France travel to Qatar 2022 as the reigning World Cup champions from Russia 2018. But it was a very different and turbulent story when Les Bleus flew down to South Africa in 2010.
There could be no bigger high for France than with what Didier Deschamps’ side achieved in Russia four years ago. With Kylian Mbappe upfront, Paul Pogba in midfield and Raphael Varane in defence, Les Bleus thrilled on their way to a second crown after winning in 1998.
They also reached the final in 2006 before losing to Italy on penalties. But France failed to back up their efforts in Germany come to the first World Cup to be held in Africa. So much so, in fact, that Les Bleus failed to make it out of the group stage and did not win a game.
Resignations swept the France set-up after a catastrophic 2010 World Cup
France returned from South Africa and the 2010 World Cup under a cloud of disarray that saw Jean-Louis Valentin resign as team director. Former Manchester United and West Ham defender Patrice Evra had also led a play revolt during an open training session in Knysna.
Their mutiny and Les Bleus failing to win any of their Group A ties against Uruguay, Mexico or South Africa ultimately saw Raymond Domenech resign from his role as head coach that summer, too. But further controversies would also follow the 70-year-old back to Europe.
Domenech had coached France since 2004 but the French Football Federation (FFF) would not show much sentimentality. L’Equipe reported, via BBC Sport, in November 2010 that the former Lyon coach was seeking £2.5m in compensation for being made the scapegoat.
The FFF supposedly fired Domenech from his role on its technical advisory board for three ‘grave errors’. These were failing to handle Nicola Anelka’s expulsion from their squad, the ensuing player revolt and for not shaking South Africa boss Carlos Alberto Parreira’s hand.
In the end, Domenech and the FFF agreed to a compensation package in August 2011 of £845k, via Reuters. FFF president Noel Le Graet agreed to offer him severance pay plus damages for his sacking for serious misconduct. Domenech did not coach again until 2020.
The FFF expelled Anelka from their squad for offending Domenech
France’s 2010 World Cup campaign took off on shaky foundations after they drew 0-0 with Uruguay. A fixture with Mexico at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane then proved to be the catalyst for catastrophe. Even before Javier Hernandez and Cuauhtemoc Blanco hit.
At half-time with the score level, Anelka and Domenech argued vigorously in the dressing room. France had been a laboursome unit, and Domenech pointed his finger firmly at the forward. He had also made no impact over his 72 minutes during their draw with Uruguay.
Anelka had already sensed friction in the camp before the World Cup even began after his pre-tournament performances lacked spark. It got to the point that the striker wanted to go home. But Evra, Les Bleus’ captain in South Africa, had convinced Anelka to stay there.
“I was frustrated going into the locker room,” Anelka told the Netflix documentary ‘Anelka: Misunderstood’, via quotes by the Daily Mail. “I was thinking to myself: ‘I’m not getting the ball, I’m not finding a solution. We’re playing badly, it’s 0-0 and we still haven’t scored’.
“All of a sudden, the coach came in and called me out by name. When he called out my name, with all that pent-up frustration, it just came out because I didn’t like it. I didn’t like that he called me out by name as if I were guilty, as if it were all my fault.
“I took it as an attack. It was a big mistake. He had to know I was frustrated. He had to know I was a volcano about to erupt.”
Anelka’s expulsion sparked mutiny in the France camp in South Africa
Anelka ultimately got his wish to return home as the FFF expelled the striker from France’s World Cup camp after he refused to apologise on former president Jean-Pierre Escalettes’ request, per The Guardian. He left South Africa without registering a single shot on target.
Fractures were already growing in the camp, though, and Anelka’s expulsion was like a red rag to a bull. The Guardian noted during the 2010 World Cup that the France team refused to train at an open session in front of hundreds of fans in response to the FFF axing Anelka.
