM SPIRIT

For Deschamps, who turns 50 in October, much is about a family atmosphere. Mobile phones are banned when the players eat together, and efforts to build team spirit are a top priority. A PlayStation world cup, complete with group phases and subsequent knockout rounds, is among the activities to take the players’ minds off the football while keeping the competitive juices flowing.

READ | FIFA World Cup 2018: Croatia coach Zlato Dalic chooses hard path to success

Tactics and formations have changed too, but always predicated on a solid defence.

“He deserves all the credit,” said captain Hugo Lloris after the semi-final success over Belgium.

“He is the one who develops the game plans. This victory is his. We applied to the letter what he asked us to do.”

“We need a coach who gives us his confidence, who knows how to approach the games,” added Antoine Griezmann.

“Since the beginning of the competition he has got it right, and I hope it will be the same for the final,” he said.

Win or lose on Sunday, Deschamps will be staying in the job, French Football Federation president Noel Le Graet said this week, pointing out that his contract still has two years to run.

French rugby chief says coach Galthié breached Covid-19 bubble

Issued on: 01/03/2021 – 17:21

France head coach Fabien Galthié did not stay inside the team’s bubble before a COVID-19 outbreak in the French squad that has led to the postponement of a Six Nations game, according to the French rugby federation president.

Speaking to French television station France 3 on Sunday, Bernard Laporte confirmed that Galthié left the team bubble to watch his son play a rugby match after France thrashed Italy last month in its opening Six Nations match.

Laporte stopped short of criticizing Galthié, though.

“I don’t see where the problem could be. But then again, I’m not a doctor,” Laporte said, insisting that he continues to have confidence in his coach.

“For me, he has the right to leave from the moment he is masked. He was outside and masked,” Laporte said.

Galthié was among the members of the French squad who tested positive for coronavirus. The outbreak prompted the postponement of France’s match against Scotland last weekend. France had won its previous two matches.

Investigations have been launched into the outbreak by the federation and the government.

The initial accusations are focused on Galthié after the L’Equipe newspaper first reported that he breached health protocols that were tightened so the tournament itself could go ahead. L’Equipe said Galthie broke the rules before the win against Ireland and reported that some players went out to eat in Rome before routing Italy 50-10.

En ce jour de Saint-Valentin, j’espère que notre équipe de France a réussi à faire battre les coeurs des amoureux de rugby. Merci à nos supporters, vous nous donnez de la force.

Une pensée aux clubs amateurs qui ne peuvent pas jouer. Nous jouons aussi pour vous ?? pic.twitter.com/IKZjKocpeU

— Fabien Galthié (@FGalthie) February 14, 2021

Laporte said the players who went out to eat waffles in Rome had been tested again upon their return. He added that “obviously, zero risk does not exist.”

France Sports Minister Roxana Maracineanu has ordered an internal investigation and its conclusions are expected later this week. The Six Nations was in jeopardy until her government gave its go-ahead to the tournament three weeks ago only after approving the French federation’s stricter sanitary controls.

A new date for the game between Scotland and France has yet to be announced.

(AP)

France leaving nothing to chance in quest for World Cup glory

‘French flair’ is the hackneyed phrase used whenever the English-speaking rugby world tries to describe the joys of French running rugby. It implies that French players are born with a gift for the running game.

The reality is that French flair is a big fat white lie. A myth propagated in the English-speaking rugby world that does not recognise the excellent French thinking that created it. Great French coaching created an attacking philosophy that players learned, through an organised and methodical coaching process, not recognised in the English-speaking world.

The lineage of this excellent rugby thinking has its foundation with the great Jean Pratt, a World Rugby Hall of Fame player from the 1950s, who coached France to win their first Five Nations Championship in 1967.

The French team that will run out in Dublin this Sunday is the result of a decade of high performance planning. They have rekindled the spirit of Pratt’s coaching and evolved it with modern concepts.

After hosting the 2007 World Cup the French did the maths and focused on hosting and winning the 2023 tournament for their next money-making venture. For success in 2023, French rugby had to solve their political, coaching and playing problems.

Politically, the formidable Bernard Laporte was appointed president of the French Federation. A former French national coach, minister of sport and the head of their successful 2023 World Cup bid, Bernard is a serious operator.

Like France itself, the English-speaking world has constantly underestimated Laporte’s uncanny ability to muster resources that deliver political and on-field victories. I coached against Bernard and, despite what many have said about him, I always found him to be friendly and personable. He is also a rugby intellectual. Teams he coached used an attacking system that positioned their back row and hooker on the extreme flanks years before the Kiwis copied it.

The underlying reason for the decline in French performances in the previous decade was the shift in power from the French Federation to the presidents of the Top 14 clubs. Behind the scenes, Laporte engaged in a titanic political wrestling match to regain the French Federation’s power.

Unsurprisingly, Laporte won that battle and the French Test players are now rested from the Top 14 the week prior to the Six Nations to attend the international team camp.

Several years ago Laporte’s high performance department began targeting the French playing cohort who would play in 2023. All of the 40-plus club academies – or Centres de Formations – received substantial grants for building or purchasing gym and training equipment.

A national talent identification programme was launched at the Under-16 and Under-18 level as the high performance unit focused on winning the Under-20 Rugby World Cup tournaments of 2018, 2019 and 2020. While the pandemic forced the 2020 tournament to be abandoned, France won both the 2018 and 2019 Under-20 World Cups.

Specialised staff

Laporte appointed his former captain, Fabian Galthie, to join the French coaching team before becoming head coach after the 2019 World Cup. Raphael Ibanez, another former French captain, became the team manager. This leadership duo are extroverted, smiling, warm-hearted gentlemen. When it comes to rugby they are both cold-blooded, calculated warriors. In the eyes of their players and the French rugby public, they have gravitas, charisma and panache.

Laporte empowered Galthie to appoint his own staff. Shaun Edwards, the Welsh defensive wizard and distinguished former English and Balmain Tigers Rugby League player, took over the French defence.

Vlok Cilliers, a South African kicking coach, was also appointed along with William Servat who became scrum coach. The former Racing 92 coach, Laurent Labit, was put in charge of the attack. Julien Bonnaire took control of the lineout, with Karim Ghezal as skills coach. This type of specialised staff appointments were a first for France.

The 2023 World Cup is Galthie’s clear priority. He selects players he can shape and who are hungry to learn from his band of technical coaches.

He immediately cut players who would be too old in 2023. He introduced the French equivalent of the “no dickheads” recruitment policy. Every player had to have a ‘France first’ mindset, in their words and actions. Some high-quality players with equally high-quality egos did not get selected. The message to French rugby was clear. No-one is more important than the team.

The French team that runs out at the Aviva tomorrow, wearing that famous blue jersey with the cockerel over their heart, are the result of that grand plan. It is a team of talent, technical excellence, physical and mental toughness.

The great fear for the rest of the world is that this French team is not the finished article. They have another two years of learning until they will be at their peak. The hope for Ireland is that this young French team can have a bad day, as they did in Edinburgh last year. It’s a long shot but Ireland can win.

But the lesson here is of a far deeper consequence than the result of tomorrow’s game. Fabian Galthie and Andy Farrell were both assistant coaches at the 2019 World Cup. Both inherited losing teams. Both have been head coaches for exactly the same period of time.

Now look ahead to September 2023 when Ireland get on the plane to fly to Paris for the Rugby World Cup. Who do you think will better prepared? Ireland or France?

The honest answer should embarrass us all.

France coach Deschamps signs new contract until end of 2022

PARIS (AP) — France coach Didier Deschamps has extended his contract until 2022, giving him a chance to defend the World Cup title.

Since taking charge after the 2012 European Championship the former France captain has guided Les Bleus to the Euro 2016 final on home soil before winning the World Cup in Russia last year.

That made him one of only three coaches in soccer history to have won the World Cup as both a player and a coach, along with Mario Zagallo (Brazil) and Franz Beckenbauer (West Germany).

