France Tickets

While it's true that the current France national football team is rightly considered one of the best in the world, up to the 1998 FIFA World Cup, it would have been fair to characterize the team as serial nearly-men, a description that they have happily overcome over the past three decades or so.

FIFA World Cup History

France played their first ever international in 1904 when they drew with neighbours Belgium and in 1930, they took part in the first-ever FIFA World Cup, being eliminated in the group stage in Uruguay.

One Man Army

In 1958 they forged a path all the way to the semi-finals in Sweden, thanks almost single-handedly to the efforts of prolific forward Just Fontaine. It took a hat trick from teenager Pelé to knock them out of the tournament.

The 1960s and 70s were a poor era for the France national football team in terms of World Cup displays, the team failing to make it to the finals in 1962, 1970, and 1974 and being knocked out of the group stage in 1966 and 1978.

Stylish 80s

The 80s saw a resurgence that was built on a collection of supremely talented players, including Michel Platini, Alain Giresse, and Jean Tigana. A fourth-place finish was secured in 1982, and in 1986 they battled all the way to the semi-finals before being beaten by West Germany.

Once again, they were hit with a rocky period, with the 1990s seeing a series of qualification blunders costing them their place at the 1990 and 1994 World Cup tournaments, but salvation was not far from their grasp.

1998 Winners

Under national football team coach Aime Jacquet and buoyed by home support, France took the world by storm at the 1998 FIFA World Cup. The team eased through the group stage by beating South Africa, Saudi Arabia, and Denmark and progressively improved, with Zinedine Zidane being the catalyst of a hugely talented crop of players.

It took a last-gasp Laurent Blanc goal to defeat Paraguay in the Round of 16 and penalties to defeat Italy, and an unlikely hero in defender Lilian Thuram saw off Croatia in a tense semi-final.

France then took on an exceptional Brazil side in a final they were expected to lose, but Les Bleus thumped the South Americans in a one-sided final 3-0 as the celebrations exploded around Paris, and their World Cup curse was lifted.

In 2006 the team reached the final again; on this occasion, Zidane was ordered off, and the team lost on penalties to Italy.

Russian Revolution

2018 saw the French team lift the trophy for a second time, defeating Croatia 4-2 in the final, and in 2022 Kylian Mbappé's hat-trick in the final wasn't enough to overcome Lionel Messi's Argentina, who won on penalties in Qatar.

European Championship History

When it comes to the UEFA European Championship, France failed to qualify for every tournament between 1964 and 1980, having finished fourth in the inaugural competition in 1960.

However, in 1984, a tournament they hosted, they slayed all before them with Platini and co. easing past Spain in the final at the Parc des Princes in Paris.

Trezeguet to the Rescue

Two years after they won their first-ever World Cup, the same crop of players won the 2000 European Championships in Belgium and the Netherlands, with David Trezeguet scoring a famous extra-time winner against Italy.

Spell of Mediocrity

France didn't produce a great defence of their title in 2004, losing to underdogs (and eventual champions) Greece in the quarter-finals.

2008 was no better as Les Bleus crashed out at the group stage without winning any of their three games against Romania, Italy and the Netherlands.

In 2012, France were beaten by eventual winners Spain in the quarter-finals.

France finished runners-up in 2016, losing to Portugal. In 2020, they were beaten by Switzerland in the Round of 16.

France National Team at Euro 2024 & World Cup 2026

Les Bleus qualified for the UEFA Euro 2024 finals by topping their group with seven wins from eight matches, with Kylian Mbappé scoring nine goals in a group that included Gibraltar, Greece, the Republic of Ireland and the Netherlands.

At Euro 2024, France got past Belgium and Portugal in the knockout rounds, but lost to eventual winners Spain in the semi-finals.

At the 2026 World Cup, France won all three group games, against Senegal, Iraq and Norway, before beating Sweden, Paraguay and Morocco to reach the semi-finals. Spain once again proved their nemesis, winning 2-0, and France finished fourth after a thrilling 6-4 defeat to England in the third-place play-off. Mbappé won the Golden Boot with 10 goals and became the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history with 22.

Zidane Takes Charge

Didier Deschamps stepped down after the tournament, ending a 14-year reign that brought the 2018 World Cup and the 2021 UEFA Nations League. In July 2026 France appointed Zinedine Zidane, the hero of 1998, as head coach on a four-year deal, with Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé and Désiré Doué among the stars at his disposal.

France National Football Team - Home Stadium

The France national football team considers the Stade de France, in Saint-Denis, as their home venue, with this immense stadium being among the largest in Europe, with a capacity of 80,698.

Other venues are occasionally used for France games, including the Parc des Princes – home of Paris Saint-Germain – as well as Stade Pierre Mauroy in Lille.