France recall 1998 triumph to forget about Euro flop


France, reeling from the shock of an early Euro 2008 exit, celebrated the 10th anniversary of their World Cup triumph with a commemorative game on Saturday between their former heroes and an international selection.
Ten years to the day after France stunned Brazil 3-0 to lift the World Cup for the first time, a packed Stade de France once again saluted the players who had conquered the world.
Zinedine Zidane and guests drew 3-3 with an international team guided by Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger and featuring greats like Zvonimir Boban, Edgar Davids and Gianfranco Zola.
Emilio Butragueno, the oldest player on the pitch at 45, scored the opener for the international side in the first half.
Playmaker Zidane, who scored two first-half headers against Brazil in 1998, equalised in the second half before Pauleta volleyed home to put the visitors 2-1 ahead.
Ludovic Giuly, not part of the winning ‘98 team, got France level again before late goals from Davor Suker for Wenger’s side and Bernard Diomede for the French left the game all square.
Happy Jacquet
“Ten years ago, we were aaaa of hope. Today, we are aaaa of happiness,” World Cup-winning coach Aime Jacquet told a cheering crowd with tears in his eyes before the game.
The France team was complete except for Emmanuel Petit, who scored the third goal in the dying moments of the final.
Fellow midfielder Patrick Vieira, who played for the last 15 minutes against Brazil, and forward Thierry Henry, who stayed on the bench 10 years ago, were also missing.
The game helped French fans forget a disappointing Euro 2008 campaign that saw their team exit the tournament with just one goal and one point from three group matches.
Many of the 1998 side, who are now part of a “France 98” association, including Christophe Dugarry and Bixente Lizarazu, had called for the dismissal of coach Raymond Domenech after the Euro flop but he has been given the go-ahead to continue.
They wanted former captain Didier Deschamps appointed as coach but the midfielder told Canal Plus before the game: “Many things have been said about us but we do not have any power.”
The players were saddened by the death of a young boy who was due to play in a curtain-raiser tournament between children born in 1998. He was killed in the morning when his bus collided with a car while travelling from southern France to Paris.