Two years after the Fiassco of the 2002 World Cup, the Blues are thirsty for revenge when arriving at Euro 2000. And the inaugural shock against England confirms them in their ambitions. Led 1-0, the French team overturns the Three Lions in stoppages thanks to an improbable double of Zinedine Zidane. But from the next match, the bellows falls. Opposed to Croatia, Jacques Santini's men must be satisfied with a 2-2 draw and the reigning champions display disturbing weaknesses, especially in defense.
Back from injury, Marcel Desailly is involved in the two Croatian goals and even made himself guilty of a big dumpling by completely missing his release, the ball ending in the feet of Dado Prso, who did not ask for so much. Pointed out, the former Milanese will pay this awarded price at the high price, Jacques Santini the outgoing the team for the benefit of William Gallas.
Marcel Desailly Angry
Marcel Desailly therefore played against Croatia on June 17, 2004, his last match with the French team, honoring an 116 on this occasione selection which constituted for a time a record. And unsurprisingly, the native of Accra in guard a bitter memory. “Personally, I arrived injured in the knee in Portugal, I had missed the first match against England, when I was a captain, it was a rather delicate situation. Because I wanted to be there, to play, to assume my role as captain … There were a lot of controversies about me, I was 36 years old, it was my last compet ', He had confided in this subject.
“I come back for the second match against Croatia, a little faster than expected, in a team not stabilized. Everything is going on almost well until the second half, I miss an release, it allows Prso, who played Monaco, to score, and there, just because of this action, the coach doubts me, had he continued. I do not play the third match, against Switzerland, we qualify anyway, and there, just before a quarter of Greece, he kicked the bib which made me a little angry. The day before the match, we make an opposition between those who play and those who do not play: on the one hand, the defense and the environment that will play and an attack of replacements, on the other a team with the real attack, the circles and the replacement defenders. And there, he gives me the bib of the replacement defender without having given me the information before, while I am a captain, that I have 116 selections … “
