FRANCE was plunged into a bout of national self-flagellation yesterday as the country grappled with the farcical psychodrama surrounding the national football team at the World Cup in South Africa.
Politicians from across the political spectrum joined former players and social commentators in pouring scorn on the squad after the players went on strike in protest at the French Football Federation’s (FFF) decision to send striker Nicolas Anelka home.
Anelka was thrown out because his expletive-laden riposte to manager Raymond Domenech during a row at half-time in Thursday's 2-0 loss to Mexico was made public by sports daily L'Équipe. That prompted his teammates to refuse to train on Sunday, while a row between captain Patrice Evra and the team's physical trainer led to an FFF official's resignation.
Domenech, the unpopular manager who is due to be replaced as soon as the World Cup ends, then endured the humiliation of having to read a statement explaining why his players had left the pitch. L'Équipemocked what it called a "tantrum" and accused Les Bleus of cowardice, while France Soir'sfront page was topped by the one-word headline "Deserters". Many commentators blamed overpaid, pampered players for letting the country down.
President Nicolas Sarkozy asked his sports minister, Roselyne Bachelot, to prolong her stay in South Africa to try and calm the situation before tonight’s final Group A game against the host country – a match France must win to be in with a chance of reaching the second round. Ms Bachelot said she and the president were calling for “dignity and responsibility,” and warned that “disciplinary action” could follow.
Finance minister Christine Lagarde, formerly a member of the national synchronised swimming team, said: “I am appalled because I have worn the French national colours . . . and when you wear the French national colours, you have added responsibilities.”
Foreign minister Bernard Kouchner added his voice to the chorus of condemnation, calling the team’s behaviour “an appalling soap opera” and “a caricature of France”.
The ruling UMP bloc called the spectacle in South Africa “regrettable”, while the Socialist Party cancelled plans to show tonight’s match on a big screen at its Paris headquarters. According to spokesman Benoit Hamon, the affair was a “collective failure” shared by players, management, technical staff and officials.
The French team had been playing poorly for the past four years, but “everybody closed their eyes because there are big power and financial considerations at play”, he added. As a reminder of those commercial stakes, Crédit Agricole bank yesterday suspended sponsorship of the national team, while fastfood chain Quick said it was stopping advertisements starring Anelka.
"The whole world against Les Bleus," boomed Le Mondeabove a piece noting how "the foreign press hasn't got words strong enough to do justice to their views of Les Bleus." Divas, deserters, prima donnas and cowards were the most common.