Since the first game of France's national team in 1904, the history of the nation and soccer have been intertwined. This book tells that tale.

So many countless historic victories and memorable defeats have littered the nation’s collective memory since 1904 that one might say the history of France’s soccer team is the history of France. The team’s matches are information-rich for anyone interested in France: a record not only of great moments and the evolution of a popular sport, but also failed dreams of power, from imperial affirmation to the perilous quest for national identity, not to mention wars and international relations. Since 1904, these matches have told us how France sees itself, how it lives and, often, how it questions itself. When the French team hits the field, the country’s history is in play.