So then farewell France and Uruguay… seeing the two of you play in Busan, and the torrid 0-0 draw that was the result, I can’t say you’ll be missed. The Uruguay team should by now have secured lucrative careers in Hollywood, while the French failed to score in four and a half hours of play, and with three top scorers in their respective national leagues – frankly c’est incroyable.
Written by Christian Wach on Tuesday, June 11th, 2002
Don’t forget that France failed even to qualify for the 1994 or 1990 championships, and as hosts last time and reigning champions this year haven’t actually been right through the qualification rounds since 1986!
I was in a bar in Brussels on the day of the final qualification matches in 1994, and the result that knocked France out of the championships was greeted with far more excitement than the glorious 0-0 draw that saw Belgium through to the finals that year.
I didn’t know about either France or Uruguay’s footballing history, but thanks for the info. I guess it may have affected their recent performances. I was mainly commenting on what I saw today and last week in Busan. I remember the French team looking invincible in the last European Championships, playing some wonderful football and I was kind of hoping they’d produce some performances of equal beauty here. Sadly, it was not to be.
Having said all that, I was in a bar in Paris on the night of the final of Euro 2000, and after their impressive golden goal the entire city went into party mode from the Champs Elysee to the Eiffel Tower. So it is disappointing to see them knocked out so early. Not even Zidane could save them today.
Just to say what a big buzz I am getting out of this site – j the Dover To Amsterdam video is brilliant. Keep on kickin boys.
Zidane was one the main attractions of seeing the French team play… and unfortunately he wasn’t even in the team I watched in Busan. In fact, it hardly seemed like the same team that impressed me so much a couple of years ago.
That’s football I guess – just look at how much South Korea and Japan have improved since France ’98, admittedly with hugely partisan home crowds – but nonetheless they both seem quick, sharp and determined. Unlike France…
Thanks Marian. The videos have been edited by our friends at Berlin-Bristol Mediawire – on the fly and with too little time… they’re definitely not going to be happy folk when they receive the next bunch of unlogged miniDV tapes we’re sending from Seoul. Sorry in advance Dirk and Monika ;-)
I LIKE YOUR VIDEO.YOU ARE GOOD AT FOOTBALL.I LOVE YOU UNCLE PHIL AND CHRIS.