“I’m proud and honored to be the France coach. You know the attachment I still have for what this jersey represents,” Deschamps said Tuesday. “We are world champions (and) you are judged on your results. If France has not had good since results since 2012, I wouldn’t be sitting here now.”

Deschamps has formed a close relationship with French Football Federation president Noël Le Gräet, and they recently celebrated his national record-extending 100th game in charge. He has the highest number of wins (65) of any France coach, ahead of Michel Hidalgo and Raymond Domenech (tied on 41).

“It seems important for French football that Didier Deschamps stays in charge of the national team until December 31, 2022, in other words until the end of the World Cup in Qatar,” Le Gräet said Tuesday. “Furthermore, there is no arguing with his results (so) it’s a very logical decision.”

France will again be among the favorites at Euro 2020, with Le Gräet setting Deschamps the usual target of reaching at least the semifinals.

“Our team is among the best in the world today, second in the FIFA rankings,” Le Gräet said. “It wouldn’t be very serious not to have high expectations.”

Deschamps is also unique in having both played for and coached France at least 100 times, making 103 international appearances as a gritty but technically assured central midfielder with outstanding leadership and organizational skills. Since replacing former France teammate Laurent Blanc after Euro 2012, he has taken those same qualities into his coaching.

But his new contract is unlikely to be good news for Karim Benzema, the Real Madrid striker who remains sidelined since falling out of favor with Deschamps four years ago in a bitter fallout following Benzema’s alleged involvement in a sex-tape scandal.

Deschamps has shown both great loyalty and a ruthless streak, in keeping his faith in striker Olivier Giroud — despite Giroud being left out of the Chelsea side this season — and maintaining his hardliner position in overlooking Benzema despite his outstanding performances for Madrid.

“I’m happy in my job,” Deschamps said. “I have the best French players with a remarkable team spirit. There are many great things still to be done.”

___

More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

France rugby chief confirms that head coach Fabien Galthie left Covid bubble

France rugby boss Bernard Laporte has confirmed that head coach Fabien Galthie left the squad’s secure Six Nations bubble.

Galthie was one of 16 members of the French rugby squad that tested positive for Covid-19, which resulted in the game against Scotland being postponed.

Laporte was speaking to French television channel France 3 and revealed that Galthie left the secure bubble to watch his son Mathis play a match in the Stade Jean-Bouin in Paris, the day after they defeated Italy in Rome.

FRANCE 7 FÉMININ – Mise à jour situation sanitaire

Suite à la détection de deux cas suspicieux au sein de l’effectif, de nouveaux tests RT-PCR ont été réalisés cet après-midi.
Les deux cas identifiés sont testés négatifs à la Covid-19.
Retrouvez plus d’informations ici➡️

— France Rugby (@FranceRugby) February 27, 2021

“For me, he has the right to leave from the moment he is masked. He was outside,” the president of the French Rugby Federation said.

“He watched the match alongside Thomas Lombard [the director general of the Stade Francais team], who himself is tested every three days and also wore a mask. I don’t see where the problem could be, but then again I am not a doctor.”

Laporte ruled out sanctioning the French head coach, insisting that he had his full support to remain in charge of Les Bleus.

“Why wouldn’t I support him? I am not a prosecutor. And it’s not because I really like Fabien. He knows very well that I don’t give gifts to people,” Laporte commented.

Annoyance from the French Ministry of Sport

The French Minister for Sport Roxana Maracineanu had threatened to withdraw the France national team from the Six Nations in recent days, explaining that she was waiting on a full explanation from French rugby’s governing body.

“At the Ministry of Sports, we have authorised players to travel and also to train under certain conditions. We have given an authorisation, we can also withdraw that authorisation,” Maracineanu said.

“Where I’m worried is that we made an exception for athletes, for an organisation and I was very keen on it. They committed to a certain protocol. And when they did, it wasn’t just for rugby.

“It’s also for the rest of the sport, for the rest of the tournaments that are held elsewhere, that we all collectively have to be responsible. Then when there are mistakes, you have to take responsibility for your mistakes.”

France are due to take on England at Twickenham Stadium on March 13, but the fixture remains under some degree of doubt due to the controversy surrounding the positive Covid cases.

Read More About: bernard laporte, fabien galthie, france rugby, Six Nations

Welcome to FIFA.com News – Football pays tribute to Gerard Houllier

• Gerard Houllier passes away in the night between 13 and 14 December
• He was coach of the French national team from 1992 to 1993
• Houllier won several titles with Liverpool and also coached PSG and Lyon

The world of football has bid farewell to another leading figure in a year that has already claimed so many lives. Gerard Houllier, the former coach of the French national team, passed away in the night between 13 and 14 December. Aged 73, he died just a few days after undergoing aortic surgery.

The retired coach had been following a strict medical treatment plan since suffering an initial heart scare while in charge of Liverpool in 2001, and he had undergone another surgical intervention in October. Hospitalised once again in Paris in recent days, he had returned home on Sunday, only to pass away during the night.

Previously an amateur player for Hucqueliers and Le Touquet, Houllier had never been a professional footballer. Instead, he pursued a career in education, first as a school teacher then as an English teacher, though he never lost his passion for the game. It therefore came as an easy decision to swap his teaching post for the dugout of second division French side Nœux-les-Mines in 1976, his first appointment in professional football.

A dream title and painful elimination

Houllier’s path as a coach then took him to Lens and Paris Saint-Germain, where he clinched the French title in 1986, the high point of his three years in the capital between 1985 and 1988. He subsequently began work for the French Football Federation (FFF), serving as assistant to national team coach Henri Michel and later Michel Platini, before taking the top job himself following UEFA EURO 1992.

Unfortunately, his spell as France coach came to an end a year later after the bitter disappointment of the team’s bid to qualify for the 1994 FIFA World Cup USA™, their hopes extinguished by a last-minute goal in a 2-1 loss to Bulgaria in their final match.

Following a stint in charge of France’s U-18 and U-20 sides, he relaunched his career at Liverpool in 1998. Houllier held sway until 2004, memorably bringing joy to the Anfield faithful with an exceptional trophy haul in 2001, adding to the club’s silverware collection with the FA Cup, English League Cup, FA Charity Shield, UEFA Cup and UEFA Super Cup.

More success followed as Houllier clinched a pair of Ligue 1 titles with Lyon in 2006 and 2007, after which he took a step back for health reasons. He continued his involvement in the game as National Technical Director of the FFF, before returning to frontline club duties with Aston Villa in 2010. Once again, however, his doctors cautioned him regarding the health risks of coaching and the Therouanne native finally called time on his management career.

Since then, Houllier had been putting his vast knowledge of the game to use as head of global football for the Red Bull group, and also as an adviser to Lyon, while he also served on the FIFA Technical Study Group at several tournaments.

FIFA extends its deepest condolences to Gerard Houllier’s family and loved ones.

90,000 The strangest coach in history is back in business. He ditched the French national team and chose players according to the horoscope

All the “scorpions” in “Nantes” tensed.

All the “scorpions” in “Nantes” tensed.

• 68-year-old Raymond Domenech returned to coaching ten years later.On Saturday, Nantes announced his appointment
• Domenech did not work with clubs for 27 years: in the late 80s – early 90s he coached Lyon

When Raymond Domenech came home 10 years ago from the FIFA World Cup in South Africa, his little son asked, “Dad, are you going to jail?”

France squad failed for their second major tournament in a row, failing to overcome the group stage or win one match. The head coach of the team, which during the tournament began to boycott training and demanded his resignation, in 2010 was the most hated man in France.

“No, I wasn’t. I was second after Sarkozy, ”Domenech joked during the presentation of his autobiographical book“ All alone ”four years ago. The book helped the coach to partially restore a reputation that seemed beyond repair.

Photo: © Ross Kinnaird / Staff / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru

The former defender (246 appearances for Lyon) took over the senior squad in 2004 after 11 successful years at the helm of the French youth team. His appointment was unexpected for many, and the head of the French federation did not hide that he would prefer to see Laurent Blanc in this post.

