France’s World Cup final victory on home soil in 1998 remains perhaps the defining moment in that nation’s footballing history.
As well as being Les Bleus maiden World Cup victory, the triumph carried significant cultural weight, as a divided nation united under Aime Jacquet’s multiracial side, sparking wild scenes of celebration across the country, with the epicentre of this being the millions of fans who gathered at the Champs Élysées following the 3-1 victory over Brazil in the final.
Youri Djorkaeff was a key figure in that side and believes that unity, belief and one split-second decision he made helped shape French football’s greatest evening.
Youri Djorkaeff on France’s 1998 World Cup victory
For the former Monaco, Inter and Bolton star, France’s 1998 triumph was years in the making.
“Because by then we were a united dressing room, one that had learned from its mistakes,” he tells FourFourTwo when asked how France were able to win their first-ever World Cup.
“We’d had bad press, with criticism aimed at the federation, the coach and several players, so we told ourselves we’d build something of our own – if we failed, it would be our responsibility; if we won, it would be our success. We wanted to do something historic.
“We stopped reading newspapers and didn’t talk to the media, we focused solely on playing. In 1996 we reached the semi-finals of the Euros, which was disappointing because we lost to the Czech Republic on penalties.
“We weren’t ready to win, but we prepared properly for the World Cup – we’d already told ourselves that we were going to win it. During Christmas 1997, the federation organised a family trip to the Alps. At first I refused. I told the coach I only had one week off in the summer and another in winter, and wanted to spend it with my family. But he insisted we go. After an hour, I realised how important it was to build team spirit ahead of the World Cup. That trip was the beginning of our success in 1998.”
Youri’s father, Jean, won 48 caps for France and was a huge influence on the midfielder, but knew that his son did not need extra advice in the run-up to the final.
“My father was close to me throughout my entire career, we’ve always shared a special bond, but nothing in particular on that occasion,” Djorkaeff adds. “He didn’t give me any advice because he knew we were ready for that challenge.”
Perhaps the most crucial moment of the final came in first-half stoppage time, when France, who were leading 1-0 against, were awarded a corner and Djorkaeff made a split-second decision which would prove to be vital, when he took the set-up piece which was nodded by Zinedine Zidane, who scored his second of the night.
“Incredible,” Djorkaeff says when asked what it was like to provide the assist. “I never took the corners for France – on the left it was Petit, on the right it was Zidane. After Zinedine got the first goal with a header, there was a second corner that was supposed to be his as well. I told him, “No, no, no, let me take this one, you stay in the box.”
“I took responsibility, I had the trust of my team-mates and the coach. It turned out to be a good decision – sometimes in life, you just have to act without overthinking it. The parade on the Champs-Élysées after was madness.”