France national football team facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
France

Nickname	Les Bleus (The Blues)
Association	Fédération Française de Football (FFF)
Confederation	UEFA (Europe)
Head coach	Zinedine Zidane
Captain	Kylian Mbappé
Most caps	Hugo Lloris (145)
Top scorer	Kylian Mbappé (66)
Home stadium	Stade de France
FIFA code	FRA
First colours Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current	2 (7 February 2019)
Highest	1
Lowest	26 (September 2010)
First international
Belgium 3–3 France  (Uccle, Belgium; 1 May 1904)
Biggest win
France 14–0 Gibraltar  (Nice, France; 18 November 2023)
Biggest defeat
Denmark 17–1 France  (London, England; 22 October 1908)
World Cup
Appearances	17 (first in 1930)
Best result	Champions (1998, 2018)
European Championship
Appearances	11 (first in 1960)
Best result	Champions (1984, 2000)
Nations League Finals
Appearances	2 (first in 2021)
Best result	Champions (2021)
CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions
Appearances	1 (first in 1985)
Best result	Champions (1985)
Confederations Cup
Appearances	2 (first in 2001)
Best result	Champions (2001, 2003)
Medal record Men's football FIFA World Cup 1998 France Team 2018 Russia Team 2006 Germany Team 2022 Qatar Team Bronze 1958 Sweden Team Bronze 1986 Mexico Team FIFA Confederations Cup 2001 Korea and Japan Team 2003 France Team UEFA European Championship 1984 France Team 2000 Netherlands and Belgium Team 2016 France Team UEFA Nations League 2021 Italy Team Bronze 2025 Germany Team Olympic Games 1984 Los Angeles Team 1900 Paris Team CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions 1985 Paris Team

The France national football team represents France in international football matches. This team is managed by the French Football Federation (FFF). It is a member of UEFA (Europe) and FIFA (global competitions). The team's colors and symbols, like the Flag of France and the Gallic rooster, are important national emblems. People often call the team Les Bleus (The Blues). They play their home games at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis.

The French team started in 1904. They have won many big tournaments, including two FIFA World Cups, two UEFA European Championships, and the UEFA Nations League. France was one of the first European teams to play in the very first World Cup in 1930.

France has had great success in different periods. In the 1980s, with star player Michel Platini, they won Euro 1984. Later, with Didier Deschamps as captain and Zinedine Zidane as a key player, Les Bleus won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000. They also won the FIFA Confederations Cup twice. In 2006, France reached the World Cup final but lost to Italy in a penalty shootout. In 2016, they were runners-up in the Euro tournament.

Two years later, France won their second World Cup title. After winning the 2021 Nations League, they became the only European team to win all major FIFA and UEFA competitions. In 2022, France reached the World Cup final again, but lost to Argentina after a penalty shootout.

France has exciting rivalries with other European teams like Italy, Germany, and Spain. A strong rivalry with Argentina also grew in recent years.

The History of French Football

Early Days: 1900s to 1930s

The French national football team started in 1904. This was around the time FIFA was founded. Their first official international match was on May 1, 1904, against Belgium. It ended in a 3–3 draw. The next year, France played its first home match against Switzerland. They won 1–0 at the Parc des Princes.

In 1930, France played in the very first FIFA World Cup in Uruguay. They won their first World Cup match against Mexico 4–1. Lucien Laurent scored the first-ever World Cup goal! However, France did not get past the group stage that year.

Later, players like Raoul Diagne and Larbi Benbarek joined the team. They were among the first players of diverse backgrounds to represent France. France hosted the 1938 World Cup and reached the quarter-finals.

The Golden Era: 1950s to 1980s

France had a "Golden Generation" of players in the late 1950s. These included stars like Just Fontaine and Raymond Kopa. At the 1958 World Cup, France reached the semi-finals. Fontaine scored an amazing 13 goals in that tournament, a record that still stands!

The 1960s and 1970s were tougher years for the team. They struggled to qualify for big tournaments. However, things changed when Michel Hidalgo became manager. He led a team with talented players like Michel Platini. This group was known as the "Magic Square" for their amazing midfield play.

