July 13th Paris Rain, then sunny

●Host France Wins Its First World Cup

July 12, 1998 is a day that the French will never forget as long as they live. The host France won its first World Cup. The evening on which France defeated the reigning champion Brazil 3-0, the people of Paris and of the entire nation of France were drunk with the glory of the victory and celebrated until dawn with festivals larger than ever seen before.

These festivals started immediately after the end of the match. In the stadium when team captain Dejean hoisted up the World Cup, everyone started signing the French national anthem the Marseillaise and the entire stadium saluted its team. Afterwards, fans waved the French flag on the Champs Elysees and throughout France. City streets were clogged with cars honking their horns in joyful celebration. All this went on until it started to rain around dawn.

The true charm of the World Cup was the victory by the host. This completes the entire schedule for the '98 World Cup in France. For the people of France and for the World Cup, this was the perfect final.

July 12th

Historical Victory by The World Cup Home Nation

Finally came the day of which the very last World Cup game in this 20th century, at Le Stade de France, Saint-Denis. The atmosphere was so great because of the fact that it would be fought between 4 times winner Brazil and the Mother Country of World Cup France, the host country, because of the big French crowd including the organization chairman Michel Platini who wore proudly French team shirt under his jacket.

French men dominated the big enemy with rapid game control using more aggressive press defense, and score the first goal quite impressively.

At 27th minute, Zinedine Zidane finely caught the right corner-kick ball and headed home dodging his marker Leonardo. Brazil has sank in the depth of tantalization, only sticking to inefficient attacking procedures.

Meanwhile, Franck Leboeuf, who replaced forbidden Laurent Blanc, acted thouroughly good, maybe thanks to poor play by injured Ronaldo. Just before the break, Zidane scored his second again from a corner and almost secured the precious victory. As Brazil's substitutions of Denilson and even Edmund ever produced none of satisfactory results, French man Marcel Desailly's expulsion never brought any danger to the host country. Before the final whistle, France got decisive 3rd goal from Vieila-Petit hotline.

Scorers

[F] Zidane:27min., 46min.= the first half, Petit:92min.

Cafu

J.Baiano

Aldair

Roberto Carlos

Thuram

Leboeuf

Desailly

Lizarazu

Dunga(Capt.)

Sampaio(Edmund:74min.)

Leonardo(Denilson:46min.)

Rivaldo

Karembeu(Boghossian:57min.)

Deschamps(Capt.)

Zidane

Petit

Ronaldo

Bebeto

Djorkaeff(Vieira:75min.)

Guivarc'h(Dugarry:66min.)