France men's national basketball team facts for kids
 |
|||
| FIBA ranking | 9  (1 March 2024) |
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Joined FIBA | 1933 | ||
| FIBA zone | FIBA Europe | ||
| National federation | FFBB | ||
| Coach | Frédéric Fauthoux | ||
| Nickname(s) | Les Bleus (The Blues) | ||
| Olympic Games | |||
| Appearances | 11 | ||
| Medals |  Silver: (1948, 2000, 2020, 2024) |
||
| FIBA World Cup | |||
| Appearances | 9 | ||
| Medals |  Bronze: (2014, 2019) |
||
| EuroBasket | |||
| Appearances | 39 | ||
| Medals |  Gold: (2013) Silver: (1949, 2011, 2022) Bronze: (1937, 1951, 1953, 1959, 2005, 2015) |
||
|
|||
| First international | |||
 Italy 23–17 France  (Milan, Italy; 4 April 1926) |
|||
| Biggest win | |||
France 100–6 Austria  (Prague, Czechoslovakia; 28 April 1947) |
|||
| Biggest defeat | |||
 United States 120–62 France  (Los Angeles, California, US; 3 August 1984) |
|||
The France men's national basketball team, also known as Les Bleus (The Blues), represents France in international basketball games. The French Federation of Basketball manages the team. France is currently ranked fourth in the world by FIBA.
France has played in the EuroBasket tournament 39 times. Their best result was winning the gold medal in 2013. They also won three silver medals in 1949, 2011, and 2022. The team earned six bronze medals in 1937, 1951, 1953, 1959, 2005, and 2015. At the FIBA World Cup, France won bronze medals in 2014 and 2019. They also won four silver medals at the Summer Olympics in 1948, 2000, 2020, and 2024.
Contents
Team History and Achievements
The French national basketball team has had many ups and downs throughout its history. The team's medal-winning periods have often come in streaks.
Early Success in Europe (1919–1959)
France started as a strong team in Europe. They won five medals at the EuroBasket between 1937 and 1959.
- 1937: Won a Bronze Medal.
- 1949: Won a Silver Medal.
- 1951: Won a Bronze Medal.
- 1953: Won a Bronze Medal.
- 1959: Won a Bronze Medal.
Their success on the world stage began in the late 1940s. At the 1948 Olympics in London, the French team, led by Robert Busnel, won an Olympic silver medal. This was their first Olympic medal ever. France finished second, only behind the United States. After this Olympic medal, France, led by captain André Vacheresse, won three medals in a row. These included silver at the EuroBasket in 1949, and bronze in 1951 and 1953. The team then had a quieter period in the 1960s and 1970s.
New Hope and Olympic Silver (1980–2000)
The 1980s brought new hope with talented players like Richard Dacoury, Stéphane Ostrowski, and Hervé Dubuisson. During this time, France returned to the Olympics in 1984 and the World Cup in 1986.
The 1990s also had bright moments for France, despite some challenges. In 1999 and 2000, French basketball saw a big change. The team, with players like Antoine Rigaudeau, Tariq Abdul-Wahad, and Laurent Sciarra, finished in the top 4 at the EuroBasket 1999, which France hosted. In 2000, the team qualified for the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. Coach Jean-Pierre de Vincenzi led the team to a silver medal. This was France's first top-3 finish at a major basketball event in 46 years. It was also their first Olympic medal in 52 years.
The Tony Parker Era (2001–2016)
After the 2000 Olympics, French star Tony Parker was drafted by the San Antonio Spurs. At the EuroBasket 2001, the 19-year-old Parker was not enough to repeat the Olympic success. France lost in the quarter-finals and finished 6th. Many older players made way for a new generation, as the France Junior national team had won the 2000 junior championship.
Talent and Tough Losses (2003)
At the EuroBasket 2003, France had a very talented team. It included NBA players like Tony Parker, Jérôme Moïso, and Tariq Abdul-Wahad. Future star Boris Diaw and European standouts were also on the team. Despite this, France lost in the semi-finals to Lithuania. They then lost a close bronze medal game to Italy.