In 1982, France reached the World Cup semi-finals. Two years later, they won their first major title, Euro 1984, which they hosted. Platini was the top scorer with nine goals. France also won an Olympic gold medal in 1984 and the Artemio Franchi Trophy in 1985. They finished third at the 1986 World Cup.

Becoming World Champions: 1990s to 2006

After missing out on the 1994 World Cup, Aimé Jacquet became the new manager. He built a strong team with experienced players and new talents like Zinedine Zidane. This team reached the semi-finals of Euro 1996.

In 1998, France hosted the World Cup. They played brilliantly and won the tournament for the first time! They beat Brazil 3–0 in the final. After this, Roger Lemerre took over as manager. He led the team to win Euro 2000, beating Italy 2–1 in the final with a "golden goal" by David Trezeguet. France then held both the World Cup and Euro titles, a rare achievement. They also won the Confederations Cup in 2001 and 2003.

However, the team faced challenges at the 2002 World Cup. They were eliminated in the group stage without scoring a single goal. This was a big surprise. In 2006, under manager Raymond Domenech, France reached the World Cup final again. They played Italy, and the match ended 1–1. Italy won 5–3 on penalties. This match was also famous for an incident where Zinedine Zidane was sent off.

Challenges and Rebuilding: 2007 to 2015

After their 2006 success, France struggled in the Euro 2008 tournament, finishing last in their group. The 2010 World Cup was also difficult. There was a serious disagreement between striker Nicolas Anelka and manager Raymond Domenech. This led to Anelka being sent home and the players boycotting a training session. France was eliminated in the group stage.

After the World Cup, Laurent Blanc became the new coach. He suspended all 23 players from the World Cup squad for a friendly match. At Euro 2012, France reached the quarter-finals.

Didier Deschamps, who captained the 1998 World Cup-winning team, became manager in 2012. He led France to the 2014 World Cup quarter-finals, where they lost to Germany.

New Triumphs: 2016 to Present

France hosted UEFA Euro 2016 and reached the final, but lost 1–0 to Portugal in extra time.

At the 2018 World Cup, France played incredibly well. They defeated Argentina 4–3 in a thrilling match and then beat Belgium in the semi-finals. On July 15, France won their second World Cup title by beating Croatia 4–2 in the final!

UEFA Euro 2020 was held in 2021. France finished top of a tough group but were eliminated by Switzerland in the Round of 16 after a penalty shootout. However, France went on to win the 2021 Nations League, beating Spain 2–1 in the final.

At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, France reached their second consecutive World Cup final. They played a very exciting match against Argentina, which ended in a 3–3 draw. Argentina won the title after a penalty shootout.

France qualified for UEFA Euro 2024 and reached the semi-finals, where they lost to Spain. In 2025, Didier Deschamps confirmed he would leave after the 2026 World Cup. At the 2026 World Cup, France had a strong run, with Kylian Mbappé becoming the all-time leading goalscorer for France. They reached the semi-finals but were defeated by Spain. France finished fourth after losing the third-place match to England. This marked the end of Deschamps' time as manager.

Home Stadiums and Training

In the early years, the French team played in different stadiums in Paris, like the Parc des Princes. They also played matches in other cities across France.

In 1998, the Stade de France became France's main national stadium. It is located in Saint-Denis, near Paris, and can hold over 81,000 fans. France played their first match there in 1998 against Spain, winning 1–0. Since then, most major home games, including the 1998 World Cup final, have been played at this stadium.

Before matches, the national team trains at the INF Clairefontaine academy. This is a special national football center that opened in 1988. It became very famous after the team used it as their base camp when they won the 1998 World Cup.

In November 2015, during a friendly match against Germany, an incident involving explosions outside the stadium caused the match to be paused and the stadium to be evacuated for safety. Both teams stayed inside the stadium until it was safe to leave.

Team Image

Media Coverage

The French national team's matches are broadcast by TV channels like TF1 and M6. These channels have agreements to show the team's friendly and international games. This allows many fans to watch Les Bleus play.

Kits and Crest

The France national team wears blue, white, and red, which are the colors of the French flag. At home, they usually wear blue shirts, white shorts, and red socks. For away games, they often wear an all-white kit or white shirts and socks with blue shorts.

