The Blues will have to wait until November to validate their ticket for the 2026 World Cup. Indeed, Didier Deschamps' men needed a victory in Iceland on Monday evening to qualify. Deprived of its best offensive elements, including Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé, the France team was finally caught by the Icelanders (2-2).
After the match, Didier Deschamps joined Bixente Lizarazu and Thomas Mekhiche on the pitch to analyze this draw with broadcaster TF1. The French coach was then invited to return to a very embarrassing moment dating from the time when he was captain of the Blues.
It was during France's trip to Iceland on September 5, 1998, as part of the Euro 2000 qualifiers. At the time of La Marseillaise, Deschamps, Lizarazu and the other Blues were overcome by a fit of laughter that has become legendary.
Deschamps: “We got smashed! »
“It was a slightly special Marseillaise with the tenor who had a particular accent and the pianist dressed in white”Bixente Lizarazu first tried to explain, still amused by this sequence.
And Didier Deschamps remembers: “ We got smashed! We didn't win the match (1-1)… It's funny today… But when it happened we were laughing less. When there is Fabien (Barthez) next to you it's complicated (smiles). » Already world champions at that time, the Blues qualified for Euro 2000, despite this misstep in Iceland, and were crowned after their victory in the final against Italy (2-1).