The French team that failed Euro 2004 had a hard time gaining points in qualifying for the World Cup, and Domenech persuaded the representatives of the “golden generation” Zinedine Zidane, Claude Makelele and Lilian Thuram to resume their international careers.

Things began to improve, but Domenech’s personnel policy has always confused fans and journalists. He left out of the application Ludovic Julie from Barcelona without explanation, regularly called Pascal Chimbond’s no-name, preferred to put the unstable Fabien Barthez in the gates instead of Gregory Coupe, and also did not count on the country’s most promising defender Philippe Mexes.

And it would be fine if he just made non-obvious decisions that were contrary to public opinion. After all, many national team coaches do this. Domenech’s love for astrology was what played against him. As soon as the specialist explained that it was risky to take a person born under the sign of Scorpio to a sports team, the journalists discovered that Domenech really does not keep such in the national team. But it became clear why experienced player Robert Pires was not included in the roster.

Photo: © Ben Radford / Staff / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru

While the team was winning, the strange approach was attributed to eccentricity. At the 2006 World Championships, Domenech excelled at the task and not only made it to the semifinals, but also brought the team to the final, where it lost to Italy in a penalty shootout after the famous removal of Zinedine Zidane. Of course, after the tournament, everyone said that the result was the merit of the players, not the coach.

“If you have an outstanding player, there is no getting around it.Michel Hidalgo (head coach of the French national team in the seventies and eighties) had only heard all his life that Michel Platini decided everything in his team. In the teams for which Cruyff played, the coaches had to listen that it was he who was training and talking to the team. There is no getting away from this. There is no point in fighting this, ”said Domenech.

Domenech cited the match against Brazil in the quarterfinals of that World Cup as a counterargument. His plan was to force the Brazilian strikers to do their unloved work from the very beginning of the meeting with the help of hard pressure.

“Before the match, I told my players: you will see, by the end of the game they will have all the attackers on the field, and this will mean that you won, because they ran out of ideas. This is what happened when the Brazilians released Adriano and Robinho. I am happy that I led the team in that match, ”Domenech recalled.

However, the 2006 World Cup silver was Domenech’s only success in the national team. Conflicts with star players continued to accumulate, which made it increasingly difficult for the coach to recruit for tournaments – he either invited only those he wanted, then succumbed to external pressure.Patrick Vieira went to Euro 2008, who was physically not ready to perform. Jose Mourinho reacted harshly to Chelsea midfielder Claude Makelele’s call-up, saying Domenech treats the retired footballer like a slave.

Photo: © Phil Cole / Staff / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru

After the failure at the Euro 2008 group stage (4th place in the “group of death” with the Netherlands and Italy) Domenech either decided in a clever way to divert public attention from the result, or simply did not foresee how it would look from the outside, and live on French television during the analysis of the matches of the team made an offer to the presenter Estelle Denis.

Domenech did not take Karim Benzema and Samir Nasri to the next world championship, which caused another wave of criticism against him. The French national team got to the tournament itself after a dubious victory over the Irish team, when Thierry Henry scored a goal with his hand. In South Africa, during the France-Mexico duel, striker Nicolas Anelka sent Domenech several times during the game and was expelled from the national team the next day. Team captain Patrice Evra, who stood up for his friend, quarreled with coach Robert Duvernay to such an extent that Domenech had to separate them.The players refused to train that day, and it all ended in another fiasco.

Not surprisingly, Domenech did not receive tempting coaching offers for 10 years after this.

But at the same time, he has his own version of what happened to him. The federation and the media were initially opposed to him, because they wanted to see another person in the coaching post. The success at the 2006 World Cup only angered the local press, and since then any mistake he made was inflated to incredible proportions.

“I’ve always wondered how people work. I studied different communication skills, behavior analysis and so on. Among other things, he studied astrology and graphology. If I had said: “I am interested in graphology,” no one would have led the ear, because there is scientific evidence. But astrology is more about the mystical side of things, and as soon as I mentioned it, people began to think that I was putting on a wizard’s hat and casting over a crystal ball, ”Domenech laughs.

According to him, he left Robert Pires out of the application because he believed that the player had already passed the peak of his capabilities.And not at all because he is a Scorpio according to the horoscope.

“I read a book that stated that you cannot teach a Capricorn child in the same way as a child born under the sign of Gemini. The first is organized, purposeful, focused on one task. And the “twins” run in all directions, they cannot be tied to a chair and said, “Only work on this.” It got me hooked. Indeed, different people cannot be taught in the same manner. This is the approach I used. I have never used astrology to select the composition of the team, “- wrote Domenech in his book.

Karim Benzema and Javier Mascherano / Photo: © Daisuke Nakashima / AFLO / Global Look Press

I must say that the stars of the French national team who fell into disgrace did not succeed in it after Domenech’s resignation. Samir Nasri insulted journalists after his defeat at Euro 2012 and stopped being called up to the team when he was 26 years old. Karim Benzema was not called up for either Euro 2016 or the World Cup in Russia. According to Domenech, many of the French national team players he has worked with are too spoiled and capricious.Apparently, Blanc and Didier Deschamps who coached the team after him agree with him.

But if Domenech’s autobiography made an impression on someone, it was clearly not on the fans and players of Nantes. The appointment of the 68-year-old specialist was met with hostility – three hundred fans held a picket outside the Beaujouar stadium, and the hashtag “#DomenechNotWelcome” flew into Twitter trends in France.

However, he is no stranger to working in a hostile environment.

Read also:

90,000 The coach who made the French national team a grandeur.Michel Hidalgo died – Sport

TASS, March 26. Former head coach of the French national football team Michel Hidalgo has passed away at the age of 88. Under his leadership, the French team won their first ever title, winning the 1984 European home championship.

Hidalgo died of “natural exhaustion” surrounded by his family at his home in Marseille. France Info TV channel notes that he was never able to recover from the death of his friend, former French striker and Ballon d’Or winner Raymond Copa in 2017.

It was during the work of Hidalgo (1976-1984) that the French team managed to turn from the middle peasant into the grandeur of world football. Over the past 20 years, the French national team has been one of the favorites of every major tournament, the “tricolors” became the winners of the last 2018 World Cup in Russia. Also, the French won this title in 1998, and two years later won the European Championship.

When he was a football player, Hidalgo played as a midfielder. He did not win international awards, although together with his team “Reims” in the first European Cup of the 1955/56 season reached the final, where he scored the ball against Real Madrid.The French team then managed to recoup from the score 0: 2 and come out ahead in the second half thanks to a goal by Hidalgo, but in the end, Real Madrid scored two goals and won 4: 3.

The following year, Hidalgo moved to AS Monaco, where in 1966 he retired from his football career. With the Monegasques, he won two more French titles (the first with Reims in 1955) and won the French Cup twice. As part of the French national team, Hidalgo played only one match.

The return of the French national team to major tournaments

Hidalgo began his coaching career at the same “Monaco”, working with the reserve squad, and in March 1976 he was appointed head coach of the French national team.By this time, the highest achievements of the French national team were third place at the 1958 World Championships and fourth at the 1960 European Championships. Since then, the French team has participated in only one major tournament – the 1966 World Cup, but took the last place in the group there. Throughout his coaching career, Hidalgo instilled in his teams spectacular, attacking football and inspired the players that the main thing is to enjoy football.

Hidalgo’s first achievement was a victory in his group in the 1978 World Cup qualifier.But in the final in Argentina, the French again failed to leave the group, losing the first two lines to the hosts and the Italian national team. The French national team at that time was just beginning its path to the elite of world football. The team already included players who were to become European champions in six years, including 23-year-old midfielder Michel Platini.

However, the French did not qualify for the 1980 European Championship again, but managed to make their way to the finals of the 1982 World Cup.Hidalgo’s team started the tournament with a defeat to the British (1: 3), but managed to get out of the group thanks to a victory over Kuwait (4: 1) and a draw with the Czechoslovakians (1: 1). In the second group stage, the French beat the Austrians (1: 0) and the Northern Ireland national team (4: 1) and reached the semifinals, where they played a historic match with the German team.