Players got off the team bus to sign autographs for the fans. But a fiery row between Evra and Robert Duverne, Les Bleus’ fitness coach, preceded the players returning to the bus in protest. Valentin, meanwhile, resigned as team director in anger at the developing scenes.
“It’s a scandal for the French, for the young people here, for the federation and the French team,” Valentin said, via The Guardian. “They don’t want to train. It’s unacceptable. As for me, it’s over. I’m leaving the Federation. I’m sickened and disgusted.”
The odds were stacked against France making the Round of 16
A 0-0 draw with Uruguay and a 2-0 defeat to Mexico meant the odds were stacked against France making the Round of 16. Les Bleus had to comprehensively thrash South Africa and hope that El Tri beat La Celeste. But neither of those circumstances would come to fruition.
Uruguay beat Mexico 1-0 to steal the top spot in Group A from El Tri at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg. South Africa also ensured they did not leave their home event with a defeat. Bafana Bafana stunned the Free State Stadium crowd in Bloemfontein to win 2-1.
South Africa left France shellshocked when Siphiwe Tshabalala found Bongani Khumalo to break the deadlock on 20 minutes. Bafana Bafana kept the Vuvuzelas screaming as Tsepo Masilela fed Katlego Mphela 17 minutes later to slot another beyond Hugo Lloris, as well.
Franck Ribery would eventually find Florent Malouda 20 minutes from full-time to provide France with some, ever fleeting, hope. But it was far from enough as South Africa sent Les Bleus packing at the bottom of the pack. All the while Evra watched on from their bench.
Domenech axed Evra from France’s starting line-up to face South Africa following his role in the mutiny over Anelka’s exit. An early red card for Yoann Gourcuff on 26 minutes did their hopes of progressing no favours, either, as Les Bleus’ chaotic scenes followed on the field.
Controversy surrounded France’s 2010 campaign before getting to South Africa
Controversy had surrounded France’s 2010 World Cup even before Domenech, Evra and Anelka arrived in South Africa. Les Bleus had to come through two qualifying legs with the Republic of Ireland in November 2019 to clinch their spot after finishing second in Group 7.
But after Anelka emerged as the hero of the first-leg at Croke Park in Dublin by scoring the only goal on 72 minutes, Robbie Keane put the Boys in Green level at the Stade de France. And with his strike, the tie to determine who made the World Cup headed into extra time.
The Republic of Ireland had travelled to Paris in strong spirits having only lost the first-leg when Anelka’s shot deflected in. Keane justified that optimism with his goal as the Boys in Green looked like the side to beat. France, despite all of their star power, were struggling.
Pressure built and built on the shoulders of Domenech’s squad as a ragged France took the Irish to extra time. There, 13 minutes into the additional half an hour, Thierry Henry wrote his name into the pages of history as he controversially broke the Republic of Ireland’s hearts.
Malouda floated a free-kick through the Irish box, more in hope than anything else. But it found a way through to Henry on the edge of the six-yard area. The Arsenal icon stuck out his left arm to keep the ball in play and gave it another nudge back into play with his hand.
Henry sent France through to the dismay of the Republic of Ireland
The ball fell invitingly for Henry to cushion a pass across the goal for William Gallas to head in the winning effort. Shay Given and the Boys in Green were livid that the hit was allowed to stand. But Swedish referee Martin Hansson did not spot the forward’s use of his hand.
Bizarrely, Henry’s handball had a strange side-effect of Irish supporters turning their backs on the Henry hoover brand in response. Anger towards the Va Va Voom forward held up for years after, as well. Rory Delap later recalled losing to France through his handball in 2014.
“There is still a lot of feeling back home,” Delap said, via The Independent. “The fact that people stopped buying Henry hoovers shows how far it went, and how horrible a thing it was to happen to the country.
“You don’t mind getting beat by greatness – and that is what he had. But it is disappointing that people remember that over all the great things he did. But that will in the top players is to win at all costs and, sometimes, you have to take the bad with the good.”
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