France and the World Cup: a history of successes, legendary generations and unforgettable shirts

The French national team holds a special place in the history of the World Cup. In this 2026 World Cup, they are already demonstrating their attacking prowess and goal-scoring ability right from the start. That is why they are among the favourites.

But let’s take a look at the story of their World Cup campaigns.

Although their early World Cup campaigns were inconsistent, over the decades they have become one of the major powers in international football. Les Bleus have staged some of the most memorable campaigns in the tournament’s history, boasted extraordinary players and won two World Cups.

From Just Fontaine’s goals at Sweden 1958 to the triumphs and exploits of the generations led by Michel Platini, Zinedine Zidane, Antoine Griezmann and Kylian Mbappé, France has built a legacy full of moments worth remembering. 

What’s more, their shirts and jackets have been part of every chapter of football history, becoming highly prized items amongst fans of retro football and collectors of vintage football shirts.


Today, the French national team is synonymous with talent, competitiveness and a World Cup heritage – a combination that has seen them reach four World Cup finals and establish themselves as one of the most successful national teams of the modern.

France’s World Cup record

France’s World Cup history could be summed up in this sentence: The French national team has played in 16 World Cups. It has won two titles and finished as runners-up on two occasions, all in 21 matches.

Below are the best results in their history: 

The first World Cup they won was when they hosted the tournament, at France 1998, and the most recent was Russia 2018. They lost the intermediate FIFA World Cups in Germany 2006 and Qatar 2022.

•    World Champions: 1998 and 2018. They beat Ronaldo and Bebeto’s Brazil and Luka Modrić’s Croatia respectively.
•    Runners-up: 2006 and 2022. They lost to Francesco Totti and Cannavaro’s Italy and Messi’s Argentina respectively. 
•    Third place: 1958 and 1986
•    Fourth place: 1982

France currently ranks fifth in the all-time World Cup standings, behind Brazil, Germany, Argentina and Italy. Few national teams can boast of having finished in the top four on so many different occasions and across such varied eras. 


Let’s now take a look at the various World Cup tournaments in which France was one of the standout teams.

Sweden 1958: the rise of Just Fontaine

The 1958 World Cup in Sweden marked France’s first major international success. That team, led by Raymond Kopa, Just Fontaine, Jean Vincent and Roger Piantoni, played an attacking brand of football that took Europe by surprise.

Raymond Kopa and Just Fontaine - France national team

France reached the semi-finals before losing to Brazil – featuring Pelé, Vavá, Didí, Garrincha and Mario Zagallo – the eventual champions. In the third-place play-off, they defeated West Germany and achieved their best-ever finish at that time.

The star of the show was Just Fontaine, who scored 13 goals in a single World Cup – a record that has stood for over sixty years. If you’re into statistics, here are the names of the legendary top scorers in a single World Cup: Sándor Kocsis in 1954 (11 goals), Gerd Müller in 1970 (10 goals) and Eusébio in 1966 (9 goals). This gives you an idea of just how remarkable Just Fontaine’s performance remains – one of the greatest individual displays ever seen at the World Cup.


Spain 1982: Platini’s generation came close to the final

The 1980s were marked by one of the most incredibly talented generations in French football. At the 1982 World Cup in Spain, France reached the semi-finals with players such as Michel Platini, Alain Giresse, Marius Trésor and Jean Tigana, under the management of Michel Hidalgo.

The French team played one of the most thrilling matches in World Cup history against West Germany in Seville. After drawing 3–3 following an unforgettable extra time, France were defeated in the first ever penalty shoot-out at a World Cup.

 Platini penalty 0-1 vs Germany - WC 82

After losing the semi-final, France also lost the third-place play-off against Poland (3–2), meaning they finished the tournament in fourth place – their best result to date, alongside their third-place finish in 1958.

That defeat meant Les Bleus missed out on the final, but it cemented that team’s status as one of the most admired of its era. 


Mexico 1986: France returns to the podium

Four years later, France returned to the World Cup with much of the same generation of players. Platini remained the leader of a team that also included Giresse and Tigana, Fernández and Amoros. France had won Euro 84 and went into the 1986 World Cup in Mexico as one of the favourites. And they did not disappoint.

Platini and Edinho match France Brazil - WC 86
 

One of the most memorable moments of the tournament was the quarter-final victory over a Brazil side featuring Careca, Sócrates and Zico, considered by many to be one of the best matches in World Cup history. In this match, Brazil lost its innocence and left its ‘Jogo bonito’ behind. 

