The France team has not often shone in hens

After the victory against Germany, we saw very beautiful Blues, after the draw against Hungary, we announced them below. Corentin Tolisso also commented on this in the mixed zone after the confrontation against the Magyars: * “no, I think we have to study what has gone well and not so well, it’s up to us to continue working, we have won a match we didn’t say we were at the top. There we drew, we are not at the bottom. We must not question everything. We still have three to four days to work before Portugal ”.

However, a little pessimism came to point the tip of his nose. But you should know that the group stages are often more complicated for the Blues and especially that they have not made a perfect (nine points out of nine) for many years. Return on the phases of previous groups competitions of the France team.

1998 only perfect

In 1998, first final victory in the World Cup and only perfect. The Blues beat in turn the South Africans, Saudi Arabia and Denmark, with the final result that we know. Like this Euro 2020, the Blues are huge favorites in 2000 and a feeling of power emerges from this team. Roger Lemerre’s men won against Denmark and then against Czechia before losing in the third game against the Netherlands and finally winning the competition.

At the 2002 World Cup, France presented itself with an attack that we all envied. The top scorer in England (Henry), that of Italy (Trezeguet) and that of France (Cissé). However, the Blues must do without Pirès and Zidane (injured and lessened). Result of the races, a draw against Uruguay (0-0) and two defeats against Senegal and Denmark. The Blues leave the competition without scoring a single goal.

The 2006 experience

Two years later, the Blues are back and finish first in their group ahead of England by winning twice (England and Switzerland) and drawing a draw against Croatia. They will then be eliminated in the quarterfinals against Greece, future European champions. But it was in 2006 that the group stage was the most striking.

The Habs struggled to qualify for the competition and will struggle in the group. After two inaugural draws against Switzerland (0-0) and South Korea (1-1), they absolutely must beat Togo by two goals to see the rest of the competition. On June 23, they won 2-0, finished second and will beat Spain, Brazil and Portugal before losing on penalties, in the final, against Italy.

The horrible Domenech years

The following years will be more than complicated and full of controversy. During Euro 2008, they won no match (two defeats and one draw) and finished fourth in their group. The 2010 World Cup is notorious for the Knysna strike, but the Blues will not win a single game (two defeats and a draw).

In 2012, exit Raymond Domenech, hello Laurent Blanc. In operation reconquest, the French draw against England, win against Ukraine and lose against Sweden. With four points, they finished second in the pool and will be pulled out by Spain in the quarterfinals. And in 2014 comes the first competition of Didier Deschamps.

Deschamps imposes

The Blues stick two slaps to Honduras (3-0), then to Switzerland (5-2) before making a draw for butter against Ecuador (0-0). Result? First in the group and eliminated in the quarterfinals by the future winner, Germany. In 2016, in France, it is very slow. The French won the first match against Romania thanks to a clear strike from Dimitri Payet at the very end of the game (2-1). They then play against Albania in the last minutes (2-0), before drawing against Switzerland (0-0). Once again, they are first in the group and will only fall in the final, against Portugal (1-0 ap).

Finally, 2018. Once again, the France team is really sluggish. First 2-1 victory against Australia, narrow victory against Peru (1-0) and draw against Denmark (0-0). Once again, they are first in the group and this time, they will go to the end of the competition by beating Argentina, Uruguay, Belgium and Croatia. You will understand, and while the Blues can still finish first, since 1998, a real benchmark year in pools, the France team has never really mastered its first round. And above all, it never really reflected the rest of the competition …