At the turn of the millennium, French football was experiencing something of a golden age. Having won the World Cup in 1998, David Trezeguet broke Italian hearts in the European Championships of 2000 to secure les Bleus’ second continental crown.
Inevitably, such a high could not continue, and there was to be acute disappointment in the Far East as miserable 2002 World Cup saw France fail to even pick up a solitary point, although this debacle was sandwiched between two Confederations Cup successes. A couple of years later, their European crown was lost in Greece.
Then came the controversial era of Raymond Domenech, who continues to lead the French side since taking the job in 2004, which has seen some soaring highs – the World Cup final of 2006, where Italy took revenge on penalties, an obvious peak – but there have also been some deep troughs, with last summer’s European Championships a miserable campaign that meant the end of the road for several of France’s stars.
Robin Bairner selects his top French XI of the last ten years, unsurprisingly drawn largely from the successful side in the early years of the decade…
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Fabien Barthez (1994-2006)
Goalkeepers are rarely simple characters to understand, and Barthez is no exception. France’s most capped goalkeeper is also their most decorated, having kicked off the millennium by aiding their push to win gold in the European Championships in Belgium and the Netherlands. He retained the No. 1 jersey throughout much of the early part of decade, retiring only after the 2006 World Cup final, in which he could not be France’s penalty hero. Barthez will be remembered as a quick-reflexed showman, who won 87 caps in all.
Willy Sagnol (2000-2008)
A victim of Lilian Thuram’s versatility and athleticism at right-back, Willy Sagnol had to wait until the new millennium to make his international bow. Indeed, it would take Sagnol until 2004 to fully establish himself in the starting XI. Once in the team, Sagnol proved to be a rock in France’s iconic blue jerseys, saving many of his best performances for the World Cup of 2006. A contender for man of the match in the final, the Bayern Munich star nearly provided the match-winning goal, however, Gianluigi Buffon’s excellence denied him.
Marcel Desailly (1993-2004)
Born in Accra, Ghana, Marcel Desailly is now widely recognised as one of the key stalwarts in the French defence that was so formidable at the turn of the millennium. Formed a powerful central defensive partnership with the great Laurent Blanc and the equally revered Lilian Thuram. A classy centre-back, Desailly held the record of caps for his country when he retired from international duty in 2004, boasting an incredible 116 appearances. Strong in the air and with a fine sense of positioning, Desailly was a dominant force in the centre of the French rearguard in a distinguished international career. He is a member of the club that won two Confederations Cups and the European Championship.
Lilian Thuram (1994-2008)
When Thuram made his debut in the mid-1990s, French football was at a low, having missed out on qualification for the USA World Cup in 1994. However, his career was to span the entire duration of France’s golden era, and he would prove a major pivot in the team throughout, becoming the country’s record appearance maker in the process, turning out 142 times. A defensive machine, Thuram was athletic, strong and superb in the tackle – not to mention versatile enough to play centre-back or right-back. Sadly, his career at international level came to an inglorious end in Euro 2008, where he looked frail and slow.
Bixente Lizarazu (1992-2004)
Although Eric Abidal and Patrice Evra have been reliable presences in the left-back berth for les Bleus, neither can compete with Lizarazu when it comes to performances with their nation. He was a vital cog in a strong French defence, in which he featured 97 times, playing in their victorious European Championship and Confederations Cup campaigns. Quick and eager to push on, the Basque-born star was also highly accomplished in the defensive sphere of the game and is widely considered to be the best ever left-back produced in the country.
Patrick Vieira (1997- )
Just edging out Didier Deschamps – the European Championships winning captain of 2000 – to one of the midfield berths is Patrick Vieira, who has ascended to the rank of French captain after the retirement of Zinedine Zidane. A real icon of French football over the last decade, the energetic midfielder was part of the successful Euro 2000 clique but grew ever more influential in the side as he gathered experience. An ever-present in the 2006 World Cup run, Vieira’s influence is only now starting to diminish because of the injuries his body has suffered in recent months.
Claude Makelele (1995-2008)
Zaire-born Claude Makelele was arguably the first ever anchoring midfielder to be recognised as a true footballing superstar, and as such, his name has become to donate a midfielder that sweeps efficiently in front of his defence. Surprisingly perhaps, Makelele only won 77 caps for les Bleus in an international career that was interrupted by a voluntary retirement in the middle of the decade. The type of player more noticed when he’s absent, France acutely felt the effects of his loss and he quickly returned to the squad, playing a vital role in their World Cup 2006 run.
