France 2010

France revolt in South Africa

FRANCE 2010 WORLD CUP

Standing: Diarra, Gourcuff, Lloris, Gallas, Diaby, Squillaci and Gignac.

Bended: Djibril Cissé, Clichy, Ribéry and Sagna.

In the 2010 World Cup final stages, the team continued to perform under expectations and was eliminated in the group stage, while the negative publicity the national team received during the competition led to further repercussions back in France.

Midway through the competition, striker Nicolas Anelka was dismissed from the national team after reportedly having a dispute, in which obscenities were passed, with team manager Raymond Domenech during half-time of the team's loss to Mexico.

The resulting disagreement over Anelka's expulsion between the players, the coaching staff and FFF officials resulted in the players boycotting training before their third game. In response to the training boycott, Sports Minister Roselyne Bachelot lectured the players and "reduced France's disgraced World Cup stars to tears with an emotional speech on the eve of their final group A match".

France then lost their final game 2–1 to the hosts South Africa and failed to advance to the knockout stage. The day after the team's elimination, it was reported by numerous media outlets that then President of France Nicolas Sarkozy would meet with team captain Thierry Henry to discuss the issues associated with the team's meltdown at the World Cup, at Henry's request. Following the completion of the World Cup tournament, Federation President Jean-Pierre Escalettes resigned from his position.