For a nation that prides itself on its starring role in so many strands of modern culture, it must have been a little galling for the French to have a couple of their nearest neighbours around for last night's celebration of the beautiful game in St Denis.
They provided quite a stage, of course, but it was the cast who excelled in an enthralling game packed with twists and turns, most dictated by Ronaldinho and the hosts nation's Thierry Henry, before Samuel Eto'o and Juliano Belletti stole the show with the two goals in four dramatic, second-half minutes.
It was no more than the Spaniards deserved, for they were the better side, and they were hard done by, too, when refereeing mistakes allowed Arsenal, thanks to Sol Campbell, rather than they, to lead at the interval.
Still, it was hard not to feel sorry for a losing side that battled valiantly after being reduced to 10 men early on and came within 13 minutes of holding their lead.
If we had expected a modern classic, then we looked set to be disappointed from 17th minute when Jens Lehmann was dismissed for hauling Eto'o down on the edge of the box.
With Ludovic Giuly bearing down to sidefoot the loose ball home, the decision by Norwegian referee Terje Hauge not to play advantage was bewildering.
But even after Ronaldinho pulled the resulting free kick fractionally left of the goal, Arsenal's task - to win with 10 men - looked more than a mere tall order.
Manager Arsene Wenger was forced to replace Robert Pires with Manuel Almunia. It was Pires' last game for Arsenal: he is set to leave for Villareal.
The Londoners had made the brighter start, with Henry, whose acceleration and near flawless touch caused his markers difficulties from the word go, forcing Victor Valdes into a couple of good early saves.
Behind the lone striker, though, there was little support. Freddie Ljungberg was quiet on the left, and Pires was persistently frustrated by the close attentions of Mark van Bommel.
Even by the time of Lehmann's departure, though, Barcelona had signalled their ability to carve open the competition's best defence. Deco, Giuly and Eto'o all threatened, but the real source of the danger, of course, was Ronaldinho, who, from a standing start some 35 metres out, alternately floated past opponents or threaded beautifully judged balls forward into the area for others.
With Edmilson faring the better of the game's two Brazilian holding midfielders, and Cesc Fabregas struggling alsongside Gilberto Silva to make an impact against his former club, the Spanish champions looked comfortably on top and a goal seemed inevitable.
When it came after 37 minutes, though, Valdes was the goalkeeper beaten. Arsenal's free from the right may have been the product of another Hauge error after Emmanuel Eboue - already a little fortunate not to have been sent off for a rash challenge on Giovanni van Bronckhurst - willingly hit the deck following a collision with Carles Puyol. From that point, on though, the Spaniards had no complaints as Henry floated the ball towards the centre where Campbell - static in defence until then - left Oleguer trailing before heading firmly towards the corner of the goal.
Almost immediately a new urgency was born in Barcelona's approach work, but the game-plan remained essentially unchanged.
In first-half stoppage time Eto'o look set to level things after taking Ronaldinho's ball with his back to goal and then spinning past Campbell. The shot was good, but Almunia's save was better, something most people in the stadium didn't appreciate until the break when a replay on the big screens prompted an audible gasp and applause from both sets of supporters.
Eto'o, as it turned out though, wasn't to be denied.
In their anxiety to press forward over the course of the second half, Frank Rijkaard's men left more and more space for Arsenal to run at. Henry was denied by Valdes for the second time in a one-on-one, while Ljungberg, by now posing a far greater threat on the break, went close too.
On 77 minutes the Cameroonian did better. Deco provided the pass while Henrik Larsson helped it on, but Eto'o finished coolly, taking a solitary touch with his left foot before rolling the ball between Almunia and his near post.
The Barca fans erupted in joy and were still celebrating four minutes later when Larsson's pass from a tight angle for Juliano Belletti eluded Ashley Cole by inches. The replacement right back steadied himself well and then, as the defenders bore down, struck a low shot across the goal that crashed home off the inside of Almunia's knee.
The electrical storm breaking out overhead couldn't be heard above the din, for the party had started here and presumably in Catalonia.
On the Arsenal side there was only dejection and despair, with players who had given their all looking as if they knew the situation was beyond them.
A third goal, indeed, would not have flattered Barca through the nine minutes that remained, but how cruel it would have been on Wenger's men who fought with courage and should feel no shame at losing to a team well worthy to be called champions of Europe.
BARCELONA: Valdes, Oleguer (Belletti 71), Marquez, Puyol, Van Bronckhorst, Deco, Edmilson (Iniesta 45), Van Bommel (Larsson 61), Giuly, Eto'o, Ronaldinho. Subs not used: Jorquera, Motta, Xavi, Sylvinho. Booked: Oleguer, Larsson. Goals: Eto'o 76, Belletti 80.
ARSENAL: Lehmann, Eboue, Toure, Campbell, Cole, Pires (Almunia 20), Silva, Fabregas (Flamini 74), Hleb (Reyes 85), Ljungberg, Henry. Subs not used: Bergkamp, Van Persie, Senderos, Clichy. Sent Off: Lehmann (18). Booked: Eboue, Henry. Goals: Campbell 37.
Referee: Terje Hauge (Norway).
