France did win the 1984 European Championship on it's own soil, but both the 1982 and 1986 world cup teams, each as talented as the 1998 squad, crashed out in the semi finals.

The 1982 and 1986 which had such great players like Platini, Alan Girese, Jean Tigana e.t.c were tipped to carry the cup, but it was not so, for the 1998 squad. No one had faith in them .But the players and coach knew it was coming.
The exodus of French players to other European league, contributed largely to their unique playing pattern. Since most of the National team players popularly known as "Les-blues" ply their trade in other parts of Europe .

The maverick pony tailed Moroccan star player Moustapha El Hadji was recently crowed the African footballer when he polled 76 votes to beat super Eagles whiz-kid midfielder Austin "Jay-Jay" Okocha to the second spot with 74 votes.
The dream midfield maestro popularly known as "skill work-shop" for his expertise on the field of play, was torn between choosing fame and patriotism in 1993 when he got an invitation to the French under-21 National team . Hadji knew next to nothing about Moroccan football, since he had left his native country at the age of nine to France where he had spent a greater part of his life.
From the first day he debuted against Zambia in a world cup qualifying series in 1993 till now, he has shone like a million stars and has been a source of inspiration to the Atlas Lion as the National team is fondly called.
Especially memorable was his goal against Egypt in the last African Nations cup (Burkina Faso '98) when he scored through a spectacular bicycle kick, which was adjudged the best goal of the tournament .