France 3–0 South Africa
Christophe Dugarry and Thierry Henry scored before an own goal completed a controlled opening victory.
Historic squad guide · Champion
France 1998 World Cup Squad
France's 1998 World Cup squad won the country's first title as host. Aimé Jacquet's team combined the tournament's strongest defensive structure with midfield depth and set-piece quality, then produced its most complete attacking performance in the 3–0 final victory over Brazil.
Tournament resultChampion
FinalFrance 3–0 Brazil
Tournament record6 wins · 1 draw
Goals scored15
Goals conceded2
CaptainDidier Deschamps
Top France scorerThierry Henry · 3
Head coachAimé Jacquet
Archive rating82
How the France 1998 team played
France was built around defensive control. Marcel Desailly and Laurent Blanc protected central areas, Lilian Thuram and Bixente Lizarazu could advance from full-back, and captain Didier Deschamps balanced the midfield. Emmanuel Petit and Christian Karembeu added physical range, while Zinedine Zidane received freedom between the lines. The side did not depend on one fixed striker and used movement from Youri Djorkaeff, Stéphane Guivarc'h and wide or late-arriving midfielders to create space.
Key players
Zidane recovered from an early suspension and scored two headed goals in the final. Thuram delivered the decisive semifinal performance with the only two international goals of his career. Deschamps organised midfield pressure, Petit added progression and scored the final goal, and Fabien Barthez conceded only two goals. Blanc scored the tournament's first golden goal against Paraguay, while Desailly provided speed and authority before his final red card.
Legacy of the squad
The victory transformed France's football identity and gave the host a first world championship 68 years after the inaugural tournament. The squad represented a diverse generation developed across French academies and leading European clubs. Its defensive platform, midfield intelligence and tournament management became the foundation for France's later international consistency, including another final in 2006 and a second title in 2018.
Every match from the tournament run
France 1998 World Cup results
France 4–0 Saudi Arabia
Henry scored twice, with David Trezeguet and Lizarazu also on target despite Zidane's red card.
France 2–1 Denmark
Djorkaeff and Petit scored as France completed the group with three wins.
France 1–0 Paraguay · AET
Laurent Blanc scored the first golden goal in World Cup history after France struggled to beat José Luis Chilavert.
France 0–0 Italy · 4–3 pens
A tight match ended scoreless before France converted four penalties and advanced when Luigi Di Biagio hit the crossbar.
France 2–1 Croatia
After Davor Šuker put Croatia ahead, Thuram scored twice to send France to its first World Cup final.
France 3–0 Brazil
Zidane headed two first-half corner goals and Petit scored late as ten-man France completed its first title.
Verified lineup from the final
France 1998 World Cup final starting XI
France's final XI used Barthez in goal; Thuram, Leboeuf, Desailly and Lizarazu in defence; Deschamps, Karembeu and Petit across midfield; Zidane in the creative role; and Djorkaeff with Guivarc'h ahead. Leboeuf replaced the suspended Blanc. The shape remained compact, but Zidane and Djorkaeff moved freely while Thuram and Lizarazu supplied width.
- 1Fabien Barthez
- 2Lilian Thuram
- 3Frank Leboeuf
- 4Marcel Desailly
- 5Bixente Lizarazu
- 6Didier Deschamps
- 7Christian Karembeu
- 8Emmanuel Petit
- 9Zinedine Zidane
- 10Youri Djorkaeff
- 11Stéphane Guivarc'h
Roles behind the tournament run
Key France 1998 player contributions
Zinedine Zidane
Controlled France's attacking rhythm and scored two decisive headed goals in the final.
Didier Deschamps
Organised the press, balanced the team's positioning and connected the defensive block with Zidane and the forwards.
Lilian Thuram
Defended one-on-one situations and scored both goals in the comeback victory over Croatia.
Marcel Desailly
Used speed and anticipation to protect space behind midfield throughout the tournament.
Emmanuel Petit
Added physical range and progressive passing before scoring France's third goal in the final.
Fabien Barthez
Conceded only twice and gave France confidence to defend higher and more aggressively.
Suggested XI generated from archive order
7a0 suggested France 1998 lineup
This playable selection is separate from the verified historical final starting XI shown above.
22 players
Complete France 1998 squad by position
Goalkeepers
- #1LamaGK78
- #16BarthezGK88
- #22CharbonnierGK70
Defenders
- #2CandelaLB / CB79
- #3LizarazuLB89
- #5BlancCB86
- #8DesaillyCB / DM90
- #15ThuramRB / CB90
- #18LeboeufCB80
Midfielders
- #4VieiraDM / CM / RM84
- #6DjorkaeffAM / LM / ST84
- #7DeschampsDM / RM85
- #10ZidaneCM / AM95
- #11PiresLM / LW / AM80
- #14BoghossianDM / CM / RM78
- #17PetitDM / CM / RM / CB85
- #19KarembeuRM / DM / RB79
Forwards
- #9Guivarc'hST74
- #12HenryRW / LW / ST83
- #13DiomèdeLW / LM74
- #20TrezeguetST80
- #21DugarryST / RW78
Legend markers in 7a0
Featured legends
DesaillyZidaneHenry
France 1998 FAQ
Who started for France in the 1998 World Cup final?
Barthez; Thuram, Leboeuf, Desailly and Lizarazu; Deschamps, Karembeu and Petit; Zidane; Djorkaeff and Guivarc'h.
How many goals did France concede in 1998?
France conceded two goals in seven matches, against Denmark and Croatia.
Who was France's top scorer?
Thierry Henry led France with three goals, all scored during the group stage.
Why did Laurent Blanc miss the final?
Blanc was suspended after receiving a red card in the semifinal against Croatia.
Can I use France 1998 in 7a0?
Yes. The France 1998 squad is available in the synchronized game archive.
Sources and editorial review
Editorial review: 7a0.online
Last reviewed: 2026-07-25
Historical results and lineups are checked against the cited records. Player ratings, position eligibility and suggested lineups are independent 7a0 editorial values.