For many years, Adidas made France's kits. They wore Adidas when they won Euro 1984, the 1998 World Cup, and Euro 2000. In 2011, Nike became the new kit provider. Their deal made the French blue shirt one of the most expensive sponsorships in football history.

Team Nicknames

The team is often called Les Bleus (The Blues) because of their blue shirts. They are also known as Les Tricolores (The Tri-color Team) because of the blue, white, and red colors of the French flag. In the 1980s, some people called them the "Brazilians of Europe" because of their exciting and skillful style of play. Their strong defense has also earned them the nickname "Mur de fer" (The Iron Wall).

Results and Upcoming Matches

This section shows recent match results and any scheduled future games.

      Win       Draw       Loss       Fixture

2025 Matches

2026 Matches

Coaching Staff

As of July 2026.

Position	Name
Head coach	Vacant
Assistant coach	Guy Stéphan
Goalkeeper coach	Franck Raviot
Fitness coach	Cyril Moine
Doctor	Franck Le Gall
Video analysts	Thierry Marszalek Eric Dubray
Osteopath	Jean-Yves Vandewalle
Physiotherapists	Clément Hazard Denis Morcel Alexandre Germain Guillaume Vassout
Team manager	Philippe Brocherieux
Kit manager	Nicolas Piry
Chef	Xavier Rousseau
Security officer	Mohamed Sanhadji
Steward	Bachir Nehar Johan Perez
Media officer	Raphaël Raymond
Media reporter	Guillaume Bigot

Coaching History

Managers in italics were hired as caretakers.

Manager	France career	Pld	W	D	L	Win %
Guérin, HenriHenri Guérin	1964–1966	&&&&&&&&&&&&&015.&&&&&015	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06	&&&&&&&&&&&&&033.30000033.3
Arribas, JoséJosé Arribas Snella, JeanJean Snella	1966	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02	&&&&&&&&&&&&&050.&&&&&050.0
Fontaine, JustJust Fontaine	1967	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02	&0&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00.0
Dugauguez, LouisLouis Dugauguez	1967–1968	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&09.&&&&&09	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04	&&&&&&&&&&&&&022.20000022.2
Boulogne, GeorgesGeorges Boulogne	1969–1973	&&&&&&&&&&&&&031.&&&&&031	&&&&&&&&&&&&&015.&&&&&015	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05	&&&&&&&&&&&&&011.&&&&&011	&&&&&&&&&&&&&048.40000048.4
Kovács, ȘtefanȘtefan Kovács	1973–1975	&&&&&&&&&&&&&015.&&&&&015	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05	&&&&&&&&&&&&&040.&&&&&040.0
Hidalgo, MichelMichel Hidalgo	1976–1984	&&&&&&&&&&&&&075.&&&&&075	&&&&&&&&&&&&&041.&&&&&041	&&&&&&&&&&&&&016.&&&&&016	&&&&&&&&&&&&&018.&&&&&018	&&&&&&&&&&&&&054.70000054.7
Michel, HenriHenri Michel	1984–1988	&&&&&&&&&&&&&036.&&&&&036	&&&&&&&&&&&&&016.&&&&&016	&&&&&&&&&&&&&012.&&&&&012	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08	&&&&&&&&&&&&&044.40000044.4
Platini, MichelMichel Platini	1988–1992	&&&&&&&&&&&&&029.&&&&&029	&&&&&&&&&&&&&016.&&&&&016	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05	&&&&&&&&&&&&&055.20000055.2
Houllier, GérardGérard Houllier	1992–1993	&&&&&&&&&&&&&012.&&&&&012	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&07.&&&&&07	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04	&&&&&&&&&&&&&058.30000058.3
Jacquet, AiméAimé Jacquet	1993–1998	&&&&&&&&&&&&&053.&&&&&053	&&&&&&&&&&&&&034.&&&&&034	&&&&&&&&&&&&&016.&&&&&016	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03	&&&&&&&&&&&&&064.20000064.2
Lemerre, RogerRoger Lemerre	1998–2002	&&&&&&&&&&&&&053.&&&&&053	&&&&&&&&&&&&&034.&&&&&034	&&&&&&&&&&&&&011.&&&&&011	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08	&&&&&&&&&&&&&064.20000064.2
Santini, JacquesJacques Santini	2002–2004	&&&&&&&&&&&&&028.&&&&&028	&&&&&&&&&&&&&022.&&&&&022	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02	&&&&&&&&&&&&&078.60000078.6
Domenech, RaymondRaymond Domenech	2004–2010	&&&&&&&&&&&&&079.&&&&&079	&&&&&&&&&&&&&041.&&&&&041	&&&&&&&&&&&&&024.&&&&&024	&&&&&&&&&&&&&014.&&&&&014	&&&&&&&&&&&&&051.90000051.9
Blanc, LaurentLaurent Blanc	2010–2012	&&&&&&&&&&&&&027.&&&&&027	&&&&&&&&&&&&&016.&&&&&016	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&07.&&&&&07	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04	&&&&&&&&&&&&&059.30000059.3
Deschamps, DidierDidier Deschamps	2012–2026	&&&&&&&&&&&&0185.&&&&&0185	&&&&&&&&&&&&0120.&&&&&0120	&&&&&&&&&&&&&035.&&&&&035	&&&&&&&&&&&&&030.&&&&&030	&&&&&&&&&&&&&064.90000064.9