The main time of the game ended with the score 1: 1, but by the 98th minute of the match the French players scored two unanswered goals. However, the FRG national team managed to recoup and snatch victory in the penalty shootout.This famous semi-final went down in football history also because for the first time in the world championships, the fate of a match was decided in a penalty shootout. The French approached the match for third place unmotivated and without Platini, as well as several other team leaders and lost to the Poles (2: 3).

Gold Team

The finest hour of French football came in 1984 at the European Championship held at home. This championship was a benefit to the outstanding footballer, captain and leader of the French national team, Platini.In five games, he scored nine goals and set a performance record in one European Championship, which is not beaten to this day.

In addition to Platini, the French national team had very strong other midfielders who perfectly complemented each other and defined the team’s game – Alain Giresse, Jean Tigana and Luis Fernandez. Subsequently, the group of these players, led by Platini, was called the magic square. The French confidently won all three matches in the group, being stronger than the Danes (1: 0), the Belgians (5: 0) and the Yugoslavs (3: 2).The most difficult for the Hidalgo team was the semifinal match.

The main time of the meeting with the Portuguese ended with a score of 1: 1, and at the beginning of the extra time the French were forced to recoup. In the 114th minute, thanks to the unexpectedly awakened talent of the defender Jean-François Dumergue, the hosts leveled the score, and five minutes later Platini scored the winning goal. Dumergue also opened the scoring in the match, and these two goals remained the only ones for him with the French national team.

In the final, the French beat the Spaniards with a score of 2: 0. The winning goal was scored by Platini again, and the second goal in the last minute of the meeting was scored by Bruno Bellon. After the historic victory, Hidalgo was named the best coach of the year in Europe by the English magazine World Soccer, but decided to leave his post. For the next two years, he worked as the technical director of the national team, resigning from the post of Minister of Sports of France.

“He was a great man, a unifier. Obviously he was passionate about a great game, it was he who gave the soul to the French national team since the mid-1970s, but I especially remember his human values.He knew how to find words, set people up for the best, I listened with great pleasure to his very calm conversations. Michel should not have screamed, he just calmly explained what he expected from each player, “- said in an interview with France Football, European champion Luis Fernandez 1984.

From 1986 to 1991, Hidalgo worked as a sports director at Marseille, during which time the club won the title of national champion three times and the French Cup once. In 2004, he accepted an offer to head the national team of the Republic of the Congo and worked with it until 2006, having retired at the age of 73.

90,000 The funniest coach in France returns.

One of the most unexpected and interesting coaching appointments took place in France. 68-year-old Raymond Domenech became the head of Nantes. The coach returned to football, under whose leadership the French national team took silver at the 2006 World Cup, but failed miserably and scandals at the 2010 World Cup.

Domenech joined the national team in the summer of 2004. Prior to that, he led the youth and Olympic teams for more than ten years.Raymond had to carry out reforms, thanks to which France, always filled with talent, could again become the best in the world and win, like at the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000.

Domenech turned out to be a coach with his own peculiarities, if not weirdness. When determining the composition, he was guided, among other things, by astrology: he determined the right players by the signs of the Zodiac. He trusted the Lions, who, in his opinion, help the team in defense like no one else, but tried to get rid of the Scorpions.The stars told Raymond not to take midfielders Robert Pires from Arsenal and Ludovic Julie from Barcelona to the 2006 World Cup. Later, for the same reason, Domenech left defender Philippe Mexes and forward David Trezeguet outside the national team.

“Astrology is a more mystical approach to understanding the world,” Domenech explained in his biography. – As soon as I mentioned it, people immediately pictured me wearing a sorcerer’s hat, looking into a crystal ball.However, astrology helps to understand the human character. Not predicting the future, but just getting to know the person better. That’s what I used it for. ”

At the 2006 World Cup, the French national team had a hard start in the group stage – with zero draws with Switzerland and South Korea, nevertheless, in the end, almost became the world champion. Having beaten Spain (3: 1), Brazil (1: 0) and Portugal (1: 0) in the playoffs, the French made their way to the final, where they met with Italy. This match went down in history, first of all, with the conflict between Zinedine Zidane and Marco Materazzi , which turned out to be the removal of the Frenchman.The main and extra time ended in a draw 1: 1, and in the penalty shootout everything was decided by Trezeguet’s miss.

Successful performance helped Raymond to extend his contract with the French federation until 2010. But then he started a streak of failures. At Euro 2008, the French national team took the last place in the group with the Netherlands, Italy and Romania. Domenech’s team scored only one point.

The failure at the 2010 World Cup had an even more negative background. First, the French had a hard time making their way to the tournament, beating Ireland in the “joints” thanks to the scandalous goal by William Gallas after a hand pass to by Thierry Henry .In the final stage, France started with a draw with Uruguay (0: 0) and defeat against Mexico (0: 2). After that, the coach had a conflict with Nicolas Anelka . Raymond removed the striker from the team, which did not like the rest of the players: in protest, they missed one training session. In the last round, the French lost to South Africa (0: 2) and took off in disgrace. It is curious that the situation has escalated to such an extent that before the game with South Africa, Domenech even had a conversation with the President of the country Nicolas Sarkozy .

The legendary French striker Eric Cantona gave a striking description of Raymond’s work. “I think Domenech is the worst coach of the French team since Louis XVI.”

After leaving the French national team, Domenech did not coach for 10 years. Although periodically his name appeared in the press not only as an expert on football issues, but also as a candidate for the position of head coach of some national teams – Algeria, Equatorial Guinea, Tunisia, Cameroon, Serbia. Raymond worked for his own pleasure with the children, and in professional football, it seemed that his career was over.

Domenech’s arrival at Nantes is a big surprise. The Canaries are currently ranked 16th in Ligue 1, just three points from the relegation zone. President of the club Waldemar Kita dismissed the former coach of Christian Gourcuff , and signed a contract with the former coach of the French national team until the end of the season.

Nantes fans did not like this appointment at all. After the announcement of Domenech’s arrival, three hundred people gathered at the Beaujouar stadium to express what they thought about what was happening.Canary fans are clamoring for Keith to leave the club, and the hashtag #DomenechNotWelcome is gaining popularity on Twitter. Raymond is not welcome in Nantes. Only one thing can extinguish the fire of criticism: Domenech must save the team from relegation and return it to the fight for European competition.

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90,000 French national football team, teams and football clubs in France

The French are not only well versed in the vagaries of fashion and create worldwide
famous flavors, but also play football with dignity.Of course, before Brazil she
far away, but France is one of only two countries with a national team twice in a row
won international tournaments. And also the first goal at the first world championship
also scored “tricolor” – this is the unofficial name of the French
players.

Clubs in France

Since 1904 the country has been a member of FIFA, since 1954 it has been a member of UEFA.
France has hosted the World Cup final twice.Legendary
players of the national team Zinedine Zidane and Michel Platini are known all over the world,
as well as the most successful French teams. Here are some famous soccer
clubs in France, thanks to which it is considered one of the football powers.

• Olympic Lyon Football Club. This elite French football club –
  seven-time champion of France. Moreover, he won this title seven times.
  in a row since 2002 – an exceptional success! The club has
  a women’s team that won the championship nine times.And in
  Another record was set in 2007: both men’s and women’s teams
  won the French Championship.
• Olympic Marseille Football Club. Serves as a member of League I and is
  one of the most titled clubs. In the French championship, he won
  as many as nine times and has many other honorary awards. The club’s motto is literally
  translates as “straight to the gate!”
• Paris Saint-Germain Football Club. At the French championships, he became
  winner five times, and in 2011 received the title of the richest club
  the world – after he sold 70% of the shares.
• Bordeaux. The club was founded in the city of the same name in 1881 and was originally
  conceived as shooting and gymnastic. But in this field it is unlikely that he
  achieved such a number of fans. In terms of the number of fans, it ranks 4th
  among the French football clubs, yielding to the three above. “Bordeaux”
  has earned six championship titles and has many other victories in his account.
• Monaco. Monaco is a state so miniature that it seems to be standing there
  arrange a soccer match and the ball will fly to France.And nowhere else –
  the principality is surrounded by it from all sides. And yet the state has its own
  founded in 1924, a professional football club that plays in
  as part of League I. The club is a member of the French Football Association, despite
  on something that is not located in the country from a technical point of view. Its main
  the rival is the Nice club.

