The federation decided to teach the obstinate players a lesson in an original way for tricks in the tournament.
In recent years, the French team has come to any major international tournament in the status of contenders for victory. Now it is hard to believe that a few years ago, the “tricolor”, torn apart by scandals, failed the World Cup and returned home in disgrace.
The disgraced football players were sent home on a plane to transport animals, and even on a dubious route.
The French remembered this lesson for a long time.
Problem team
At the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the French came in the status of vice-champions. At the last tournament, the team reached the final. But after Germany, the French began a big decline in the game.
At the European Championship, the team failed to advance from the group. It also turned out to be selected in South Africa with great difficulty. Only the scandalous goal of Henry in the match with Ireland allowed the French to take part in the African championship.
Upon arrival in South Africa, the problems of Raymond Domenech’s team did not end. In the passing group, France showed an unsatisfactory result. It all started with a dismal goalless draw against Uruguay. The French played even worse in the match with Mexico (0:2). Finally put an end to the prospects of the “blue” defeat from the hosts of the tournament (1:2). As a result, the team took the last place in the quartet.
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“I was like a volcano about to erupt”
The failures of the French were caused not only by game problems. The team was torn apart by constant scandals. So, during the break of the match with Mexico between Domenech and striker Nicolas Anelka there was a conflict. Forward in a rude manner expressed dissatisfaction with the work of the coach. Shortly before that, Raymond criticized the striker’s game on the field.
“I was upset going into the locker room. I thought: “I don’t get the ball, I don’t find a solution to the problem. We play poorly, the score is 0-0, and we still haven’t scored.” Suddenly, the coach came in and called me by my first name. When he did it with all that frustration of his, I didn’t like it. I took it as an insult. It was a big mistake. He should have known that at that moment I was like a volcano that is about to erupt, – Anelka told about what happened.
There were also rumors in the French press that the player sent the coach in obscene form in front of the whole team, but both participants in the conflict denied this information after the tournament. The quarrel ended with the replacement of Nicolas right at half-time.
After losing to the Mexicans, Anelka was suspended due to his refusal to apologize to the coach. But the tough measure did not stop the conflicts within the team. The remaining players did not come to the next training session in protest against the actions of the French Football Federation in relation to Anelka.
Severe punishment for football players
All conflicts within the team became public. All persons involved in the situation were subjected to harsh criticism. In order to reduce the degree of public tension and punish the players for sabotage, the federation decided to take a non-standard act.
Officials have canceled a chartered Airbus A 310-300 VIP jet, replacing it with a much more modest Boeing 737-700. This model belongs to the economy segment. In addition to passenger flights, the aircraft is often used to transport livestock and wildlife. It only takes 20 minutes to re-equip.
At the same time, this board was not intended for long flights. The plane had to land in the capital of Gabon, Libreville, for refueling. It is not known whether this was just a coincidence or another lesson for the obstinate players, but in 1993 the Zambian national team flew from this airport. The flight of the Africans ended in a plane crash and the death of the entire team.
Fortunately, the French returned to their homeland safe and sound. But even here they were not particularly expected. Instead of the country’s main airport named after Charles de Gaulle, the plane with the players landed on the less significant Le Bourget.
It’s funny, but Anelka escaped such an exotic punishment of the federation. He left the tournament on another plane. The striker bought a first-class ticket for €5.5 thousand and made it to France in comfort.
At the end of the World Cup, Domenech retired, as he wanted before the start of the tournament. His coaching career was effectively interrupted for a decade. The main perpetrators of sabotage in South Africa among football players were also quickly identified. Five players were suspended for several games. The most severe punishment was given to Anelka, who was suspended for 18 matches.
This failure at the tournament in South Africa was the bottom for the French team, from which she pushed off and again achieved victory eight years later in Russia. The sad lesson learned in Africa will be remembered by all of France for a long time to come.
