LEGACY: How France learned resilience at the World Cup
This is Legacy, GOALâs feature and podcast series to mark the countdown to the 2026 World Cup. Each week, we explore the stories and the spirit behind the nations that define the worldâs game. This week, we revisit one of international footballâs most dramatic sagas: the rise, fall, and rebirth of Les Bleus. From Zinedine Zidane's headbutt in Berlin to Kylian Mbappe's hat-trick in Doha, Franceâs World Cup journey between 2006 and 2022 is a tale of collapse and resurrection; the story of a nation that turned shame into strength, and forged an identity where resilience became its greatest art.