Our podcast Golazo returns in its last episode to the bankruptcy of the France team at the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea. After the legendary World Cup 98-Euro 2000 double, the Blues experienced a nightmare World Cup while the French public expected a second star (just like Adidas in an advertising spot before the tournament). However, Roger Lemerre lost Robert Pirès in March then ZinĂ©dine Zidane five days before the opening match against Senegal (0-1). And AimĂ© Jacquet’s successor had too much faith in his 98 world champions at the end, notably Frank Leboeuf and Youri Djorkaeff aged 34.
At the time, Leboeuf was the unloved of the French selection. The former Chelsea captain who arrived at OM in 2001 hardly appreciated this lack of recognition from the followers of the Blues, especially since no one had really highlighted him for having muzzled Ronaldo during the 98 final against Brazil. On the pitch, he had the difficult task of succeeding the imperial Laurent Blanc alongside Marcel Desailly, who was his teammate with the Blues. Inconclusive.
Leboeuf: “unable to keep the ball”
However, Frank Leboeuf was at fault for the goal in the defeat against Senegal (0-1), on May 31, 2002 in Seoul. The former Strasbourg player tried to tackle El-Hadji Diouf on the right side and the RC Lens striker escaped. His cross bounced off Emmanuel Petit and Fabien Barthez and Papa Bouba Diop opened the scoring for the Lions of Teranga (30th). The team led by Bruno Metsu, with only Ligue 1 players, held on until the end for the first thunderclap of this East Asian World Cup.
Not very clear about his responsibility in the defeat, Leboeuf preferred to retain the ball lost by Djorkaeff during the action of the goal. At the end of his interview on TF1, the central defender, who reviewed the images, tackles “The Snake”, “unable to keep the ball”: “this for making rakes…” Both players played their last matches in the jersey of the France team. They were teammates for the very first time in July 1995, during a friendly match against Norway (0-0), with other future world champions 98 but also Alain Roche, Paul Le Guen, Vincent Guérin, Corentin Martins and Christophe Cocard.
