To prepare the 1998 World Cup, Aimé Jacquet had tested several players at the center-forward post. It was finally Stéphane Guivarc'h who had the privilege of being chosen as the number 9 of the Blues for this event at home.
At the time, the Breton striker seemed completely legitimate to play this role. Indeed, he had just finished twice consecutively top scorer in the French first division championship, in 1997 and 1998, under the colors of Stade Rennais and then of AJ Auxerre.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftPBF4WWFes
The French team will succeed in winning the World 98 without its center-forward scoring the slightest goal. Stéphane Guivarc'h was however established in the first game of the Blues, against South Africa, then in the legendary final against Brazil.
Laslandes, eternal regret
What leave a few regrets to Lilian Laslandes, who came out of a season when he had scored 16 goals with the Girondins de Bordeaux. The native of Pauillac had also been summoned and established by Aimé Jacquet as of November 12, 1997 for a friendly match against Scotland. And if he had been selected instead of Stéphane Guivarc'h for the World Cup, what would have happened?
“When I watch his World Cup, if he puts his first occasions basically, it changes everything for him too. You had to be a center-forward in this team, he replied in March 2019 in the columns of Ouest-France. Even today, when I see balloons pass in front of the goal, with no one at the end to put it in the bottom … that, I can judge it, because it is a feeling that I experienced. »»