There are many other great football clubs in France: Valenciennes,
Havre, Grenoble, Cannes, Lens, Le Mans,
Lille, Lorient, Nancy-Lorraine, Nice, etc.d.

Interesting Facts about French Football

• The player has become a fan. The French are an emotional people. In one
  the town of southern France was playing a football match. One of the players made a strong
  word to the judge, for which he was expelled from the field. In a few minutes the judge
  I heard a familiar voice from the side of the tribune. Now the player was in “civilian clothes”
  and was not at all shy in expressions. “Judge for soap!” was one of the most
  polite.The judge wanted to resort to the help of a policeman, but he only
  shrugged his shoulders: “What is not allowed for a player is allowed for a fan, monsieur. Otherwise
  half of the stadium will have to be taken out! ”
• Soviet midfielder Alexander Zavarov at the end of his career played for
  French club “Nancy”. He soon received the nickname “blette”, which
  in French means “overripe fruit”. The fact is that the former Dynamo player
  often commented on his own or others’ mistakes on the field with a consonant word.
• But the former coach of the French national football team, Mr. Domenech, received the nickname
  “astrologer”. People who did not share his passion for astrology added to
  this word is epithet “lousy”. The fact is that Raymond Domenech did not assess
  only the athletic qualities of the players, but also took into account their sign
  zodiac. Most of all he sympathized with lions, believing that they make
  the best defenders. But scorpions, in his opinion, at international tournaments
  nothing to do.
  Under his leadership, the national team played ambiguously – it suffered unreasonable
  defeat, then won loud victories. But after the French team
  football failed at the Euro-2008 tournament, losing to Italy and Holland,
  the whole country took up arms against him with criticism. In 2010 at the world championship
  the national team did not even manage to leave the group, and Domenech was fired. At his post
  was replaced by the head coach of the Paris Saint-Germain club Laurent Blanc, who
  positions for two years.And since 2012, Didier has been the head coach of the national team.
  Deschamps, whose coaching career began with AS Monaco.

90,000 Son of a world champion and the most promising coach in France. Who is Julien Stefan?

Julien Stephane, Rennes // ouest-france.fr

Rennes is a very modest club even by French standards. He never finished in the championship higher than fourth place, and this season for the first time reached the playoffs of European cups, beating Astana and Yablonec in the Europa League group, but losing to Dynamo Kiev.Most thought that Rennes would fly out already in 1/16 of the formidable Betis, but the French unexpectedly went further (6: 4 – on aggregate). Today, the red-blacks can create another loud sensation, because in the first match of the 1/8 finals, they sensationally beat Arsenal itself (3: 1) at home!

All this happened thanks to the 38-year-old head coach of the team, Julien Stefan. Who is he?

Julien Stephane’s name first appeared on the front pages of the French press last October.The head coach of the reserve team Rennes wanted to see Thierry Henry at the coaching staff of Monaco. However, the club from the North of the country demanded compensation in the amount of 1 million euros for the young specialist. The Monegasques considered such a sum too large for the assistant head coach, and abandoned this venture. Surely, already now the red and white regret that they did not invite Stefan.

Julien Stéphane, Rennes // AP

A month and a half later, Stéphane became the head of Rennes, and made a splash.In the first match, the crisis team beat Lyon away (2: 0), and after that won three more victories in a row, without conceding a single goal. Only in mid-January, Rennes under Stefan first lost to Guingamp (1: 2), and this was followed by a defeat at PSG. In just 12 matches, the red-blacks won 7 victories and lost only three times, which allowed the team to break away from the relegation zone and rise to eighth place.

Rennes is doing great in the French Cup. There he made it to the semifinals, where he will fight against Lyon.Thus, Rennes has a chance to win the first trophy since 1971!

In fact, such progress of Rennes under the leadership of Stefan is by no means accidental. For his work with the reserve of the club, the 38-year-old specialist was rightfully considered one of the most talented in the country. Under his leadership, Usman Dembele and center-back Yoris Gnagnon, who have not yet managed to gain a foothold at the base of Seville, revealed themselves in the double. In addition, Stefan presented the main team with a number of strong local performers. Including center-back Jeremy Celine and defensive midfielder James Leia Silica, who are now the iron players of the base.

Ousmane Dembele, Rennes second team // Icon Sport

The head coach of Rennes, first of all, achieved such an effect due to the competent construction of the game in defense.

“Rennes is missing too much. We will not park the bus in front of the gate, but I have always believed that good defense is the main guarantee of success in attack. Our goal is to defend more compactly and go on the attack with a short, quick pass to maximize the attacking potential of our attackers, ”Stefan said after his appointment as head coach of Rennes.

Everything that he had planned then, the young coach succeeded perfectly. With him, Rennes really misses a little, and counterattacks thanks to Ismail Sarr, Hatem Ben Arfa and Mbaye Nyang are deadly.

Julien Stefan, despite his young age as a coach, went to his current success for 12 years. His playing career did not work out, and he decided to hang up his boots when he was only 26.

Fortunately, Julien had someone to learn from.His father Guy Stefan is a real legend of the country’s coaching department, although few people know about him. The fact is that he had a hand in two great successes of the French national team – the victory at Euro 2000 and the triumph at the 2018 World Cup. At the beginning of this century, Guy Stéphane was part of the coaching staff of Roger Lemmer, and now he is helping Didier Deschamps. It is said that it was Julien Stephane’s father who was responsible for building the defense of Le Ble. So head coach Rennes has a wonderful teacher.

Didier Deschamps, Blaise Matuidy and Guy Stéphane, French national team // Getty Images

It is possible that the 38-year-old will be able to surpass his father in the future, only as a head coach.Right now he is the youngest coach in Ligue 1, and his work is being watched by the best clubs in Europe. However, for the final recognition, Stefan still lacks really big victories. So today he is waiting for almost the most important match of his career. If Rennes really manages to knock Arsenal out of the Europa League, then next season Stefan has the right to count on a very serious promotion.

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France national rugby union team

National rugby union team representing France

French Rugby Team (French: Équipe de France de Rugby à XV ) represents France in the International Men’s Rugby Union and is administered by the French Rugby Federation. Traditionally, they play in blue shirts with the national emblem in the form of a golden rooster on a red shield, white shorts and red socks; therefore they are usually called Les Tricolores or Les Bleus .The team’s home games are mainly played at the Stade de France in the Saint-Denis suburb of Paris. As of November 3, 2020, France is ranked 4th in the world rugby rankings.

Rugby was introduced to France in 1872 by the British, and on New Year’s Day 1906 the national team played their first test match against New Zealand in Paris. France played against the home nations from time to time until they joined them to form the Five Nations (now Six Nations) championship in 1910.France also competed in rugby at the early Summer Olympics, winning a gold medal in 1900 and two silver medals in the championship. 1920s The national team came of age in the 1950s and 1960s, winning their first Five Nations title in 1959. They won their first Grand Slam tournament in 1968. Since then, they have won the title 17 times, including nine Grand Slam tournaments, and have shared it. eight times.

France has competed in every Rugby World Cup since its start in 1987 and has made it to the playoffs each time.They reached the finals three times, losing to the All Blacks in 1987 and 2011 and Australia in 1999. France hosted the 2007 Rugby World Cup, where, as in 2003, England beat them in the semifinals, and will host the tournament again in 2023.

History

Rugby was introduced to France in 1872 by English merchants and students. On February 26, 1890, the French rugby team, recruited from the Lyceum Janson Desailly, defeated the international team in the Bois de Boulogne.