Players

Current Squad

The following 26 players were called up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and friendly matches in June 2026. Caps and goals as of 18 July 2026, after the match against England.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	1GK	Brice Samba	(1994-04-25) 25 April 1994 (age 32)	4	0	Rennes
16	1GK	Mike Maignan	(1995-07-03) 3 July 1995 (age 31)	48	0	AC Milan
23	1GK	Robin Risser	(2004-12-02) 2 December 2004 (age 21)	0	0	Lens
2	2DF	Malo Gusto	(2003-05-19) 19 May 2003 (age 23)	16	0	Chelsea
3	2DF	Lucas Digne	(1993-07-20) 20 July 1993 (age 33)	64	0	Aston Villa
4	2DF	Dayot Upamecano	(1998-10-27) 27 October 1998 (age 27)	46	2	Bayern Munich
5	2DF	Jules Koundé	(1998-11-12) 12 November 1998 (age 27)	56	0	Barcelona
15	2DF	Ibrahima Konaté	(1999-05-25) 25 May 1999 (age 27)	30	0	Real Madrid
17	2DF	William Saliba	(2001-03-24) 24 March 2001 (age 25)	38	0	Arsenal
19	2DF	Théo Hernandez	(1997-10-06) 6 October 1997 (age 28)	49	2	Al-Hilal
21	2DF	Lucas Hernandez	(1996-02-14) 14 February 1996 (age 30)	42	0	Paris Saint-Germain
26	2DF	Maxence Lacroix	(2000-04-06) 6 April 2000 (age 26)	7	0	Crystal Palace
6	3MF	Manu Koné	(2001-05-17) 17 May 2001 (age 25)	19	0	Roma
8	3MF	Aurélien Tchouaméni	(2000-01-27) 27 January 2000 (age 26)	50	3	Real Madrid
13	3MF	N'Golo Kanté (vice-captain)	(1991-03-29) 29 March 1991 (age 35)	69	2	Fenerbahçe
14	3MF	Adrien Rabiot	(1995-04-03) 3 April 1995 (age 31)	66	7	AC Milan
18	3MF	Warren Zaïre-Emery	(2006-03-08) 8 March 2006 (age 20)	13	1	Paris Saint-Germain
24	3MF	Rayan Cherki	(2003-08-17) 17 August 2003 (age 22)	14	2	Manchester City
25	3MF	Maghnes Akliouche	(2002-02-25) 25 February 2002 (age 24)	10	1	Monaco
7	4FW	Ousmane Dembélé	(1997-05-15) 15 May 1997 (age 29)	67	13	Paris Saint-Germain
9	4FW	Marcus Thuram	(1997-08-06) 6 August 1997 (age 29)	35	3	Inter Milan
10	4FW	Kylian Mbappé (captain)	(1998-12-20) 20 December 1998 (age 27)	106	66	Real Madrid
11	4FW	Michael Olise	(2001-12-12) 12 December 2001 (age 24)	25	7	Bayern Munich
12	4FW	Bradley Barcola	(2002-09-02) 2 September 2002 (age 23)	28	6	Paris Saint-Germain
20	4FW	Désiré Doué	(2005-06-03) 3 June 2005 (age 21)	15	3	Paris Saint-Germain
22	4FW	Jean-Philippe Mateta	(1997-06-28) 28 June 1997 (age 29)	7	2	Crystal Palace

