The match is remembered for two defining moments. First, Djibril Cissé suffered a horrific double fracture of his right tibia and fibula after a tackle by Chinese captain Zheng Zhi during his first touch of the game. The injury mirrored a similar fracture he endured in November 2004 with Liverpool against Blackburn. Then, Zinedine Zidane etched his name in history by missing the only penalty kick of his international career. While he would later score two penalties in the tournament against Portugal and Italy, this miss remains a rare blemish on his legendary record.

Final World Cup result: runners-up.

Fresh from lifting the Champions League with Real Madrid, Zidane took a brief leave to welcome his second child before joining the *Bleus* in Ibusuki, Japan. Fatigue set in quickly. In Suwon, Zidane strained his left thigh during a lackluster performance that saw France dominate possession but struggle to convert chances. The defeat against Senegal days later in the group stage marked the beginning of the end for Roger Lemerre’s squad. The focus on Zidane’s injury overshadowed what should have been a more critical conversation about Senegal’s breakthrough.

Final World Cup result: group-stage elimination.

David Trezeguet’s goal secured a narrow victory in Helsinki, but the match sparked controversy when Christophe Dugarry missed a clear chance. Commentator Jean-Michel Larqué labeled Dugarry an ‘assassin’ on live television, sparking outrage among the players. In protest, the team refused an invitation to appear on the popular show *Téléfoot* the following day. Though Dugarry was dropped from the starting lineup, his presence loomed large. Stéphane Guivarc’h, who had scored 47 goals across all competitions that season, started the World Cup against South Africa. However, it was Dugarry, wearing the number 21 jersey, who would go on to score the decisive goal in the tournament.

Final World Cup result: world champions.

Henri Michel’s squad faced an unusual challenge in Tlaxcala, Mexico. Frustrated by the unofficial match being televised live on La Cinq, with commentary by Eugène Saccomano and Marius Trésor, Michel divided the game into three 33-minute segments totaling 98 minutes. Playing in red on a bumpy, pothole-ridden pitch with a noon kickoff, French players expressed their discontent. Midfielder Jean Tigana criticized the organizers, calling them “high-level advertisers who forced us to play at midday.” The team later demanded a share of the broadcast rights.

Final World Cup result: third-place finish.

A week after the 22-man squad was announced by Michel Hidalgo—excluding Albert Gemmrich, who had scored against Iran the day before—the *Bleus* faced Tunisia in Villeneuve-d’Ascq. Under a banner reading “Argentina 1978: no football between concentration camps,” a protest against the World Cup being held in Argentina’s military dictatorship echoed through the stadium. The Tunisian crowd jeered Michel Platini during the first half, chanting “Help, Platini, help!” Platini, introduced late in the half, scored the opening goal. France won 2-0, but their tournament ended in the group stage.

Final World Cup result: group-stage elimination.

With the World Cup in Switzerland just weeks away, manager Gaston Barreau shook up his starting lineup against Belgium. He dropped five key players, including René Vignal, Joseph Ujlaki, and Roger Piantoni, in favor of a more experimental squad. Only seven of the players who started this match would go on to play in the World Cup. Meanwhile, a France B team played Spain on the same day, and legendary defender Roger Marche was left out of both squads. The lack of cohesion was palpable.

Final World Cup result: group-stage elimination.

New manager George Kimpton, an Englishman, attempted to impose the WM formation—a 3-2-5 system rarely used in France—just two weeks before the World Cup in Italy. The experiment backfired in Amsterdam, where France’s defense struggled to contain the Dutch attack. Kimpton’s frustration boiled over in Turin during France’s opening match against Austria. Addressing his half-back Georges Verriest, he reportedly snapped, “If he goes to the toilet, you go too!” France’s disorganized approach led to an early exit.

Final World Cup result: group-stage elimination.

Thirteen days aboard the Conte Verde from Villefranche-sur-Mer to Montevideo forged bonds among the French squad. A week after arriving, they faced Romania in a friendly before kicking off the first-ever FIFA World Cup. L’Auto reported: “The match lasted an hour, after which France won 4-2.” The Romanians had been handpicked by King Carol II, who granted them three months of leave from their jobs to prepare.

Final World Cup result: group-stage elimination.