It is an awakening to a few sweet memories. A strong chapter in the big book of theFrench team. While finding Croatia on his way this week, Didier Deschamps cannot help but dive back into a more or less distant past.
In his life as a coach, the 2018 World Cup final obviously holds an immense place. But twenty years earlier, during his first life as a player, Didier Deschamps had already crossed the checkered selection. And the images are always as fresh.
France-Croatia, the memories come back
On July 8, 1998, the French team driven by Aimé Jacquet wrote its legend by qualifying for the World Cup final against Brazil, with the continuation that we know. The Blues had then tamed Croatia by transferring a very poorly committed match. The strong image obviously concerns Lilian Thuram, author of an improbable double that has remained in prosperity to respond to the opening of the dreaded Davor Suker.
But beyond this happy scenario, the Blues had particularly suffered in this match. Aimé Jacquet even recognized after the fact that it is the only seven games of the epic where he did not recognize his team. And for good reason, even after Thuram's second goal, the French team had to finish this meeting in pain since it ended up in numerical inferiority after the expulsion of Laurent Blanc in the 74th minute.
The dirty blow from Slaven Bilic to Laurent Blanc
The scene is well known: at the duel with Slaven Bilic on a corner in the Croatian surface, the French defender saw his opponent suddenly falling before held his face. Dedicated by what looked like a simulation, the match referee did not hesitate to exclude that which was nicknamed “the president”. A decision -making decision since it will deprive white of the final 4 days later, where it will be replaced by Frank Leboeuf, with success.
For the two protagonists of this story, this anecdote remains special. Water has flowed under the bridges, and the two men found themselves several times in their life as a coach, who even saw them marry the function of coach of their country.
An altercation remained famous
Before a confrontation between the two nations, Bilic had delivered his version of the facts in the columns of the newspaper Le Parisien.
“Like all corners, I scored Laurent Blanc. Nothing had happened between us with the whole match. Then, coming out of nowhere, he strikes me. I'm sorry that Laurent missed the final, really. But the only one to blame is him. »»
What to regret this incident? “No, because the culprit is him. If he doesn't hit me, nothing happens ”had dropped the character Bilic. White, silent but phlegmatic, has forgiven. When they got recruited, the two main characters in this biscil even exchanged some smiles. The outcome of this great adventure is certainly no stranger to it: young country, Croatia had written what was then the most beautiful page in its history, when France was climbed in paradise to win its first star. And history will remember that Croatia has written an even more glorious chapter when France won the second, twenty years later …