Although the French team were once again knocked out in the semi-finals by West Germany, they defeated Belgium in the third-place play-off to claim the bronze medal, equalling their best-ever finish.


France 1998: the first star

The World Cup held on French soil changed the history of the national team forever, bearing in mind that France had failed to qualify for either the 1990 or the 1994 World Cups. This context highlights the remarkable feat achieved by the French national team at this World Cup.

Managed by Aimé Jacquet, France fielded a generation of players featuring a phenomenal defence comprising Marcel Desailly, Laurent Blanc, Lizarazu and Lilian Thuram, alongside outstanding attacking contributions from midfield, with an exceptional trio of Zinedine Zidane, Thierry Henry and Youri Djorkaeff, and the superb leadership of captain Didier Deschamps.

Les Bleus advanced with authority throughout the tournament until they reached the final against Brazil at the Stade de France. To get there, they had to beat the ever-tenacious Paraguay in the round of 16, Roberto Baggio’s Italy in the quarter-finals and Croatia in the semi-finals – a Croatia side featuring elite players such as Davor Suker, Robert Jarni and Prosinecki.

Zidane France vs Brazil - WC 98 final 

The final between France and Brazil – with a weakened Ronaldo who was not at his best, and exceptional players such as Rivaldo, Roberto Carlos, Aldair and Dunga who failed to find their rhythm on the pitch – was one of the most significant nights in French football. France won 3–0 with two goals from Zidane and claimed their first ever World Cup.
 
That 1998 French squad immediately became one of the most iconic in world football.


Germany 2006: Zidane’s last major World Cup

Few expected France to reach the final at Germany 2006, given that, as defending champions at the 2002 World Cup, they had been knocked out in the group stage. However, a seasoned squad selected by Raymond Domenech and still led by Zidane, Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira and Claude Makélélé put in an extraordinary performance.

In the knockout stages, France knocked out Spain – a side that featured Carles Puyol, Fernando Torres, Xavi Alonso and David Villa, and was managed by Luis Aragonés – before facing Brazil once again, this time featuring Ronaldinho, Cafú, Kaká, Ronaldo and Adriano, who had not arrived at the World Cup in peak form, and went on to win the tie. Finally, they faced Figo’s Portugal – now featuring Cristiano Ronaldo – before reaching the final against Italy, who fielded an impressive squad including Pirlo, Del Piero and Grosso.

The image of Zidane, after finding that weak right-hand corner of the Brazilian defence and dominating the game against the Brazilians, along with his unforgettable performance throughout the tournament, remains etched in the collective memory of fans. Although France lost the final on penalties, that team produced one of the most admired campaigns in the modern history of French football at the World Cup. Zidane was voted the tournament’s best player, despite his headbutt and subsequent sending-off.


Russia 2018: the second World Cup

Twenty years after their first title, France once again conquered the world of football. The team managed by Didier Deschamps combined youth, pace and talent with players such as Antoine Griezmann, Olivier Giroud, Hugo Lloris, Ousmane Dembélé, Paul Pogba, Samuel Umtiti, and the talented 19-year-old Kylian Mbappé.

The French knocked out Argentina, Uruguay and Belgium before beating Luka Modrić’s combative Croatia 4–2 in a spectacular final played in Moscow.

Griezmann's penalty - Match against Croatia - WC 2018 

Antoine Griezmann’s brilliant tenacity and drive, combined with a highly effective French side, enabled Les Bleus to win their second World Cup.

Furthermore, Mbappé’s performance confirmed the emergence of a new global star.

France’s kits: elegance and tradition in blue

Hablar To speak of France is also to speak of some of the most recognisable kits in the history of football. The traditional blue of Les Bleus has been part of the sport’s visual identity for generations.

The retro France shirts and jackets from 1958 worn by Raymond Kopa and Just Fontaine, the kits of Platini’s generation in the 1980s, the legendary 1998 France shirt, and the designs worn by Zidane and Henry are now highly prized items amongst collectors of vintage football shirts.

Their combination of simplicity, elegance and tradition makes France’s classic shirts some of the most prized by retro football fans around the world.

The jacket we’ve chosen today to illustrate this article is the France national team jacket in the style of the late 1950s and early 1960s, worn by Just Fontaine and Raymond Kopa, the idols of those years. 

We’ve also included a link for those of you who’d like to buy the France 2000 casual socks. 


***


And now for the million-dollar question: will France win the 2026 World Cup?