Before flying to the United States to face Senegal in their World Cup opener on June 16, France under Didier Deschamps will test their mettle in two friendly matches: against Côte d’Ivoire in Nantes and Northern Ireland in Lille. These games follow a long tradition of World Cup preparation clashes that have left lasting marks on French football history.
The shattered dreams of Cissé and Zidane
France vs China – June 7, 2006
Djibril Cissé’s World Cup preparation began in agony. Wearing the number 14 jersey at Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium, he was instantly targeted by China’s captain, Zheng Zhi, who brought him down with a brutal tackle. Cissé’s leg twisted violently—double fracture of tibia and fibula—echoing an injury he had suffered earlier in his career with Liverpool. The match saw another defining moment: Zinedine Zidane missed his first and only penalty for France. Though he would go on to score two in the tournament—including a historic final goal—this miss stood as a rare blemish in his legendary career.
Final World Cup outcome: runners-up.
A bruised thigh and a fragile dream
South Korea vs France – May 26, 2002
Fresh from winning the Champions League with Real Madrid, Zidane took time off for the birth of his second child. But by May 26, he was back with the national team in Ibusuki, Japan. Against South Korea, exhaustion caught up with him. Mid-match, he pulled up with a severe strain to his left thigh—the injury that would haunt the team. The match, overshadowed by Zidane’s condition, marked the beginning of the end for Roger Lemerre’s squad. France’s campaign never recovered.
Final World Cup outcome: group stage exit.
The assassin in jersey 21
Finland vs France – June 5, 1998
Despite a David Trezeguet goal in Helsinki, the French team was met with criticism. Christophe Dugarry, who had missed a key chance, was labeled an ‘assassin’ on live TV by commentator Jean-Michel Larqué. The players refused to appear on Téléfoot the next day. A week later, Stéphane Guivarc’h—who had scored 47 goals all season but only one with France—started the World Cup. But it was Dugarry, wearing the number 21 shirt, who would score the decisive goal against South Africa.
Final World Cup outcome: world champions.
A three-part farce in the highlands
France vs Guatemala – May 21, 1986
At 2,230 meters above sea level in Tlaxcala, Mexico, France’s unofficial warm-up against Guatemala was televised live. Outraged, manager Henri Michel split the match into three brutal 33-minute segments. Played on a bumpy pitch at 12:15 PM, the game was a logistical nightmare. Midfielder Jean Tigana criticized the scheduling, calling it a ‘ploy by high-level advertisers’, and demanded a share of broadcast rights.
Final World Cup outcome: third place.
A boycott and a statement on the pitch
France vs Tunisia – May 19, 1978
One week after Tunisia qualified for the World Cup in Argentina, France hosted them in Villeneuve-d’Ascq. A banner unfurled under the scoreboard read: ‘Argentina 1978: no football between concentration camps.’ The French team struggled in the first half, booed by Tunisian fans shouting, ‘Help, Platini, help!’ Platini, subbed on at halftime, scored the opener before France secured a 2–0 win.
Final World Cup outcome: group stage exit.
A last-minute test in Scotland
Selkirk vs France – July 7, 1966
To prepare for England’s World Cup, France faced modest Scottish sides. After wins over Gala Fairydean Rovers (8–1) and Vale of Leithen (8–0), they met Selkirk in a bizarre three-period match. The absence of Lucien Muller, who refused to play, raised eyebrows. Manager Henri Guérin praised the team’s ‘exceptional spirit’, but cohesion remained a question.
Final World Cup outcome: group stage exit.
Just Fontaine: the birth of a legend
Narke vs France – May 25, 1958
Against a third-division Swedish selection, France unleashed an offensive storm. Just Fontaine, then limited to two goals in five appearances, netted four times. A week later, he repeated the feat against a ‘higher-level’ Narke side (12–0). His rival René Bliard suffered a serious injury, and Fontaine’s World Cup scoring spree—ultimately 13 goals in one tournament—had begun.
Final World Cup outcome: third place.
A squad of substitutes in Brussels
Belgium vs France – May 30, 1954
One month before the World Cup in Switzerland, manager Gaston Barreau reshuffled his lineup, dropping five key players including René Vignal and Joseph Ujlaki. In Brussels, he fielded an experimental eleven—only seven would play in the tournament—while a France B team played Spain separately. The lack of cohesion was glaring, and the approach backfired.
Final World Cup outcome: group stage exit.
The impatient English coach
Netherlands vs France – May 10, 1934
New manager George Kimpton, an Englishman advocating the rarely used WM formation, tried to impose his system just two weeks before the World Cup. But in Amsterdam, France’s defense crumbled. Kimpton’s frustration boiled over in Turin: ‘If he goes to the toilet, you go too!’ he snapped at Georges Verriest, referring to Austrian midfielder Matthias Sindelar. Discipline was clearly lacking.
Final World Cup outcome: group stage exit.
A royal cruise and a historic debut
France vs Romania – July 10, 1930
Thirteen days aboard the Conte Verde, sailing from Villefranche-sur-Mer to Montevideo, forged unbreakable bonds among the French squad. A week after arriving, they faced Romania in a friendly before the very first World Cup. L’Auto reported briefly: ‘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’ leave from work—an unprecedented gesture of support.
Final World Cup outcome: group stage exit.
