Although it was strong until then, it was evaluated as a team that was inferior to Brazil, Argentina, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands. Except for the glitzy days when Just Fontaine, Raymond Kopa, and Michel Platini were leading, it was common for the team to be eliminated in the first round of the finals at World Cup or Euro or fail to pass regional preliminaries at all.
There were times when he had good performance, but he could hardly overcome the challenge of advancing to the semifinals. When he was eliminated from the World Cup qualifying round in 1994, he was caught in fire, and as a result, the golden generation began to actively appoint players from old African countries, immigrant backgrounds from old colonies, to the national team. The 1998 World Cup in France was the culmination of such investment.
This is because they finally won the championship among outstanding strong teams such as the Netherlands, Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Croatia, and Brazil. With Zinedine Zidane, the best playmaker and matchmaker, at the center of the attack, the defense of the "Iron Four Back," composed of Blanc-Dshay-Turang-Rizarazu, did not allow any sharp weapons to invade.
Their force, which was perfect not only in individual players' abilities but also in combination and composition, is considered one of the best defenses in the history of the World Cup. At that time, the opposing teams that faced the French national team were difficult to block attacks centered on Zidane, but it was even more difficult to break through the "iron four-back." Even if he got out of the way badly, the best goalkeeper Barthes kept his last line of defense.
Left and right midfielders Petty and Carangbeau played on the field with their fearsome activities. In a 4-3-2-1 system without wingers, the left and right midfielders of the three midfielders play roles in the side and center, and Petty and Carangbeau were optimized for that. Djorkaev was also a world class as an attacking midfielder, just because Zidane was such an unrivaled player.
He has an excellent understanding of the space and examines his teammates through passes, while also making breakthroughs himself through individual skills. In addition to the rising striker Gibarsh, young strikers of newcomers Thierry Henry and David Trezeguet also added destructive power in quality and quantity as they continued to play. With these players, France is reborn as a new powerhouse in the world soccer community, including the 1998 World Cup, the 2000 Euro, and the 2001 Confederations Cup.
As you can see from the above article, France is a country that is serious about sports. Especially when it comes to popular sports, the country has great desire to win. Basketball is included in this category. Just as the country made history in soccer in the 1998 World Cup, the country is set to challenge to become the strongest country in men's basketball at this year's Olympics. Naturally, the goal is the first gold medal in men's basketball history.
He is committed to dispel regret from his loss to the U.S. at the Tokyo Olympics. As evidenced by this, he has formed the best team and pitched the game plan. Leading the way are "The Defensive Player of the Year," Rudy Govere (32, 216cm, Minnesota Timberwolves) and Victor Wembley (20, 223cm, San Antonio Spurs), the next-generation superstar.
In addition, many NBA leaguers such as Nicola Batum (36, 203cm·LA Clippers), Evan Ponier (32, 201cm·Detroit Pistons), and Usman Zeng (21, 206cm·Oklahoma City Thunder) are included. In particular, overwhelming "height" is the best weapon that France boasts, as evidenced by the height of its key players. Under the basket, which Kobe and Wembanyama protect, it will not be easy for any ace to hit.
What's left is Joel Embiid (30, 213 cm), one of the best centers in the NBA, joining the U.S. national team. Embiid has three nationalities: Cameroon, France, and the U.S. The Cameroonian made great efforts to acquire French citizenship in 2022. He also wrote a letter to President Emmanuel Macron stating that he would serve French basketball. He is known to have promised to participate in the Paris Olympics.
Of course, this must have been a significant factor in the background of Embiid's acceptance from France. However, Embiid did not keep his promise. He went even further and chose the U.S. national team, his archrival. For France, he was properly stabbed in the back. If Embiid had joined the French national team as promised, he would have played as an option with Govere and Wembley on his side.
Kobe is strong in defense, but he has limitations in offense and defense. Wembley has endless possibilities, but he is not a complete player. If Embiid, who boasts perfect balance in offense and defense, had been with him, the synergy effect would have been scary. It seems that the basketball version of the French national team in 1998 could have been possible.
However, as Embiid failed to keep his promise, France lost the best card, while the U.S., which was disappointed at the post, is now in perfect balance in each position. This is the butterfly effect that Embiid brought. Of course, France is strong even without Embiid. As evidenced by this, it overwhelmingly won against Turkiye 96-46 in an exhibition match at the Kindarena Stadium in Rouen, France on Sunday. 바카라사이트
At an exhibition match against Germany held in Cologne, Germany on Sunday, the team won 90-66 with a gap of 24 points. Wembley and Kobe were truly remarkable, and Matthias Lesoth and Gershon Yavussele are showing off their great performances. Will France be able to achieve its long-cherished dream of Olympic gold by defeating the U.S., which Embiid joined? If so, it will surely remain a legendary story in the history of basketball.