World Cup Appearance
Highest Finish:
Winner (1998)
Star Players:Hugo Lloris, Karim Benzema, Mathieu Valbuena
Titles:Winner (1998)
FIFA Ranking Position:17
Coach:Raymond Domenech (since 12/07/2004)
Population: 63.75 million
Area: 551,500 sq km
Capital: Paris
Currency: Euro
Federation: French Football Federation founded in 1919, affilated to FIFA in 1904 when the organising federation was the Union of French societies and sporting athletics
Registered players: 1,794,940
Kit colours: Blue shirs, white shorts, red socks
Team nickname: Les Bleus (The Blues)
World Cup record: winner (1998), finalist (2006), 3rd (1958, 1986), 4th (1982), quarter-finalist (1938), first round (1930, 1934, 1954, 1966, 1978, 2002, 2010)
European championship appearances: 8 (1960, 1984, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012)
European championship record: winner (1984, 2000), semi-finalists (1960, 1996), quarter-finalists (2004, 2012), first round (1992, 2008)
Confederations Cup: winner (2001, 2003)
How they qualified for FIFA World Cup 2014: Came 2nd in Europe zone Group I with 17pts behind Spain on 20 and ahead of Finland 9, Georgia 5 and Belarus 4 – 5 wins, 2 draws, 1 defeat, 15 goals for and six against – Beat Ukraine in the play-off 2-0, 3-0 won 3-2 on agg.
Top clubs: Paris Saint Germain, AS Monaco, Marseille, Lille and Lyon
Population: 63.75 million
Area: 551,500 sq km
Capital: Paris
Currency: Euro
Federation: French Football Federation founded in 1919, affilated to FIFA in 1904 when the organising federation was the Union of French societies and sporting athletics
Registered players: 1,794,940
Kit colours: Blue shirs, white shorts, red socks
Team nickname: Les Bleus (The Blues)
World Cup record: winner (1998), finalist (2006), 3rd (1958, 1986), 4th (1982), quarter-finalist (1938), first round (1930, 1934, 1954, 1966, 1978, 2002, 2010)
European championship appearances: 8 (1960, 1984, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012)
European championship record: winner (1984, 2000), semi-finalists (1960, 1996), quarter-finalists (2004, 2012), first round (1992, 2008)
Confederations Cup: winner (2001, 2003)
How they qualified for FIFA World Cup 2014: Came 2nd in Europe zone Group I with 17pts behind Spain on 20 and ahead of Finland 9, Georgia 5 and Belarus 4 – 5 wins, 2 draws, 1 defeat, 15 goals for and six against – Beat Ukraine in the play-off 2-0, 3-0 won 3-2 on agg.
Top clubs: Paris Saint Germain, AS Monaco, Marseille, Lille and Lyon