Recent Call-ups

The following players were also called up within the past twelve months.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
GK	Lucas Chevalier	(2001-11-06) 6 November 2001 (age 24)	1	0	Paris Saint-Germain	v.  Colombia, 29 March 2026
GK	Alphonse Areola	(1993-02-27) 27 February 1993 (age 33)	5	0	West Ham United	v.  Iceland, 9 September 2025
DF	Pierre Kalulu	(2000-06-05) 5 June 2000 (age 26)	3	0	Juventus	v.  Colombia, 29 March 2026
DF	Benjamin Pavard	(1996-03-28) 28 March 1996 (age 30)	55	5	Inter Milan	v.  Iceland, 13 October 2025
MF	Eduardo Camavinga	(2002-11-10) 10 November 2002 (age 23)	29	2	Real Madrid	v.  Colombia, 29 March 2026
MF	Khéphren Thuram	(2001-03-26) 26 March 2001 (age 25)	4	0	Juventus	v.  Azerbaijan, 16 November 2025
FW	Randal Kolo Muani	(1998-12-05) 5 December 1998 (age 27)	32	9	Paris Saint-Germain	v.  Colombia, 29 March 2026
FW	Hugo Ekitike	(2002-06-20) 20 June 2002 (age 24)	8	2	Liverpool	v.  Colombia, 29 March 2026
FW	Christopher Nkunku	(1997-11-14) 14 November 1997 (age 28)	18	2	AC Milan	v.  Azerbaijan, 16 November 2025
FW	Florian Thauvin	(1993-01-26) 26 January 1993 (age 33)	13	2	Lens	v.  Azerbaijan, 16 November 2025
FW	Kingsley Coman	(1996-06-13) 13 June 1996 (age 30)	61	8	Al-Nassr	v.  Iceland, 13 October 2025
Notes INJ = Withdrew due to injury PRE = Preliminary squad RET = Retired from the national team SUS = Serving suspension

Player of the Year

Individual Records

Players in bold are still active with France.

Most Appearances

Rank	Player	Caps	Goals	Career
1	Hugo Lloris	145	0	2008–2023
2	Lilian Thuram	142	2	1994–2008
3	Olivier Giroud	137	57	2011–2024
	Antoine Griezmann		44	2014–2024
5	Thierry Henry	123	51	1997–2010
6	Marcel Desailly	116	3	1993–2004
7	Zinedine Zidane	108	31	1994–2006
8	Patrick Vieira	107	6	1997–2009
9	Kylian Mbappé	106	66	2017–present
10	Didier Deschamps	103	4	1989–2000

Top Goalscorers

Rank	Player	Goals	Caps	Average	Career
1	Kylian Mbappé (list)	66	106	0.62	2017–present
2	Olivier Giroud (list)	57	137	0.42	2011–2024
3	Thierry Henry (list)	51	123	0.41	1997–2010
4	Antoine Griezmann	44	137	0.33	2014–2024
5	Michel Platini	41	72	0.57	1976–1987
6	Karim Benzema	37	97	0.38	2007–2022
7	David Trezeguet	34	71	0.48	1998–2008
8	Zinedine Zidane	31	108	0.29	1994–2006
9	Just Fontaine	30	21	1.43	1953–1960
	Jean-Pierre Papin		54	0.56	1986–1995

Competitive Records

     Champions       Runners-up       Third place     Tournament played on home soil  

FIFA World Cup Achievements

France was one of the first four European teams to play in the first World Cup in 1930. They have appeared in 17 World Cups as of 2026. France is one of only eight teams to have won the World Cup. They won their first title in 1998 at home, beating Brazil 3–0 in the final.

