Skinny
, 02:55 PM
http://footiethreads.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=801&stc=1 Country Info
AREA: 547,030 sq km
POPULATION: 60,180,529
NEIGHBOURS: Andorra, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, Spain, Switzerland
LANGUAGES: French
CAPITAL CITY: Paris
At the heart of politics and culture in Europe throughout history, it is nonetheless only relatively recently that France has gained a footballing reputation to match its worldwide stature.
Ancient history
There has been human life in France for at least 90,000 years, and the country has seen its fair share of inhabitants over the centuries, from Celtic Gauls and Romans to the Germanic Franks who took control in the fifth century and gave the country its modern name.
Radical thinking
Synonymous with radical thinking since the French Revolution, which began in 1789, France has also been famous for its occasional dalliances with despotism, most famously under Napoleon, under whose aegis France conquered half of Europe in the early 19th century.
Belated success
That combination of radical ideas and strong leadership has served France well on the pitch too. While the French national team made its debut on 1 May 1904 with a 3-3 draw with Belgium, it was not until 1984 that the nation could boast a major tournament victory, as a team powered by the majestic Michel Platini won the UEFA European Championship on home soil.
Sporting excellence
However, a groundbreaking government decision to invest in sporting excellence was to lead to more impressive results in the late 1990s, as the Clairefontaine football academy helped give birth to perhaps the greatest European football team of modern times.
Modern brilliance
Aimé Jacquet led a star-studded side, schooled in France but seasoned in Spain, Germany, England and Italy, to success on home territory at the 1998 FIFA World Cup. His successor, Roger Lemerre, repeated that success at UEFA EURO 2000™.
Leading contenders
First-round elimination at the 2002 World Cup was a major surprise and disappointment after that, but following great displays in qualifying, few can deny France's right to battle at UEFA EURO 2004™.
Preview
The defending champions, France will be hoping that their performance in Portugal is a repeat of that in UEFA EURO 2000™ - and not the 2002 FIFA World Cup finals, when they departed without scoring a single goal.
Easy qualification
If they reproduce the form that enabled them to qualify from Group 1, though, then another trophy could be within their grasp. Drawn with Slovenia, Israel, Cyprus and Malta, they proved as superior to their opponents on grass as they had appeared on paper, and clinched first place without dropping a point.
World-class talent
As star-studded as any team in Portugal, France are in the enviable position of being able to leave world-class talent on the bench. They have even been able to thrive after the international retirements of Franck Leboeuf, Youri Djorkaeff, Christophe Dugarry and Emmanuel Petit.
Strong defence
Fabien Barthez in goal is constantly challenged by the highly-rated Grégory Coupet, while the first-choice defence of Lilian Thuram, captain Marcel Desailly - who has won more than 100 caps - Mikaël Silvestre and Bixente Lizarazu has AJ Auxerre duo Jean-Alain Boumsong and Philippe Mexès among its back-up.
Tactical options
Further forward, France's embarrassment of riches gives coach Jacques Santini a number of tactical options - he can play a 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-2. Claude Makelele, Patrick Vieira and Olivier Dacourt are masters in the holding positions behind Zinedine Zidane, who plays in a more central role than he does at Real Madrid CF. Robert Pires and Sylvain Wiltord can be called upon to provide width, although Zidane's free role means he too spends much time on the flanks.
Powerful strike force
Unlike when they won the 1998 World Cup, France can also now count on striking talent at the height of their powers with Thierry Henry and David Trezeguet the usual choices. Henry plays Arsenal FC with Vieira, Pires and Wiltord and Trezeguet at Juventus FC alongside Thuram. Steve Marlet and another rising star from Auxerre, Djibril Cissé, are also in the frame.
Superb run
It is one thing to have that abundance of talent, but it is the way they have gelled since the disappointment of Korea/Japan that have made France strong candidates to retain the UEFA European Championship. Scoring 16 goals without reply in their first three home qualifiers against Slovenia, Malta and Cyprus, and ten with only one conceded in the four Group 1 away wins is proof of that, as is their impressive victory as hosts in the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup, maintaining a 100 per cent record over five fixtures despite fielding a weakened side.
Coach takes credit
The credit for this can go in no small part to Santini, who took over the team from Roger Lemerre in 2002 with morale at a low ebb. His side have proved able to overwhelm opponents through sheer skill - Zidane is still the pivotal figure he has been for several years, but their attacking thrust is even greater than that shown in 1998 or even 2000.
Competitive edge
Even the fact that they have not automatically qualified - unlike in 2002 - could count in their favour, as some observers believe France went into Korea/Japan lacking competitive edge despite their confidence. Their qualifying performances this time around has kept them in the habit of playing - and winning - serious internationals.
