The History of World Cup Soccer in France
France has twice played host to the World Cup when FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association), the international soccer organizational body, staged its premier tournament there. The tournaments held in France took place in 1938 and 1998.
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1938 World Cup
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The last World Cup without a group stage (it was the third World Cup overall), the 1938 tournament saw Italy hoist the trophy as champions when it beat Hungary, 4-2, in the final. Brazil captured third place, beating Sweden, 4-2.
France's Performance in the 1938 World Cup
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France beat Belgium, 3-1, to advance to the quarterfinals in the 1938 World Cup. There, the French fell to the eventual champions, Italy, by a 3-1 score.
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1998 World Cup
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By this time, the World Cup tournament had expanded to include 32 teams, as opposed to only 16 in 1938. The 1998 tournament saw the debut of the golden goal, to decide knockout matches that went into extra time.
France's Performance in the 1998 World Cup
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This time, France won the tournament, beating powerful Brazil, 3-0, in the final. It was the country's first title, and the first time a host country had won the trophy since Argentina in 1978. Croatia won third-place honors.
Dubious History
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In the following World Cup--the 2002 tournament in South Korea and Japan--France was knocked out in the first round. It was the worst performance ever by a defending champion, compounded by the fact that the national team did not score a single goal.
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References
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