In 2006, France finished as runners-up, losing to Italy on penalties. The team also earned third place twice, in 1958 and 1986. Their worst results were early exits in 2002 and 2010.

In 2014, France reached the quarter-finals. Four years later, in 2018, France defeated Croatia 4–2 in the final to win their second World Cup. In 2022, France were runners-up again, losing to Argentina in a penalty shootout. In 2026, France finished fourth.

FIFA World Cup finals record											Qualification record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA	Squad		Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Campaign
1930	Group stage	7th	3	1	0	2	4	3	Squad		Qualified as invitees
1934	Round of 16	9th	1	0	0	1	2	3	Squad		1	1	0	0	6	1	1934
1938	Quarter-finals	6th	2	1	0	1	4	4	Squad		Qualified as hosts						1938
1950	Originally did not qualify, then invited, later withdrew										3	0	2	1	4	5	1950
1954	Group stage	11th	2	1	0	1	3	3	Squad		4	4	0	0	20	4	1954
1958	Third place	3rd	6	4	0	2	23	15	Squad		4	3	1	0	19	4	1958
1962	Did not qualify										5	3	0	2	10	4	1962
1966	Group stage	13th	3	0	1	2	2	5	Squad		6	5	0	1	9	2	1966
1970	Did not qualify										4	2	0	2	6	4	1970
1974											4	1	1	2	3	5	1974
1978	Group stage	12th	3	1	0	2	5	5	Squad		4	2	1	1	7	4	1978
1982	Fourth place	4th	7	3	2	2	16	12	Squad		8	5	0	3	20	8	1982
1986	Third place	3rd	7	4	2	1	12	6	Squad		8	5	1	2	15	4	1986
1990	Did not qualify										8	3	3	2	10	7	1990
1994											10	6	1	3	17	10	1994
1998	Champions	1st	7	6	1	0	15	2	Squad		Qualified as hosts						1998
2002	Group stage	28th	3	0	1	2	0	3	Squad		Qualified as defending champions						2002
2006	Runners-up	2nd	7	4	3	0	9	3	Squad		10	5	5	0	14	2	2006
2010	Group stage	29th	3	0	1	2	1	4	Squad		12	7	4	1	20	10	2010
2014	Quarter-finals	7th	5	3	1	1	10	3	Squad		10	6	2	2	18	8	2014
2018	Champions	1st	7	6	1	0	14	6	Squad		10	7	2	1	18	6	2018
2022	Runners-up	2nd	7	5	1	1	16	8	Squad		8	5	3	0	18	3	2022
2026	Fourth place	4th	8	6	0	2	20	10	Squad		6	5	1	0	16	4	2026
2030	To be determined										To be determined						2030
2034																	2034
Total	2 titles	17/23	81	45	14*	22	156	95	N/A		125	75	27	23	250	95	Total

*Knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out are considered a draw.

**Red border indicates tournament was held on home soil.

UEFA European Championship Achievements

France is one of the most successful teams in the UEFA European Championship, winning two titles in 1984 and 2000. They hosted the first competition in 1960 and have played in 11 tournaments. Their first title came at home in 1984, led by Michel Platini. In 2000, with Zinedine Zidane, they won their second title.

