The French futsal team posts the best ranking in its history at the Futsal World Rankingthe unofficial hierarchy of the discipline (no Fifa ranking exists). Sixteenth in the world, the Blues are progressing as the practice develops in the country. “It’s nice. It is a reward for the work undertaken for quite a few years”, rejoices Philippe Lafrique.
Member of the executive committee of the French Football Federation and head of the futsal delegation, he manages the development plan launched in 2017. For him, the good results of the selection are timely. “We need a locomotive, a showcase. We have to manage to combine the two: the grassroots and the elite. »
Support the clubs
The project also consists in helping the clubs of the National Championship. They are eleven and tend to become more professional. “We emphasize the structuring of elite clubs, explains Philippe Lafrique. We are still a long way from professional clubs, but this requires off-field support. »
A goal shared by national team coach Raphaël Reynaud. “Often, the France team is a reflection of its Championship. The more it develops, the more our players progress. And the return of certain headliners to the league helps that. This is the case of the captain of the selection, Kevin Ramirez.
The player from Mouvaux (Nord) played ten years abroad before returning for the first time in 2015. Then a second, in 2017, after freelancing in India and Italy. “In France, I see a big evolution. I came back to participate, to give back to futsal what it gave me. »
Euro 2026 in flight
The Federation also works around the youngest, the main pool of practitioners according to Philippe Lafrique. “One of the key elements is the link with school. This sport is the most practiced within the National Union of School Sports (UNSS). We know we have the potential, but we haven’t found the key yet. »
Currently, 35,000 futsal licensees are listed by the FFF. The discipline therefore remains niche but shows rising indicators. With a deadline in sight: “We intend to apply for the organization of the 2026 European Championship, announces Philippe Lafrique. If we got it, it would give a considerable dimension to our project. »