Although France was represented at the 1900 Summer Olympics, their first official test match did not take place until New Years 1906 against the New Zealand All Blacks in Paris. France then played intermittently against the Home Nations until they joined them to form the Five Nations tournament in 1910. In 1913, France faced South African springboks for the first time; loses 38–5. France also competed in the 1920 and 1924 Summer Olympics and on both occasions lost to the United States in the gold medal match.

France was expelled from the five nations in 1932 after being accused of being professional in the French leagues at a time when rugby union was purely amateur. Forced to play against weaker opposition, France continued the winning streak; winning ten games in a row between 1931 and 1936. France was invited to join the Five Nations again in 1939, but did not compete until 1947 as international rugby was suspended during World War II.

French rugby came of age in the 1950s and 1960s: they won their first Five Nations Championship and completed a successful tour of South Africa. Their first championship was won in 1954 when they shared the title with England and Wales. France won its first Five Nations Championship in 1959; they won with two wins, a draw (against England) and a defeat (against Ireland).

France visited South Africa for the first time, winning a series of tests in 1958.Springboxes also visited Paris in 1961, the trial was not completed due to a fight between players on the field. France also toured New Zealand and Australia in 1961, losing both tests to the All Blacks but beating the Australian Wallabies. They won their first Five Nations Grand Slam in 1968, defeating all four other competing teams, and won numerous titles in the following years.

France plays with Wales during the Six Nations Championship.

In 1977, France won their second Grand Slam, playing as a consistent team throughout the tournament and never missing a beat. In the same year, they defeated the All Blacks in Toulouse, but lost the return leg in Paris. On Bastille Day 1979, they defeated the All Blacks for the first time in New Zealand, at Eden Park in Auckland.

In 1981, the French won their third Grand Slam tournament; at Twickenham v. England. They finished the Grand Slam again in 1987, on the eve of the first Rugby World Cup held in Australia and New Zealand.In this tournament, they came from behind many times to defeat the Wallabies in their semi-finals, and faced the All Blacks in the final in Eden Park, Auckland; France lost 29-9. The following year, they divided five nations with Wales, and also won it in 1989.

France hosted some of the tests during the 1991 World Cup but dropped out after knocking out England in the England quarterfinals at Parc des Princes (Paris). One Five Nations Championship was won in the early 1990s, in 1993.France won the test streak 2-0 in New Zealand the following year. They were knocked out of the 1995 World Cup semi-finals by eventual Springbox champions but won their third-place playoffs against England. France played the All Blacks in two tests, winning the first 22–15 in Toulouse and losing the second 37–12 in Paris. France won consecutive Grand Slam tournaments in 1997 and 1998. At the 1999 World Cup, they defeated the favorites of the All Blacks in the semi-finals, but lost to the Wallabies in the final.

In 2000, the Five Nations Championship was expanded to include Italy. In the current Six Nations Championship, France won the 2002 Grand Slam tournament. At the 2003 World Cup in Australia, they reached the semifinals, where they lost to the future champions of England. In 2004, they won the second Six Nations Grand Slam, followed by a championship win in 2006 and a successful defense in 2007.

Argentina defeated France 17-12 at the opening of the 2007 World Cup.However, after defeating Ireland 25-3, France advanced to the quarterfinals. After beating the New Zealand All Blacks 20–18, they lost to England 14–9 in the semifinals. France then lost a second time to Argentina, 34-10, in a third-place match. In 2010, France won its ninth Grand Slam tournament.

During the 2011 Rugby World Cup, France defeated Wales 9-8 in the semi-finals at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand on October 15, 2011, and the following week they lost to the All Blacks 8-7 in the final.these are three final defeats.

During the 2015 Rugby World Cup, France lost 62-13 to New Zealand in the quarterfinals.

At the 2019 Rugby World Cup, France lost 20-19 to Wales in the quarter-finals.

Shape and colors

France wearing their first jersey (white) before their game against Great Britain in October 1900.

Until 1912, the stripe (uniform) of the French team was white with two rings (symbol of the USFSA, the body that by that time ruled the sport in France).After the first game won by France against Scotland in 1911, French captain Marcel Communot asked the team to accept the coq gaulois (Gallic rooster), the historical emblem of France, as their symbol. The Gallic rooster was probably chosen in part because it is considered a proud and warlike animal that can sometimes be aggressive, although it was previously used as a symbol by French teams – former footballer of the association Jean Rigal wore a uniform with this emblem as early as May 1910.Initially, the badge was white and red, but after 1945 it was changed to a multi-colored embroidered image, and since 1970 it has become gold.

The symbol used by the French rugby team was a great success and was later adopted by the French delegation at the 1920 Olympic Games, where a rooster sat on five Olympic rings. Since then, the rooster has become a well-known symbol of French teams. French players are sometimes referred to as les coqs, and some French fans are known to release roosters onto the playing field before games.

The French team traditionally played in blue shirts, white shorts and red socks, the colors of the national flag, and therefore received the nickname les tricolores . Due to the mostly blue stripe that the French team now wears, the team is now often referred to as les Bleus (Blues), like many other French sports teams. When this stripe collides with their opponents’ stripe, for example in games with Scotland and Italy, French players wear white.For the 2007 World Cup, new stripes have been developed, one of which is dark blue. In June 2011, they relaunched another uniform in which they wear a blue shirt, blue shorts and blue socks as home uniforms, and in their away uniform they wear a white shirt, white shorts and white socks.

In 2011, the French Rugby Federation (FFR) announced that Adidas would be their new partner for six years, with them taking over the production of the French national rugby shirt from 1 July 2012 to 30 June 2018.

Led by newly elected President Bernard Laporte, the federation intended to sell the jersey to a sponsor. FFR announced on January 24, 2017 that they have begun commercializing Jersey. In February, it was decided that the jersey would first be used to support France’s bid for the 2023 Rugby World Cup, featuring # France2023 on the front of the kit. In March 2017, Groupe Altrad showed its support for France’s bid for the FIFA World Cup, and the company logo accompanied # France2023 on the jersey.The group became the first private company in history to appear on the kits of the French national team. As of 2017 and France’s successful bid to host the FIFA World Cup, Groupe Altrad has signed a contract with FFR, appearing exclusively on jerseys.

In 2017, the FFR announced that Le Coq Sportif would partner with them again within six years, with them taking over the production of the French national rugby shirt from 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2024.

Kit Suppliers

Home Territory

Historically, France has played internationally at venues such as the Parc des Princes and the Stade Olympique de Colombes, both in Paris. The Stade Olympique de Colombs was the main venue for the 1924 Summer Olympics where rugby is a sport.

Since moving from Parc des Princes in late 1997, France’s main home stadium has been the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, where their six nations home matches are held.It accommodates 80,000 people. Since 2005, France has also played in international home matches at the following venues across the country: Stade Chaban-Delmas, Grand Stade Lille Métropole (now known as Stade Pierre-Mauroy), Stade Gerland, Stade Vélodrome, Stade de la Mosson, Stade de la Beaujouar, Stade Bonal, Municipal Stadium (Toulouse) and U Arena.

In June 2012, the FFR announced plans to build a new rugby stadium in Evry, 25 km south of Paris.The planned cost of the stadium is 600 million euros, and the capacity of the stadium is 82 thousand people. It was originally planned to be completed by 2017, but was later postponed until 2021 or 2022. In December 2016, FFR officially abandoned the stadium project.

FIFA World Cup Objects

During the 1991 World Cup, Group D matches (including France) were played throughout France, including Beziers, Bayonne, Grenoble, Toulouse, Brive and Agen.The Parc des Princes and the Lille-Metropol stadium also hosted the quarterfinals. Group C matches at the 1999 World Cup were played throughout France in Beziers, Bordeaux and Toulouse. The second round match was played at Stade Felix Bollart and the quarterfinals at Stade de France in 2007.

