Aurevoir France (France National Football Team)

Member Name: geordieger

Product:	France National Football Team
Date:	11/06/02 (59 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: On paper world beaters, nice blue shirts

Disadvantages: no passion, arrogance beyond belief

The world cup holders are out of the competition, without even reaching the knockout stage.

Even before the competition France had serious doubters after their arguably best player, Zinedine Zidane, injured himself in a warm up match against South Korea.

With an ageing team, France were still looking favourites to progress through the competition, and as European Champions they knew how to win on all levels.

France's first match was against the new boys in the competition, Senegal. The African nation was highly underrated, and Frane looked arrogant when confronted with the newcomers. Constantly struggling through the match they were shot down by the Senegal striker Papa Bouba Diop, who has been linked with a move to Liverpool.

Although their complacancy showed in this game the French were not writing off their chances. After all it was the first game.

Next up was Uraguay, a team branded by the French side as "dirty". French nationals such as Cantona were already playing down the chances of France reaching the knockout stage, claiming defensive frailties were the weakness of the team.

Thierry Henry's red card did not help the french cause and a lackluster performance was lucky to see the French not lose a late goal to the South Americans. The position after this game was clear. The French had to beat Denmark by two clear goals to qualify for the next round.

Again the French coaches were playing up the situation, revealing that qualification was still a high possibility. No-one else, though, was regarding France as a threat to anyone.

The position before the game against Denmark was clear, a two goal win and both teams would go through. 20 minutes into the game and Denmark certainly hadn't read the script as Rommedahl, slid a ball past the hapless Bartez, and France's cause looked desperate.

Although the French had more passion in this game and threw wav
e after wave of attacking movement at the Danish defence, the hammerblow came when Jon Dhal Tomasson fired home his second half goal.

France were now dead in the water and Denmark's defence withstood attack after attack from france.

The French were out of the world cup, without even scoring a goal. This was hardly the kind of performace which would see the Parisians dancing around L'arc de Triomphe.

C'est la Vie!!!

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