The France national football team is a European football team among the top sides in international football today.
France came third in the 1958 World Cup. The generation of Michel Platini and others came fourth in 1982, and third in 1986. In between, they won the European Championship in 1984.
France's most successful years were the late 1990s, the generation of Zidane and others. This team played in the semifinals of Euro 96, two years later hosted and won the 1998 World Cup, and two years later won Euro 2000.
Ranked as favourites, this team's performance in the 2002 World Cup was dismal, not winning a single game, nor scoring a goal. Despite this they were still among the favourites to win Euro 2004, but were beaten in the quarter-finals by the eventual surprise winners Greece.