UEFA European Championship record											Qualifying record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA	Squad		Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	—
1960	Fourth place	4th	2	0	0	2	4	7	Squad		4	3	1	0	17	6	1960
1964	Did not qualify										6	2	1	3	11	10	1964
1968											8	4	2	2	16	12	1968
1972											6	3	1	2	10	8	1972
1976											6	1	3	2	7	6	1976
1980											6	4	1	1	13	7	1980
1984	Champions	1st	5	5	0	0	14	4	Squad		Qualified as hosts						1984
1988	Did not qualify										8	1	4	3	4	7	1988
1992	Group stage	6th	3	0	2	1	2	3	Squad		8	8	0	0	20	6	1992
1996	Semi-finals	3rd	5	2	3	0	5	2	Squad		10	5	5	0	22	2	1996
2000	Champions	1st	6	5	0	1	13	7	Squad		10	6	3	1	17	10	2000
2004	Quarter-finals	6th	4	2	1	1	7	5	Squad		8	8	0	0	29	2	2004
2008	Group stage	15th	3	0	1	2	1	6	Squad		12	8	2	2	25	5	2008
2012	Quarter-finals	8th	4	1	1	2	3	5	Squad		10	6	3	1	15	4	2012
2016	Runners-up	2nd	7	5	1	1	13	5	Squad		Qualified as hosts						2016
2020	Round of 16	11th	4	1	3	0	7	6	Squad		10	8	1	1	25	6	2020
2024	Semi-finals	3rd	6	2	3	1	4	3	Squad		8	7	1	0	29	3	2024
2028	To be determined										To be determined						2028
2032																	To be determined									To be determined						2032
Total	2 Titles	11/17	49	23	15	11	73	53	—		120	74	28	18	260	94	—

*Draws include knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out.

UEFA Nations League Achievements

France won the UEFA Nations League title in 2021. They also achieved third place in 2025.

UEFA Nations League record
League phase / quarter-finals													Finals
Season	LG	Grp	Pos	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	P/R	IR		Year	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA	Squad	OR
2018–19	A	1	2nd	4	2	1	1	4	4		6th		2019	Did not qualify							6th
2020–21	A	3	1st	6	5	1	0	12	5		1st		2021	2	2	0	0	5	3	Squad	1st
2022–23	A	1	3rd	6	1	2	3	5	7		12th		2023	Did not qualify							12th
2024–25	A	2	1st	8	5	1	2	14	8		4th		2025	2	1	0	1	6	5	Squad	3rd
Total				24	13	5	6	35	24	—			Total	4	3	0	1	11	8	—	1 Title

*Draws include knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out.

**Group stage and quarter-finals played home and away. Flag shown represents host nation for the finals stage.

FIFA Confederations Cup Achievements

France has played in two FIFA Confederations Cup tournaments and won both times! They won in 2001 and again in 2003 as the host country.

FIFA Confederations Cup record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA	Squad
1992	Did not qualify
1995
1997
1999
2001	Champions	1st	5	4	0	1	12	2	Squad
2003	Champions	1st	5	5	0	0	12	3	Squad
2005	Did not qualify
2009
2013
2017
Total	2 Titles	2/10	10	9	0	1	24	5	—

CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions Achievements

France won the Artemio Franchi Cup in 1985.

CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA
1985	Champions	1st	1	1	0	0	2	0
1993	Did not qualify
2022
2026
Total	1 Title	1/3	1	1	0	0	2	0

Honours and Awards

Global Titles

• FIFA World Cup
  • Champions (2): 1998, 2018
  • Runners-up (2): 2006, 2022
  • Third place (2): 1958, 1986
• FIFA Confederations Cup
  • Champions (2): 2001, 2003
• Olympic Games
  • Gold medal (1): 1984¹
  • Silver medal (1): 1900²

Continental Titles

• UEFA European Championship
  • Champions (2): 1984, 2000
  • Runners-up (1): 2016
• UEFA Nations League
  • Champions (1): 2021
  • Third place (1): 2025

Intercontinental Titles

• Artemio Franchi Cup
  • Champions (1): 1985

Special Awards

• FIFA Team of the Year: 2001
• Laureus World Team of the Year: 2001, 2019
• World Soccer Team of the Year: 1984, 1991, 1998, 2000, 2018
• Gazzetta Sports World Team of the Year: 1998, 2000, 2018
• Guerin Sportivo Team of the Year: 1984
• FIFA World Cup Fair Play Trophy: 1998
• FIFA World Cup Most Entertaining Team: 1998

Summary of Titles

Competition				Total
FIFA World Cup	2	2	2	6
FIFA Confederations Cup	2	0	0	2
UEFA European Championship	2	1	0	3
UEFA Nations League	1	0	1	2
Artemio Franchi Cup/Finalissima	1	0	0	1
Total	8	4	3	14

See also

In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Francia para niños

• France women's national football team
• France Olympic football team
• France national under-21 football team
• France national youth football team
• Football in France
• Sport in France