Rebuilding and Bronze (2005)
Hoping for better results, France changed its team for EuroBasket 2005. They focused on team chemistry. The new team was built around NBA players Tony Parker, Boris Diaw, and Mickaël Piétrus. Veteran Antoine Rigaudeau also returned. The new coach, Claude Bergeaud, led the team to strong performances in the knockout stage. France beat Serbia and Montenegro and then Lithuania. In the semi-finals against Greece, France lost in the final minute. However, they recovered to win the bronze medal by beating Spain 98–68.
Aiming for Titles (2006–2010)
At the 2006 FIBA World Cup, Tony Parker could not play due to an injury. France finished fifth after losing to Greece in the quarter-finals. At EuroBasket 2007, France was eliminated in the quarter-finals by Russia. They finished eighth, missing out on the Olympics again. In 2009, Vincent Collet became the new coach. Under his leadership, Les Bleus qualified for EuroBasket 2009. They won their first six games but lost to Spain in the quarter-finals. France finished fifth, which helped them qualify for the next two major tournaments.
Becoming a World Power (2011–Present)
After a tough 2010 FIBA World Cup, France had high hopes for EuroBasket 2011. They started strong, winning their first five games, including a close overtime win against Serbia. In the second group phase, France won two more games before losing to Spain. They reached the quarter-finals and beat Greece. France then defeated Russia to reach the final.
France reached the EuroBasket final for the first time since 1949. They faced Spain again and lost, but their performance showed they were a strong team. Tony Parker's amazing play was a highlight.
Olympic and EuroBasket Success (2012–2016)
At the 2012 Summer Olympics, France was knocked out in the quarter-finals. For EuroBasket 2013, France was determined to do better. After an early loss, they won their group games. In the quarter-finals, they beat host Slovenia. This set up a rematch with Spain in the semi-finals. France fought back from a big deficit to win in overtime, led by Tony Parker's 32 points.
France then played Lithuania in the final. After years of coming close, France finally became European champions! Tony Parker was named the tournament's MVP.
This victory qualified France for the 2014 FIBA World Cup. Even without Tony Parker, other players stepped up. France was in a tough group but managed to advance. In the Round of 16, they beat Croatia. In the quarter-finals, France surprised everyone by beating Spain, who were favorites to win. In the semi-finals, France lost to Serbia. However, they bounced back to win the bronze medal game against Lithuania.
France was one of the hosts for EuroBasket 2015. With Tony Parker back, they were expected to win. They won all their group games, including a tough overtime win against Finland. France then beat Turkey and Latvia to reach the semi-finals. They faced Spain again in a classic game, but Spain, led by Pau Gasol, won. France then defeated Serbia to win the bronze medal.
France qualified for the 2016 Summer Olympics after winning their qualifying tournament. They reached the quarter-finals but lost to Spain again. After the Olympics, Tony Parker retired from the national team, ending a brilliant career with Les Bleus.
Recent Challenges and Olympic Silver (2017–Present)
At EuroBasket 2017, France had a disappointing performance, losing in the Round of 16 to Germany. This was their worst finish at the Euros since 1963.
France qualified for the 2019 FIBA World Cup with a strong record in the qualifiers. At the World Cup, France started well, beating Germany in a close game. They easily won their other group matches to advance. They then beat Lithuania in a physical game. In the quarter-finals, France pulled off a huge upset, beating the tournament favorites, the United States, led by Evan Fournier and Rudy Gobert. This win sent them to the semi-finals, where they lost to Argentina. France then won the bronze medal by beating Australia in a rematch.
France automatically qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics (held in 2021). In their first game, they again defeated the United States. France reached the semi-finals and faced Luka Dončić and Slovenia. Nicolas Batum made a game-saving block at the buzzer to send France to the gold medal game. In a rematch with the United States, France earned another silver medal.
France qualified for EuroBasket 2022. After losing their first game to Germany, they beat Lithuania. They advanced to the knockout phase and survived close overtime games against Turkey and Italy. After easily beating Poland in the semi-finals, France reached the final for the first time since 2013. However, they lost to Spain and took home the silver medal.
