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?
France's starting XI in the 1998 final was Fabien Barthez; Lilian Thuram, Frank Leboeuf, Marcel Desailly, and Bixente Lizarazu; Didier Deschamps, Christian Karembeu, and Emmanuel Petit; Zinedine Zidane; Youri Djorkaeff and Stéphane Guivarc'h. They defeated defending champions Brazil 3–0 at the Stade de France.
Who scored the goals in the 1998 World Cup final?
Zinedine Zidane scored two nearly identical headed goals from corners in the 27th and 45th minutes, and Emmanuel Petit added a breakaway third in stoppage time. Petit's goal came despite France playing with ten men following Marcel Desailly's 68th-minute sending off.
How many goals did France concede in the 1998 World Cup?
France conceded just two goals in seven matches throughout the tournament, tying the record for the fewest goals conceded by a champion. The only goals were a Michael Laudrup penalty for Denmark and Davor Šuker's semifinal strike for Croatia.
Why did Laurent Blanc miss the 1998 World Cup final?
Laurent Blanc was suspended after receiving a controversial straight red card in the 74th minute of the semifinal against Croatia following an altercation with Slaven Bilić. Veteran Frank Leboeuf stepped in alongside Desailly for the final and produced a flawless defensive display.
What was Lilian Thuram's heroic feat in the 1998 semifinal?
Lilian Thuram scored two second-half goals to lead France to a 2–1 comeback win against Croatia after Davor Šuker had opened the scoring. Remarkably, these were the only two international goals Thuram ever scored in his 142 appearances for France.
Who scored the first Golden Goal in World Cup history?
Laurent Blanc scored the first Golden Goal in World Cup history in the 114th minute of the round of 16 against Paraguay. His extra-time strike broke a stubborn deadlock against Paraguayan goalkeeper José Luis Chilavert.
Who was France's top goalscorer in the 1998 tournament?
Thierry Henry was France's top scorer with three goals, all scored during the group stage against South Africa and Saudi Arabia. Striker Stéphane Guivarc'h started most knockout matches without scoring, but his physical presence opened spaces for Zidane and Djorkaeff.
What tactical formation did Aimé Jacquet use in 1998?
Aimé Jacquet utilized an asymmetric 4-3-2-1 / 4-3-1-2 formation anchored by a formidable 'iron midfield' trio of Deschamps, Petit, and Karembeu. This defensive shield provided total freedom for Zidane to orchestrate attacking play between the lines.
What ratings do France 1998 players carry in 7a0?
Zinedine Zidane commands a 95 force rating in 7a0, flanked by Marcel Desailly and Lilian Thuram with 91 ratings and Fabien Barthez at 89. The 1998 French squad boasts an elite overall archive defensive rating of 94.
How can I deploy the France 1998 squad in the 7a0 game?
Choose France in the 1998 tournament section of 7a0 to draft Zidane, Henry, Deschamps, and Thuram into your tactical formation. You can test Jacquet's impenetrable midfield block against the world's most prolific attacking sides.
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.