For the 2007 World Cup, France was the primary host and there were ten locations used for matches across the country (Cardiff in Wales and Edinburgh in Scotland also hosted some games).French host cities: Bordeaux (Stade Chaban-Delmas), Lens (Stade Felix Bollart), Lyon (Stade Gerland), Marseille (Stade Velodrome), Montpellier (Stade de la Mosson), Nantes (Stade de la Beaujouar), Paris (Stade de France, Saint-Denis and Parc des Princes), Saint-Etienne (Stade Geoffroy-Guichard) and Toulouse (Toulouse Stadium). The final was played at the Stade de France. They will host it again in 2023.

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Six Nations

France participates annually in the Six Nations Championship, which is held against five other European countries: England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales.France entered the tournament for the first time in 1910, when the countries of origin became five nations. France was expelled from the tournament due to rumors of professionalism in the then amateur sport in 1932, but returned in 1947. They first won the competition in 1954, sharing the championship with England and Wales. The following season, France tied with Wales again and won it for the first time in 1959. The longest waiting period for the championship in France lasted 37 tournaments (1910-1954). The Giuseppe Garibaldi Trophy is also contested between France and Italy for six countries.Throughout the history of the tournament, they ranked third among countries in terms of the number of victories, 11 victories behind England. However, it should be borne in mind that France has participated in 34 tournaments less than the country of origin. France has won nearly the same number of six-nation tournaments it has competed in as England and is the most successful country in the post-World War II era (1945 to present).

Rugby World Cup

The French have participated in every world championship since the first tournament in 1987.Although they have yet to win the World Cup, they have made the playoffs of each tournament and have made it to the finals three times.

At the 1987 Concord Oval, France met the favorites ahead of Australia for a place in the final. In one of the greatest matches of the World Cup, the Australians seemed to be in control, leading 9-0, 15-12 and 24-21 at various stages of the match, but the French kept coming back. With a 24-24 scoreline and extra time looming, the French have made one of the most memorable attempts in rugby history.Starting the attack from inside their own half, the French passed the ball through 11 pairs of hands before defender Serge Blanco beat Wallabis prostitute Tom Lawton and tried to kick the ball into a corner. France won 30-24, and in the final at Eden Park they will face one of the hosts of New Zealand. The French have not yet fully recovered from their excellent efforts in the semi-finals, and New Zealand won the decisive match with a score of 29-9.

In 1991, France faced England’s eternal arch rival in the quarterfinals at the Parc des Princes.Earlier in the year at Twickenham, both sides played in the Five Nations Grand Slam. The French made three magnificent attempts, but were turned down by a formidable pack of English forwards. In a very tense and brutal duel, the score was 10-all equalized when the French won the right to fight five meters from the goal line. French number eight Marc Cecillon looked determined to try and bring the French to victory in the game. He was suddenly knocked down and pushed back by adversary Mick Skinner in a tackle that turned the tide of the match.England won 19-10 and eventually reached the final. At the end of the match, France coach Daniel Dubroka angrily attacked New Zealand referee Dave Bishop in the players’ tunnel. He resigned shortly thereafter.

In 1995, France finished third overall, beating England 19-9 in the playoffs for third place after losing to South Africa in the semi-finals. Coming from behind to defeat the All Blacks in their 1999 semi-finals, France lost 35-12 to Australia in the final.In 2003, they finished fourth, losing the third / fourth place game to the All Blacks. At the 2007 World Cup, after beating New Zealand 20–18 in the quarterfinals, France lost to England in the semifinals, losing 14–9 after finishing ahead of 5–6. France lost to Argentina in the final for the bronze and finished fourth in the tournament.

Campaign in France in 2011 was marked by unrest in the camp; pre-tournament reports showed that as many as 25 of the team’s 30 players turned against head coach Marc Levremont.In the billiard game, France had unimpressive victories over Japan and Canada, an expected defeat from New Zealand and a shock defeat to Tonga. At this stage, Levremont was harshly criticizing the team in the media, which further angered many of his players, and veteran backing rower Imanol Harinordoki publicly criticized Levremont. Despite the defeat, they made it to the playoffs. This time, the players effectively rebelled against Levremont; After the tournament, Harinordoki told French rugby newspaper Midi Olympique : “We had to free ourselves from his supervision.”The team responded by beating England 19–12 in the quarterfinals and controversially beating Wales 9–8 in the semifinals after sending off Welsh captain Sam Warburton. The French proved to be worthy contenders in the final, but lost 8-7 to New Zealand and finished second in the Rugby World Cup for the third time.

France has the third highest World Championship points ever recorded with 1585 points. They also rank third in points for attempts and second in penalties.France’s Thierry Lacroix was the top points scorer in the 1995 tournament with 112 points, and Jean-Baptiste Lafond became the joint top try scorer in 1991 with six tries (equal to David Campese). Vincent Clerk became the top scorer of 2011 with six attempts as Jean-Baptiste Lafon.

General

In 2002 France was named World Rugby Team of the Year. When the World Ranking was introduced in 2003 by World Rugby (then the International Rugby Council), France was ranked fifth. In November 2003, France briefly ranked third, and by December of the same year dropped to fourth. After falling to fifth place in November 2004, France climbed back to fourth place by April 2005.In early 2006, France climbed again, peaking in second place in July of the same year. France ranked second in the world until it fell to third in June 2007 after two consecutive defeats to the All Blacks. They then dropped to fifth place after losing to Argentina in the 2007 World Cup opening match.

France won 421 of 777 test matches, a record win of 54.18%.

Below is a table of typical rugby matches played by France XV at test level until 13 March 2021.

Players

Current composition

On January 31, 2021, Galtier named his official 31-man squad for the 2021 Six Nations Championship.

On 9 February 2021 Winie Antonio and Hassan Colingar replaced Georges-Henri Colombes and Jean-Baptiste Gros.

On February 17, 2021, Jean-Baptiste Gros, Svan Rebbadj and Demba Bamba replaced Hassan Kolingar, Batista Pesenti, Dorian Aldegeri.

Head Coach : Fabien Galtier

• Header update: March 26, 2021

Selection Policy

In December 2016, as World Rugby was considering changing the selection rules for international selection, FFR President Bernard Laporte announced that the organization would require all members of the French national team to hold French passports.This requirement is in addition to the then current WR regulations requiring three years of residency for international selection, a period that increased WR to five years from December 31, 2020. Players who represented France before Laporte’s announcement have the right to choose, even if they do. do not have French passports. Thus, since 2016, France has had the smallest number of foreign players on the Six Nations teams.

Known Players

Ten former French national team players have been inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame.Its direct predecessor is the IRB Hall of Fame, founded in 2006 by the international governing body of the sport, World Rugby, when it was named the International Rugby Board. At the end of 2014, the IRB Hall merged with a separate International Rugby Hall of Fame, and all International Rugby Hall of Fame inductees became members of the World Rugby Hall of Fame.

Marcel Commune (1885-1971), backing rower of Stade Français at club level, played in France’s first official international match against New Zealand’s Original All Blacks in 1906.He subsequently earned 21 caps for the French national team, serving as team captain. the country’s first performance in the Five Nations in 1910 and led France to its first victory in this competition in 1911 against Scotland. The commune is also credited with proposing that France adopt the rooster as its team’s emblem. He entered the World Rugby Hall in 2015.

Jean Prat (1923–2005) earned 51 caps for France from 1945 to 1955 and led the French national team to their first victories over Wales and the All Blacks.He was also the captain of the France squad in 1954 when they won their first five nations (along with Wales and England). Prat was inducted into the International Hall of Fame in 2001 and the IRB Hall of Fame in 2011.

Lucien Mias (born 1930), nicknamed Docter Pak , is credited with inventing the concept of the advantage line in forward play. When he was inducted into the IRB Hall of Fame in 2011, he was called “one of the most influential captains of his country.”He is best known for leading France to victory in a series of tests over South Africa in 1958, the first such feat in the 20th century for a travel team.

André Boniface (born 1934) also played in France’s 1954 victory over the All Blacks; it was only his second test for France. Boniface played 48 tests for France before retiring in 1966. He was inducted into the International Hall in 2005 and the IRB Hall in 2011.

