Forever linked by the coronation of July 12, 1998, the Blues of France 98 obviously have only good things to say about Aimé Jacquet, the great architect of this first world champion title won in a France in meltdown. Many of them have also remained in contact with the former coach of the France team. “ I love Aimé so much – I call him regularly to make sure he’s okay. I call him God”, revealed Frank Leboeuf in a long interview with So Foot.
The former Strasbourg resident nevertheless still has some of Aimé Jacquet’s decisions in his throat, even though he has most often had to be content with a luxury joker role behind Marcel Desailly and Laurent Blanc. “I play all the qualifiers for Euro 96 and Aimé reminds Alain Roche that he uses and I don’t play a second in England,” he regretted to this effect, adding: “I started in the central hinge with Marcel against Romania in 1995, the benchmark match for the new generation of Aimé Jacquet. So, not having a single minute at the Euro is hard… I never had any explanations. At the time, he just had choices to make, and the press against him. And then, he loved Lolo. Rightly so, because he was a great player. »
“If I feel like shit…”
Another misunderstood choice was his non-start against England a year before the 1998 World Cup. “At the 1997 France tournament, I met Glenn Hoddle who asked me: “You, the only guy who plays in England, who knows us by heart, don’t you play? “, did he remember again. And I find myself right after in the elevator with Aimé, who, as if he had heard the conversation, says “I know you can feel bad but if I make you play, Lolo won’t feel good” I don’t say anything but damn… If I feel like shit, is it really okay? »
Frank Leboeuf also recalled the lack of consideration towards him after the exclusion of Laurent Blanc against Croatia in the semi-final of the World Cup. A red card which meant for him to start in the final against Brazil. “You should know that Aimé never spoke to me between Lolo’s red card against Croatia and the final against Brazil. I expected a few words, he said. We discussed it again together much later. He felt I didn’t need it. “I told you that if Laurent or Marcel were suspended or injured, you played. You were 30, so no worries for me. ” Good. »
