France’sperformanceinthe2002WorldCupbroughtbackpainfulmemoriesofatimewhenFrancewasaweakcontenderinworldandEuropeanfootball–atimewhennationalorclubteamsrarelywon,andtheFrenchwererenownedforhavinglittleinterestinthegame.Today,footballplaysauniqueroleinFrenchsociety.Frenchplayersandcoachesarehighlysoughtafterabroadandthenationalteamhaschalkedupsignificantrecentvictories,includingaWorldCupandEuropeanChampionship.ThisbookisthefirstinEnglishtoexaminetheextraordinarycultural,economic,andpoliticalhistorybehindFrenchfootball’sdevelopmentthroughoutthetwentiethcenturyanduptothepresentday.ItfocusesonthepasttwentyyearsandconcludeswithadiscussionofthefalloutfromtheWorldCup2002.
ImportedfromBritainbythemiddleclassesinthelatenineteenthcentury,footballenteredFrenchnationalconsciousnessbetweenthewars.AswitheverywhereelseinEurope,thegamehelpedtounitecommunitiesandforgenewsocialidentities.AlthoughtheStatehasgenerouslysupportedyouthcoaching,theevolutionoftheprofessionalsporthasbeenslowduetotightcommunitycontrol,hightaxesandlackofincomefrompayingspectators.InabidtocompetesuccessfullyinEurope,theownersofFrance’sbigcityclubsareseekingtocommercializethegame,despitetheresistanceofcentralandlocalauthorities.
HaretracesthegradualevolutionoftraditionalFrenchfootballvaluesandexplorestheimpactofnewandcontroversialbusinesspractices.HaveFrenchfootball’sinfluentialclubchairmensoldouttobusinessvaluesandtelevision?Whyhasthenationalteambeensosuccessfulwhenclubteamshavenot?Howaretopclubsbeingre-brandedtocatchanationalandinternationalaudienceofconsumers?Whatroledoesthemodernsupporterplay,andwhatarethelinksbetweenbusinessmen,politicsandthecommercializationofthesport?WhatispeculiarlyFrenchaboutFrenchfootball,andwhatdoesfootballtellusaboutFrance?Agoodinvestigationisworthmaking.