The Blues are playing big this Thursday against Ukraine. In the event of victory, Didier Deschamps’ men would indeed validate their ticket for the 2026 World Cup. This would be France’s eighth participation in a World Cup. But before its first coronation at home in 1998, French football was not used to such a celebration. The French team had also missed the two previous editions, returning to its habits before the Platini period.
The failure of 1993 remains the cruelest. While France was leading the way in its qualifying group, Gérard Houllier’s troops collapsed in the last two matches. A simple draw was enough for Eric Cantona, Jean-Pierre Papin & Co to validate their ticket to America. But after a first shameful defeat at the Parc des Prince against Israel (2-3), the Blues would experience a new nightmare against Bulgaria, crucified at the last second by a terrible strike from Emil Kostadinov after a lightning counter-attack following a loss of the ball by David Ginola in front of the Bulgarian goal.
The former PSG player was pilloried by Gérard Houllier at the end of the match, the French coach not hesitating to deliver him to popular vindictiveness by accusing him of having committed “a crime against cohesion and team spirit” for comments made in the press before the match but also for his loss of the ball which caused Emil Kostadinov’s goal.
Assistant to Gérard Houllier then “provisional” coach after the resignation of the former PSG coach, Aimé Jacquet will not hesitate to recall David Ginola to the Blues. It was also the same for all the actors in this disastrous France-Bulgaria except one. If Didier Deschamps, Marcel Desailly, Laurent Blanc, Bernard Lama or Emmanuel Petit were even in the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000, Franck Sauzée played his last match in blue against Bulgaria.
The former Olympique de Marseille player was only 28 years old. But disgusted by this failure, the Ardéchois put an end to his international career like Laurent Blanc or Jean-Pierre Papin after the Bulgarian tragedy. But unlike his two teammates, Franck Sauzée never reversed his decision. Questioned about him the following spring, Aimé Jacquet nevertheless opened the door ajar for him. “He needs to sort out his personal problems first and play again. For the moment, it would not be giving him a gift…”he had in fact launched.
