France's Cup shame ends with loss ....France leaves the tournament with a single point, from a 0-0 draw with Uruguay, and a single goal. Worse, it has become the shame of a proud nation.Not even a dressing down by French sports minister Roselyne Bachelot on the eve of the match could inspire Les Bleus. Bachelot called an emergency meeting Monday to tell the players they had let the country down and had one last chance to redeem themselves.

"It's your kids, our children, for whom perhaps you will no longer be heroes," said Bachelot, who told reporters she left the players in tears. "It is the dreams of your partners, your friends, your fans that you have perhaps broken. You have tarnished the image of France."
Amen.....

Laval, Petain and Garamond took care of the tarnishing about 70 years ago.

The French football association knew full well that it had a clown for a coach and kept him after France's failure at Euro '08. And it's not like the French didn't choke their way out of the World Cup in '02.

......and add to it the French coach who would not shake the S.African coaches hand!!!!!

Viva la LOSERS!

Erin go Bragh!! Your team should have been there instead!!

Zut alors!

"It's your kids, our children, for whom perhaps you will no longer be heroes," said Bachelot, who told reporters she left the players in tears. "It is the dreams of your partners, your friends, your fans that you have perhaps broken. You have tarnished the image of France."

Oh Lord... Identifying country's pride and image with a stupid ball game is pathetic.

I wonder what poor Claude Garamond is accused of. He was a punch-cutter and publisher and died in the 16th century.

Danon, you're kidding right?

So all those little kids who watch the Olympics, and have posters of the competitors and dream of growing up, representing their country, standing on podium, medal in hand, singing the national anthem...pathetic?

Grumpy today?

Some say a billion people watch and cheer for their home or ancestral country. Pathetic?

I kinda like the bonding that this event provides.

Bugger, wrong fella. Meant Gen. Maurice Gamelin, the generalisme who wouldn't fight.

Thanks for the catch Pv.

Need a better proofreader . . .

"So all those little kids who watch the Olympics, and have posters of the competitors and dream of growing up, representing their country, standing on podium, medal in hand, singing the national anthem...pathetic?'


One would hope there is more in a life of a nation that can make people proud except overpaid ball pushers. The Romans had it right - "panem et circenses" will keep the masses "bonded" and cheering. And the little kids dreaming...

I remember back in 1998 when the French team won the world cup...2 million people marched down the Champs Elysees celebrating their country's winning team...it was wonderful !!..I think France miss this and they need this ...ALLES LES BLUES.....

That's right, France needs this and nobody else. Not Ivory Coast, in which a soccer match helped reunite the nation during a vicious civil war. Not South Africa, which is only 16 years removed from the apartheid regime. Not Mexico, which is riven by drug warfare and poverty.

Or even more prosaic needs -- the Dutch, who've come this close to two World Cups in the '70s don't need such glory. The US, whose soccer history lags Croatia's. England, whose football glory is traceable to one year in the Pele era when the great Edson was injured. Ghana, which carries the hopes of a continent on its Black Star'd feet.

Only France misses and needs such success on the world stage.

La France -- un échouer épique (says the babelfish).

You might be interested to know the correct spelling.

alleZ les blEUs

That's right, Pele= Edson Orantes De Nascimento

Dutch team '70s Lean

Surbier Hann Rinsberger Krool

JANSEN Nenkens Van Hanegen

Repp Cruyff Reisenbrink

subtitut: De Jong , Israel

...Brasil team: Leao

Carlos Alberto Brito Piazza Everaldo Clodoaldo

Gerson Rivelino

Jairzinho Tostao Pele

I never forget, have in my head, for ever...LoL