Franck Ribery (2005- )
One of the few players in this XI to have made their international bows after the turn of the millennium, Franck Ribery is now France’s established superstar on whom so much expectation is placed. A wonderfully evasive winger who is versatile enough to play on either side of the park, much has been expected of the Bayern Munich man the retirement of Zinedine Zidane. Quick and creative, Ribery is France’s creative spark at the present time, and he also provides a key goal scoring outlet, striking in successive World Cup qualifiers last spring to dismiss the challenge of stubborn Lithuania. He is the heartbeat of the team at present.
Zinedine Zidane (1994-2006)
It’s impossible to put into words what this man has meant to French, and indeed world football, since he first rose to the fore. A talisman for whichever side he played for, ‘Zizou’ was equally effective in the national setup, and though his most memorable game – scoring twice against Brazil in the ’98 World Cup final – was in the last decade, he has still produced an armful of moments that make him France’s standout man over the noughties. Although his international career ended in a heart-breaking World Cup final defeat against Italy, a game in which he was infamously sent-off, it had been his influence that got France there in the first place.
Thierry Henry (1997- )
The only constant in the French team throughout the whole of the decade, Thierry Henry’s contribution to les Bleus’ cause is easy to underestimate. Often maligned due to his inability to produce his very best club for at international level, ‘Titi’ has still managed to overhaul Michel Platini’s long standing record of international goal scored, now standing on a formidable 48. His commitment to France cannot be questioned either – he has made 111 showings in Bleus, a tally that ranks third in the all-time ratings.
David Trezeguet (1998-2008)
An explosive goal scoring talent, the international career of David Trezeguet finished controversially as Raymond Domenech and he came to an impasse that was resolved by the player quitting the international scene. In truth, ‘Trez’ had rarely produced his best under Domenech, although few could question his credentials as an international goal-getter. Struck the net 34 times in 71 showings – a formidable record at such an advanced level. Of course, his most vital effort was a golden goal winner against Italy in the Euro 2000 final – a strike that laid the foundations of a successful career with les Bleus.
Robin Bairner, Goal.com
Inevitably, such a high could not continue, and there was to be acute disappointment in the Far East as miserable 2002 World Cup saw France fail to even pick up a solitary point, although this debacle was sandwiched between two Confederations Cup successes. A couple of years later, their European crown was lost in Greece.
Then came the controversial era of Raymond Domenech, who continues to lead the French side since taking the job in 2004, which has seen some soaring highs – the World Cup final of 2006, where Italy took revenge on penalties, an obvious peak – but there have also been some deep troughs, with last summer’s European Championships a miserable campaign that meant the end of the road for several of France’s stars.
Robin Bairner selects his top French XI of the last ten years, unsurprisingly drawn largely from the successful side in the early years of the decade…
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Fabien Barthez (1994-2006)
Goalkeepers are rarely simple characters to understand, and Barthez is no exception. France’s most capped goalkeeper is also their most decorated, having kicked off the millennium by aiding their push to win gold in the European Championships in Belgium and the Netherlands. He retained the No. 1 jersey throughout much of the early part of decade, retiring only after the 2006 World Cup final, in which he could not be France’s penalty hero. Barthez will be remembered as a quick-reflexed showman, who won 87 caps in all.
Willy Sagnol (2000-2008)
A victim of Lilian Thuram’s versatility and athleticism at right-back, Willy Sagnol had to wait until the new millennium to make his international bow. Indeed, it would take Sagnol until 2004 to fully establish himself in the starting XI. Once in the team, Sagnol proved to be a rock in France’s iconic blue jerseys, saving many of his best performances for the World Cup of 2006. A contender for man of the match in the final, the Bayern Munich star nearly provided the match-winning goal, however, Gianluigi Buffon’s excellence denied him.
Marcel Desailly (1993-2004)
Born in Accra, Ghana, Marcel Desailly is now widely recognised as one of the key stalwarts in the French defence that was so formidable at the turn of the millennium. Formed a powerful central defensive partnership with the great Laurent Blanc and the equally revered Lilian Thuram. A classy centre-back, Desailly held the record of caps for his country when he retired from international duty in 2004, boasting an incredible 116 appearances. Strong in the air and with a fine sense of positioning, Desailly was a dominant force in the centre of the French rearguard in a distinguished international career. He is a member of the club that won two Confederations Cups and the European Championship.