Squad List (subject to change)
Fabien Barthez
Grégory Coupet
Ulrich Rame
------------------
Jean-Alain Boumsong
Marcel Desailly
William Gallas
Philippe Mexes
Bixente Lizarazu
Mikaël Silvestre
Lilian Thuram
Willy Sagnol
------------------
Olivier Dacourt
Benoît Pedretti
Robert Pires
Jérôme Rothen
Patrick Viera
Zinedine Zidane
------------------
Sidney Govou
Thierry Henry
Péguy Luyindula
Steve Marlet
Louis Saha
David Trezeguet
Fixtures
v England 19:45
v Croatia 19:45
v Switzerland 19:45
(Match kick-offs are listed in local time)
In charge
Jacques Santini
http://images.athleteline.com/mag/santinial0000.jpg
Jacques Santini has a considerable burden of expectation on his shoulders as coach of defending European champions France but is more than up to the task.
World-class talent
A member of the famous AS Saint-Etienne team that dominated French football in the 1970s, Santini ended his playing career at Montpellier Hérault SC. His experiences more than stand him in good stead for dealing with an array of world-class talent such as Zinedine Zidane, Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry.
Lyon honours
He first tasted success as a coach at Toulouse FC before subsequent spells with Lille OSC, St Etienne and FC Sochaux-Montbélliard. It was his two-year spell at Olympique Lyonnais, however, which led to him garnering a reputation as one of France's finest coaches and the call of the national team in summer 2002. He had led Lyon to their first French championship in 2001/02 before moving upstairs to become the club's technical director as they successfully defended the title.
Family ties
Santini had learned much from his father, Jean, who was the heart and soul of the US Fesches-le-Chatel club located in eastern France, and was well equipped for one of Europe's top coaching positions. Upon taking charge of France, his main objective was to guide the holders to the final round of the 2004 UEFA European Championship. After starting with a 1-1 friendly draw against Tunisia in August 2002, his side never looked back in qualifying, winning all eight games in Group 1.
Santini's strengths
The campaign also underlined Santini's strengths as a coach. A case in point was when Fabien Barthez and Claude Makelele found themselves out of favour with their clubs at the start of the 2003/04 season. Santini kept faith in their ability and was rewarded with strong performances.
Coaching influences
He takes his inspiration from those around him, citing Michel Platini, Gérard Houllier and Aimé Jacquet as particular influences, and is unworried about expressing his views in a demonstrative manner. Yet this self-confessed perfectionist also recognises that he is dealing with hugely talented individuals and that trust in their ability to follow instruction is essential.
First trophy
In summer 2003, Santini guided his team to the success in the FIFA Confederations Cup. Thierry Henry's solitary goal in the final against Cameroon ensured Santini's first taste of silverware since taking charge of Les Bleus. With the winning spirit restored, Santini has every reason to feel optimistic about the future.
Odds
3/1
AREA: 547,030 sq km
POPULATION: 60,180,529
NEIGHBOURS: Andorra, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, Spain, Switzerland
LANGUAGES: French
CAPITAL CITY: Paris
At the heart of politics and culture in Europe throughout history, it is nonetheless only relatively recently that France has gained a footballing reputation to match its worldwide stature.
Ancient history
There has been human life in France for at least 90,000 years, and the country has seen its fair share of inhabitants over the centuries, from Celtic Gauls and Romans to the Germanic Franks who took control in the fifth century and gave the country its modern name.
Radical thinking
Synonymous with radical thinking since the French Revolution, which began in 1789, France has also been famous for its occasional dalliances with despotism, most famously under Napoleon, under whose aegis France conquered half of Europe in the early 19th century.
Belated success
That combination of radical ideas and strong leadership has served France well on the pitch too. While the French national team made its debut on 1 May 1904 with a 3-3 draw with Belgium, it was not until 1984 that the nation could boast a major tournament victory, as a team powered by the majestic Michel Platini won the UEFA European Championship on home soil.
Sporting excellence
However, a groundbreaking government decision to invest in sporting excellence was to lead to more impressive results in the late 1990s, as the Clairefontaine football academy helped give birth to perhaps the greatest European football team of modern times.
Modern brilliance
Aimé Jacquet led a star-studded side, schooled in France but seasoned in Spain, Germany, England and Italy, to success on home territory at the 1998 FIFA World Cup. His successor, Roger Lemerre, repeated that success at UEFA EURO 2000™.
Leading contenders
First-round elimination at the 2002 World Cup was a major surprise and disappointment after that, but following great displays in qualifying, few can deny France's right to battle at UEFA EURO 2004™.
Preview
The defending champions, France will be hoping that their performance in Portugal is a repeat of that in UEFA EURO 2000™ - and not the 2002 FIFA World Cup finals, when they departed without scoring a single goal.
Easy qualification
If they reproduce the form that enabled them to qualify from Group 1, though, then another trophy could be within their grasp. Drawn with Slovenia, Israel, Cyprus and Malta, they proved as superior to their opponents on grass as they had appeared on paper, and clinched first place without dropping a point.
World-class talent
As star-studded as any team in Portugal, France are in the enviable position of being able to leave world-class talent on the bench. They have even been able to thrive after the international retirements of Franck Leboeuf, Youri Djorkaeff, Christophe Dugarry and Emmanuel Petit.