France qualified for the 2023 FIBA World Cup with a strong qualifying record. However, they were surprisingly eliminated early in the tournament after poor performances in their group games.
France won a silver medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. They defeated Brazil and Japan in the group stage, but lost to Germany. In the quarter-finals, they beat Canada. In the semi-finals, they defeated Germany in a close game. In the gold medal game, France played the United States and earned the silver medal.
Key Players and Records
Retired Jersey Number
The French Basketball Federation retired Tony Parker's number 9 jersey on July 12, 2024. This was before a friendly game against Serbia. It was the first time a jersey number was retired in any sport in France.
| No. | Player | Position | Years Played | Date Retired | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Tony Parker | PG | 2000–2016 | July 12, 2024 |
Famous Players
Many great players have been part of the French national team. Some of them include:
- Tony Parker: A legendary point guard and MVP of EuroBasket 2013.
- Nicolas Batum: A versatile guard-forward who has played for many NBA teams.
- Boris Diaw: A forward-center known for his all-around game.
- Rudy Gobert: A tall center known for his defense.
- Evan Fournier: A skilled guard-forward who scores many points.
- Hervé Dubuisson: The player with the most games played and most points scored for France.
- Antoine Rigaudeau: A key guard who helped France win Olympic silver in 2000.
Players with Most Games Played
- Players in bold are still active.
| Rank | Player | Games Played |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Hervé Dubuisson | 259 |
| 2. | Jacques Cachemire | 250 |
| 3. | Boris Diaw | 247 |
| 4. | Florent Piétrus | 230 |
| 5. | Éric Beugnot | 212 |
| 6. | Jean-Michel Sénégal | 210 |
| 7. | Nando de Colo | 208 |
| 8. | Jacques Monclar | 201 |
| 9. | Stéphane Ostrowski | 193 |
| 10. | Philippe Szanyiel | 192 |
Players with Most Points Scored
- Players in bold are still active.
| Rank | Player | Points Scored |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Hervé Dubuisson | 3,913 |
| 2. | Jacques Cachemire | 2,843 |
| 3. | Stéphane Ostrowski | 2,813 |
| 4. | Tony Parker | 2,741 |
| 5. | Éric Beugnot | 2,491 |
| 6. | Philippe Szanyiel | 2,359 |
| 7. | Alain Gilles | 2,286 |
| 8. | Richard Dacoury | 2,232 |
| 9. | Nando de Colo | 2,194 |
| 10. | Jean-Claude Bonato | 2,147 |
Current Team Information
Current Roster
This is the team roster for the EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers games in February 2025.
| France men's national basketball team roster | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | Coaches | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Coaches Through the Years
The French national team has had many coaches over the years, guiding them through different periods of success and challenges.
- Teddy Kriegk – (1935–1936)
- Henri Kretzschmar – (1937–1938)
- Paul Geist – (1939, 1946)
/
Michael Rutzgis – (1947)- Robert Busnel – (1947–1957)
- André Buffière – (1957–1964)
- Joë Jaunay – (1965–1974)
- Jacques Fiévé – (1974)
- Pierre Dao – (1975–1983)
- Jean Luent – (1983–1985)
- Jean Galle – (1985–1988)
- Francis Jordane – (1988–1993)
- Michel Gomez – (1993–1995)
- Jean-Pierre de Vincenzi – (1995–2000)
- Alain Weisz – (2000–2003)
- Claude Bergeaud – (2003–2007)
- Michel Gomez – (2008–2009)
Vincent Collet – (2009–2024)- Frédéric Fauthoux – (2024–present)
Images for kids
-
France national team in 1919
-
Nicolas Batum helped Team France win silver at the EuroBasket 2011.
-
France national team after winning silver medals at the EuroBasket 2011
-
Tony Parker, who was the MVP of the EuroBasket 2013, is the only player to have his number retired.
See also
In Spanish: Selección de baloncesto de Francia para niños
