Jean-François Larios: laconically stylish footballer, indomitable presence and effortlessly cool in possession of the ball. An excellent penalty taker, he was the free-moving but often deep-lying springboard of the late 1970s and early…
Tag: france
Zinedine Zidane arrived at Euro 2000 following yet another impressive season in Turin. His creativity and ability to spot passes – barely visible on television broadcasts, let alone amongst the intensity of…
This feature is part of Duology Despite both standing at six-feet something, one cut a willowy, sleek silhouette while the other appeared compact in stature. ‘Hard men’ though they were both perceived…
This feature is taken from the France issue of These Football Times magazine. Order your copy of this beautifully crafted, timeless print edition via our online shop. In the process, you’ll support…
His talent is in no doubt, and it’s been quite the journey to showcase it to the world. But can Kylian Mbappé become the greatest player of his era?
Illustration by Sachin Sing. View more on Instagram and Behance. A fleet of Lamborghinis and Porches line up on a tarmac alongside a grounded private jet. Cut from a scene out of…
“Cultural genocide.” Those were the words of Jean-Marie Tjibaou, leader of the Kanak Independence Movement, after the French Government introduced a controversial statute in the territory of New Caledonia in 1988. The law,…
Twenty minutes into France’s 4–3 victory over Argentina in the World Cup round of 16, Paul Pogba restarted play with a long ball from deep in his own half. He hit the…
It was a goal that was impossible to ignore, the kind of high-level showboatery that’s worth the price of admission alone. On a misty January evening inside the Stade Chaban-Delmas in Bordeaux,…
The bridge connects one Parisian reality to another. Beginning in the western suburb of Neuilly-sur-Seine, home to France’s wealthiest community, the concrete structure snakes its way north past drab tower blocks and…
France’s journey to the 2006 World Cup final was one of the last great stories of the competition. A bizarrely quixotic campaign had its origins in the return of three veterans, who…
After navigating a tricky early period, Sir Alex Ferguson often appeared to have everything under measured control at Manchester United, with squad rebuilding seemingly a fluid and effortless transition, allowing the club…
THE WORLD CUP IS MAGICAL. For any fan of the sport, whether your country is participating or not, it is something to look forward to, and the fact that it only occurs…
Not for a moment did Reynald Pedros even entertain the thought of leaving his hand by his waist as his squad delegated penalty duties between them. Offering his services was exactly the…
The grandma was not prepared for it. She lifted one speckled, wizened hand to her face in surprise. From the other dropped a candy-striped shopping bag, an army of bread rolls spraying…
ÉRIC SYLVAIN ABIDAL is one of the most decorated French footballers in recent history. A powerful left-back, he amassed over 400 club appearances, as well as 67 international caps, across a career…
Growing up as a Manchester United fan in the era of the Arsenal Invincibles, I perhaps would have been excused for disliking Thierry Henry. The Frenchman was the archetypal player to strike fear…
When the best Algerian players in France left Ligue 1 to use football in a quest for Algerian independence, their impact changed history