Loading...
Loading...

For most countries, just qualifying for the World Cup is a dream. For France, it’s World Cup trophy or failure. In this World Cup Capsule, David Gass dives into the story of Les Bleus: a global powerhouse with two World Cups, two Euros, and a conveyor belt of stars that runs from Just Fontaine and Michel Platini to Zinedine Zidane and Kylian Mbappé. We trace France’s boom-or-bust history, from the magic of 1998 and Euro 2000 to their shocking 2002 group-stage exit, the chaos and player revolt of 2010, and their return to dominance under Didier Deschamps, capped with the 2018 title and an all-time classic final in 2022. Along the way, we explore Clairefontaine and the academy system that keeps producing world-class talent and why Mbappé’s prime years might make 2026 a “final or bust” for one of the deepest squads on the planet. We wrap with superstition, street football, and the tiny details that make France brilliant.
No transcript available for this episode.

Kickback '26

Kickback '26

Kickback '26