Guy Boniface (1937-1968) appeared on the international stage shortly after his older brother André, although they did not play together for the same French team until 1961. According to the IRB, the Boniface brothers “redefined the concept of backing. their unique combination of craftsmanship and creativity. ”Guy won 35 caps for the France national team before his death in a car accident in 1968. He was inducted into the IRB Hall of Fame along with his brother in 2011. He was inducted into the IRB Hall of Fame.

Jo Mazo (b.1944) first played for France between 1966 and 1973; mostly in the center. He played in France’s first Grand Slam of the Five Nations in 1968, and toured New Zealand and Australia that same year. He represented France in 25 tests and also played for Barbarians and World XV, who beat England in 1971. Mazo entered the International Hall in 2003 and became a member of the World Rugby Hall following the merger of the two Halls of Fame. He is now the manager of the French national team.

Jean-Pierre Rive (born in 1952)r.), a 1997 International Hall inductee who entered the World Rugby Hall through the merger, played 59 tests for France between 1975 and 1984; including 34 captains. He played in the Grand Slam of the Five Nations in 1977 and 1981 and led France to the first ever victory over the All Blacks in New Zealand. Rives is now a sculptor and designed the Giuseppe Garibaldi Trophy (Italian: Trofeo Garibaldi; French: Trophée Garibaldi), for which France and Italy compete annually in the 6 Nations Championship.

Serge Blanco (born 1958) played in 93 tests for France between 1980 and 1991. Playing as a defender, Blanco won the Five Nations Grand Slam with France in 1981 and 1987, and also won the French semi-final against Australia in 1987. World Championship. In the past, he was president of his longtime club Biarritz Olympique and France’s national professional league Ligue Nationale de Rugby. Blanco was inducted into the International Hall in 1997 and the IRB Hall in 2011.

Center Philippe Sella (born 1962), who was also on the 1987 squad, played 111 times for France between 1982 and 1995, setting a record for the number of matches held until Fabien Pelou was not indicted at World Rugby Hall in 2017. it is during the 2007 Rugby World Cup. In 1986, he achieved a rare success – scoring a goal in each of the matches of the five nations of France. Sella entered the International Hall in 1999 and the IRB Hall in 2005.

Castle Fabienne Pelous (born 1973) was inducted into the World Rugby Hall in 2017 in a ceremony that took place at the physical location of this hall in Rugby. From 1995 to 2007, he played 118 times for the French national team, surpassing Sella as the most productive player in France. According to World Rugby, “Pelus’s spirit and stamina in the heat of battle made him the perfect captain,” and he captained Les Bleus 42 times, with only Thierry Dusoutoir captaining on other occasions.During his 18-season club career, 12 of which were at his hometown Toulouse club, he helped Toulouse win two European and three French titles.

Individual All-Time Records

The record for the number of points scored for France – 422, belongs to Frederic Michalak, who surpassed the previous record holder Christophe Lamezon on August 22, 2015. Lamezon continues to hold the record for most conversions with 59. Thierry Lacroix has 89 penalties and Jean-Patrick Lescarbourt has 15 goals.The record for the number of appearances for the French national team belongs to Fabien Pele (118). The record for the number of attempts scored for the French national team (38) belongs to Serge Blanco.

Training

Coaches

Historically, the role of the French rugby coach (or coach ) has varied considerably. Because of rugby union’s status as an amateur sport, for most of its history, the team’s tactics and coaching work was often done by the captain or senior players.Therefore, it is impossible to compile an exhaustive list of national trainers.

Although he coached the French team from 1973 to 1980 under the leadership of Jean Desclos, in late 1970 Captain Jacques Fouroust was the main influence. Foru played scrum and captain the French national team in the 1977 Five Nations Grand Slam, during which France played a very future-oriented rugby style. Although the style of “Gang Furu” was successful, it was criticized for contrasting with the traditional open attacking style of French rugby.Furu received the nickname “Little Corporal” – just like Napoleon Bonaparte. Furu was named Desklo’s successor in 1981, when he was only 33 years old. He continued to promote a striker-oriented playstyle and France won six five-nation titles, including two Grand Slam tournaments while he was coach. After nearly ten years in this role, he retired in 1990 after being defeated by Romania.

Furu was replaced by Daniel Dubroka, who coached the team at the 1991 Rugby World Cup.However, Dubroka did not work long as a coach, as he retired after a bitter fight with referee Dave Bishop after the quarterfinal match of the World Cup France against England. Dubroca was replaced by Pierre Berbizier, who coached the team until the 1995 Rugby World Cup. Replacing Berbizier, Jean-Claude Skrela, coached France in the Five Nations Grand Slam in 1997 and 1998 before finishing in last place in 1999. He officially resigned after France was defeated by Australia in the 1999 Rugby World Cup final.Bernard Laporte was appointed Skrela’s successor in November. Laporte led France in the 2003 and 2007 Rugby World Cups before retiring to become Secretary of State for Sports. After Philippe Saint-André turned down an offer to replace Laporte, French Rugby Federation President Bernard Lapassay appointed Marc Levremont to head France for the 2011 World Cup. As coach, Levremont was marked by inconsistent and perplexing team choices, as well as player frustration.There were several highlights, notably the victories over New Zealand in Dunedin and South Africa in Toulouse, as well as the 2010 Six Nations Grand Slam. But there was also a 59-16 defeat to Australia in Paris, a 22-21 defeat to Italy in the 2011 Six Nations and a 19-14 defeat to Tonga during the 2011 World Cup. In August 2011, ahead of the World Cup, it was announced that Philippe Saint-André would replace Lievremont and lead France to the 2015 World Cup.This came as no surprise to Lvremont, as back in May 2010 he announced that he would not continue to coach France after the World Cup.

France did not make an impression under Saint-André, finishing no more than fourth in the Six Nations during his tenure and even receiving a wooden spoon in 2013. After 2015 Six Nations, he announced his retirement after that year’s World Cup and was replaced by Guy Noves. France was even less impressive under Noves: Le Bleus won less than one-third of his matches during his tenure and ended with a streak of seven unbeaten matches.Noves was fired in December 2017, becoming the first French head coach to be fired before his contract expired, and was replaced by former Italy head coach Jacques Brunel, who moved from the same position to Bordeaux Begle. Noves’ assistants were also fired.

Updated on February 14, 2021.

Media coverage

France’s autumn international matches and the Six Nations Championship are currently broadcast by the state-owned state broadcaster France Télévisions (especially the main channel France 2), which will run until 2015.Summer tour matches are broadcast on the encrypted Canal plus channel, and the World Cup matches are broadcast on TF1. …

French newspapers specializing in sports are L’Équipe (specialized in sports) and Midi Olympique (specialized in rugby).

See also

Recommendations

Bibliography

• Dinner, Philip (2001). French Rugby – Cultural History .Berg. ISBN 978-1859733271 .

External Links

90,000 Zidane in France – Deschamps named Zidane as his successor

Zinedine Zidane

Photo: Getty Images

France head coach Didier Deschamps spoke about his possible successor.The specialist believes that the next coach of the team will be Zinedine Zidane, who now heads Real Madrid.

READ ALSO: Zidane explains why Real Madrid should be happy with a draw against Barcelona in the first El Clasico of season

“ The next coach could be Zidane. Sooner or later he will lead the national team.

Coaches have no age restrictions.Career length depends on the results of , ” said Didier Deschamps .

Didier Deschamps

Let us remind you that last week Didier Deschamps extended his contract with the French national team. The updated agreement is calculated until 2022.

Note that the national teams of France and Ukraine will play a friendly match.The sparring will take place on March 27, 2020 at the Stade de France.

All Ukrainian team goals in Euro 2020 qualifier:

Find out about the results of matches and be the first to watch the steep goals! Read our telegram channel.

• Read also:

  Camp Nou, be afraid: Zinedine Zidane set El Clásico’s record

• Zinchenko will play with Manchester United, Liverpool’s new transfer, Arteta at Arsenal – the main thing for December 19

• Real made an official statement about the scandalous refereeing in the match with Barcelona

• Spanish Championship

• Real Madrid

• Zinedine Zidane

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