Strong defence
Fabien Barthez in goal is constantly challenged by the highly-rated Grégory Coupet, while the first-choice defence of Lilian Thuram, captain Marcel Desailly - who has won more than 100 caps - Mikaël Silvestre and Bixente Lizarazu has AJ Auxerre duo Jean-Alain Boumsong and Philippe Mexès among its back-up.
Tactical options
Further forward, France's embarrassment of riches gives coach Jacques Santini a number of tactical options - he can play a 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-2. Claude Makelele, Patrick Vieira and Olivier Dacourt are masters in the holding positions behind Zinedine Zidane, who plays in a more central role than he does at Real Madrid CF. Robert Pires and Sylvain Wiltord can be called upon to provide width, although Zidane's free role means he too spends much time on the flanks.
Powerful strike force
Unlike when they won the 1998 World Cup, France can also now count on striking talent at the height of their powers with Thierry Henry and David Trezeguet the usual choices. Henry plays Arsenal FC with Vieira, Pires and Wiltord and Trezeguet at Juventus FC alongside Thuram. Steve Marlet and another rising star from Auxerre, Djibril Cissé, are also in the frame.
Superb run
It is one thing to have that abundance of talent, but it is the way they have gelled since the disappointment of Korea/Japan that have made France strong candidates to retain the UEFA European Championship. Scoring 16 goals without reply in their first three home qualifiers against Slovenia, Malta and Cyprus, and ten with only one conceded in the four Group 1 away wins is proof of that, as is their impressive victory as hosts in the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup, maintaining a 100 per cent record over five fixtures despite fielding a weakened side.
Coach takes credit
The credit for this can go in no small part to Santini, who took over the team from Roger Lemerre in 2002 with morale at a low ebb. His side have proved able to overwhelm opponents through sheer skill - Zidane is still the pivotal figure he has been for several years, but their attacking thrust is even greater than that shown in 1998 or even 2000.
Competitive edge
Even the fact that they have not automatically qualified - unlike in 2002 - could count in their favour, as some observers believe France went into Korea/Japan lacking competitive edge despite their confidence. Their qualifying performances this time around has kept them in the habit of playing - and winning - serious internationals.
Squad List (subject to change)
Fabien Barthez
Grégory Coupet
Ulrich Rame
------------------
Jean-Alain Boumsong
Marcel Desailly
William Gallas
Philippe Mexes
Bixente Lizarazu
Mikaël Silvestre
Lilian Thuram
Willy Sagnol
------------------
Olivier Dacourt
Benoît Pedretti
Robert Pires
Jérôme Rothen
Patrick Viera
Zinedine Zidane
------------------
Sidney Govou
Thierry Henry
Péguy Luyindula
Steve Marlet
Louis Saha
David Trezeguet
Fixtures
v England 19:45
v Croatia 19:45
v Switzerland 19:45
(Match kick-offs are listed in local time)
In charge
Jacques Santini
http://images.athleteline.com/mag/santinial0000.jpg
Jacques Santini has a considerable burden of expectation on his shoulders as coach of defending European champions France but is more than up to the task.
World-class talent
A member of the famous AS Saint-Etienne team that dominated French football in the 1970s, Santini ended his playing career at Montpellier Hérault SC. His experiences more than stand him in good stead for dealing with an array of world-class talent such as Zinedine Zidane, Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry.
Lyon honours
He first tasted success as a coach at Toulouse FC before subsequent spells with Lille OSC, St Etienne and FC Sochaux-Montbélliard. It was his two-year spell at Olympique Lyonnais, however, which led to him garnering a reputation as one of France's finest coaches and the call of the national team in summer 2002. He had led Lyon to their first French championship in 2001/02 before moving upstairs to become the club's technical director as they successfully defended the title.
Family ties
Santini had learned much from his father, Jean, who was the heart and soul of the US Fesches-le-Chatel club located in eastern France, and was well equipped for one of Europe's top coaching positions. Upon taking charge of France, his main objective was to guide the holders to the final round of the 2004 UEFA European Championship. After starting with a 1-1 friendly draw against Tunisia in August 2002, his side never looked back in qualifying, winning all eight games in Group 1.
Santini's strengths
The campaign also underlined Santini's strengths as a coach. A case in point was when Fabien Barthez and Claude Makelele found themselves out of favour with their clubs at the start of the 2003/04 season. Santini kept faith in their ability and was rewarded with strong performances.
Coaching influences
He takes his inspiration from those around him, citing Michel Platini, Gérard Houllier and Aimé Jacquet as particular influences, and is unworried about expressing his views in a demonstrative manner. Yet this self-confessed perfectionist also recognises that he is dealing with hugely talented individuals and that trust in their ability to follow instruction is essential.
First trophy
In summer 2003, Santini guided his team to the success in the FIFA Confederations Cup. Thierry Henry's solitary goal in the final against Cameroon ensured Santini's first taste of silverware since taking charge of Les Bleus. With the winning spirit restored, Santini has every reason to feel optimistic about the future.
Odds
3/1