Lilian Thuram (1994-2008)
When Thuram made his debut in the mid-1990s, French football was at a low, having missed out on qualification for the USA World Cup in 1994. However, his career was to span the entire duration of France’s golden era, and he would prove a major pivot in the team throughout, becoming the country’s record appearance maker in the process, turning out 142 times. A defensive machine, Thuram was athletic, strong and superb in the tackle – not to mention versatile enough to play centre-back or right-back. Sadly, his career at international level came to an inglorious end in Euro 2008, where he looked frail and slow.
Bixente Lizarazu (1992-2004)
Although Eric Abidal and Patrice Evra have been reliable presences in the left-back berth for les Bleus, neither can compete with Lizarazu when it comes to performances with their nation. He was a vital cog in a strong French defence, in which he featured 97 times, playing in their victorious European Championship and Confederations Cup campaigns. Quick and eager to push on, the Basque-born star was also highly accomplished in the defensive sphere of the game and is widely considered to be the best ever left-back produced in the country.
Patrick Vieira (1997- )
Just edging out Didier Deschamps – the European Championships winning captain of 2000 – to one of the midfield berths is Patrick Vieira, who has ascended to the rank of French captain after the retirement of Zinedine Zidane. A real icon of French football over the last decade, the energetic midfielder was part of the successful Euro 2000 clique but grew ever more influential in the side as he gathered experience. An ever-present in the 2006 World Cup run, Vieira’s influence is only now starting to diminish because of the injuries his body has suffered in recent months.
Claude Makelele (1995-2008)
Zaire-born Claude Makelele was arguably the first ever anchoring midfielder to be recognised as a true footballing superstar, and as such, his name has become to donate a midfielder that sweeps efficiently in front of his defence. Surprisingly perhaps, Makelele only won 77 caps for les Bleus in an international career that was interrupted by a voluntary retirement in the middle of the decade. The type of player more noticed when he’s absent, France acutely felt the effects of his loss and he quickly returned to the squad, playing a vital role in their World Cup 2006 run.
Franck Ribery (2005- )
One of the few players in this XI to have made their international bows after the turn of the millennium, Franck Ribery is now France’s established superstar on whom so much expectation is placed. A wonderfully evasive winger who is versatile enough to play on either side of the park, much has been expected of the Bayern Munich man the retirement of Zinedine Zidane. Quick and creative, Ribery is France’s creative spark at the present time, and he also provides a key goal scoring outlet, striking in successive World Cup qualifiers last spring to dismiss the challenge of stubborn Lithuania. He is the heartbeat of the team at present.
Zinedine Zidane (1994-2006)
It’s impossible to put into words what this man has meant to French, and indeed world football, since he first rose to the fore. A talisman for whichever side he played for, ‘Zizou’ was equally effective in the national setup, and though his most memorable game – scoring twice against Brazil in the ’98 World Cup final – was in the last decade, he has still produced an armful of moments that make him France’s standout man over the noughties. Although his international career ended in a heart-breaking World Cup final defeat against Italy, a game in which he was infamously sent-off, it had been his influence that got France there in the first place.
Thierry Henry (1997- )
The only constant in the French team throughout the whole of the decade, Thierry Henry’s contribution to les Bleus’ cause is easy to underestimate. Often maligned due to his inability to produce his very best club for at international level, ‘Titi’ has still managed to overhaul Michel Platini’s long standing record of international goal scored, now standing on a formidable 48. His commitment to France cannot be questioned either – he has made 111 showings in Bleus, a tally that ranks third in the all-time ratings.
David Trezeguet (1998-2008)
An explosive goal scoring talent, the international career of David Trezeguet finished controversially as Raymond Domenech and he came to an impasse that was resolved by the player quitting the international scene. In truth, ‘Trez’ had rarely produced his best under Domenech, although few could question his credentials as an international goal-getter. Struck the net 34 times in 71 showings – a formidable record at such an advanced level. Of course, his most vital effort was a golden goal winner against Italy in the Euro 2000 final – a strike that laid the foundations of a successful career with les Bleus.
Barthez
Sagnol Thuram Desailly Lizarazu
Vieira Makelele
Ribery Zidane Henry
Trezeguet
Do you agree with those who made it into the France Team of the Decade 2000-2010? What would be your XI? Goal.com wants to know what YOU think...Sagnol Thuram Desailly Lizarazu
Vieira Makelele
Ribery Zidane Henry
Trezeguet
Robin Bairner, Goal.com