The 30 that made French football (from 21st to 25th place)

The Blues’ match consultant since 2010, Bixente Lizarazu (53 years) has always been a voice to carry when commenting on the news of the French team or football in general. Collaboration with three major national media (TeamRadio France and TF1) already offer a unique audience.

However, beyond the legitimacy associated with his playing career (1998 world and European champions 2000, Champions League winner 2001), his candor and independence give him credibility. Without excess and always weighing her words, “Liza” knows how to get her message across, such as the interview published Monday on our website, in which she spoke about the FFF crisis and Didier Deschamps’ four-year contract extension as head. the Blues. LD

The captain of Olympique Lyonnais and the French outfit have had an emotional year on a sporting basis, contributing heavily to OL’s return to the fore after a frustrating white season. Wendie Renard, 32, is leading the way for the team that snatched the French title away from PSG. Most importantly, Lyonnais sat on their European throne again by winning their 8th Champions League, a record.

With the selection, even if he was dreaming of a first international title, Martiniquaise reached the last four of the Euros in England (losing 1-2 against Germany in the semifinals), ending a streak of five ranking eliminations in the quarter-finals. Individually, Wendie Renard, who became the first woman to cross the 100-game mark in C1, placed 8th for the Ballon d’Or, the best ranking for a French woman. sy. D.

Their fates are now linked for at least three years. John Textor took the helm of OL by becoming the majority shareholder on December 19, but Jean-Michel Aulas retained the lead, during this time period, in the role of non-owner president (however, he retained a little over 8%, through Holnest, the parent company family). The former boss says he now manages 95% of operations, the remaining 5% comes back to the dialogue between the two men.

Whatever the realities of the internal balance of power, this duo has become an association to be reckoned with in French football. The Textor and Aulas, who communicated through an interpreter, still had to get to know each other better, to work together. The American, who owns other teams (Botafogo, Molenbeek and a stake in Crystal Palace) is a rare presence in France, who will hand over autonomy on the pitch to his friend. They already had their first common quest: to find their way to sporting success. MOBILE PHONE

The plunge into the thirty that made French football nearly vindicated by its lone entry into the World Cup final against Argentina on December 18 (3-3, 4-2 on tab), which turned the scenario around for the night and would have brought it back had Randal Kolo Muani scored (or unseated Kylian Mbappé) in extra time in extra time.

But in 2022 the France international striker is far richer still. Four days earlier, he had scored in the semi-final, against Morocco (2-0), his first goal for the French side, whose jersey he first wore, in September, against Austria (2-0).

Kolo Muani owed his call-up to Doha due to injury to Christopher Nkunku, but Didier Deschamps asked him to make the express trip from Japan, where he trained with his club, Eintracht Frankfurt, because he recognized his quality.

If FC Nantes won the Coupe de France in June (1-0 against Nice), the then centre-forward was no stranger to this success. It’s possible that in 2023, we’re still talking about it. At Bayern Munich? dd.

Beaten by men armed with bars while returning from dinner with PSG on 4 November 2021, Kheira Hamraoui then lived on for several months. Parts of the dressing room and Paris supporters defended her former teammate Aminata Diallo, charged with allegedly ordering this attack (she is presumed innocent). Under unbearable pressure, Hamraoui had cracked on April 23 in training, before being left out of the group this summer. But the persistence of the Northerner, who celebrated his 33rd birthday on Friday, paid off.

Reintegrated into the group on 20 September, he played again on 26 October, and won his starting place in the eyes of Gérard Prêcheur. His looks and steely mind may even open the French team’s doors to him before the World Cup (July 20 to August 20). Its foundation against cyberbullying has the backing of the government, one of the biggest triumphs of its reconstruction. NG