The End of Alain Giresse’s International Career: A Look Back at France’s Semi-Final Loss to Germany in 1986

While the Blues have a meeting with Germany this Saturday to launch their preparation for the Euro, in 1986, the semi-final lost to the Mannschaft signaled the end of Alain Giresse’s international career.

This time, the defeat of the Blues suffered no dispute. Four years after the unforgettable night in Seville, France never seemed to be able to compete with Germany on the pitch in Guadalajara. Four days earlier, Henri Michel’s men had nevertheless written in this same stadium one of the most beautiful pages in the history of the French team by dominating Brazil at the end of a grandiose match, concluded on penalties to goal.

These 120 minutes weighed on the legs of the European champions, surprised in the 9th minute by a long shot from Andreas Brehme which Joël Bats let pass under his stomach. “It’s a goal I could have avoided,” easily recognizes the hero of the qualification against the Seleçao. A second goal scored in added time while the Blues put their last strength into the battle, culminating in a huge opportunity missed by Maxime Bossis, gave a little more scope to the Germans’ victory (2-0 ). “This team doesn’t know how to beat Germany,” could start Franz Beckenbauer after the match.

A half-empty stadium for the last of Alain Giresse

As in Spain, France had to settle for the small final, this time against Belgium. A meeting that most of the team’s executives did not bother to play, like Michel Platini or Alain Giresse. But if the Juventus playmaker, like Jean Tigana, continued his international career for a few months, the former Bordeaux player therefore left the France team following this new failure against Germany. And in a half-empty stadium, with only 35,000 spectators for a capacity of 75,000. “It’s my seventh World Cup, it’s the first time I’ve seen a semi-final take place in a half-empty stadium. Understand who can, but the players did not deserve this disdain from FIFA,” constata Thierry Rolland.

After twelve years with the Blues, but paradoxically only 47 selections for 6 goals, with 30 victories, 10 draws and 7 defeats, Alain Giresse closed the page of the France team in Mexico. Not without regrets. The fault of a World Cup contested on one leg. “That’s the story of this World Cup: everyone in the team was in great shape, at the top of the best. Everyone except Alain Giresse and me”, confided afterwards, bitterly, Michel Platini. The dreams of the coronation were gone.

2024-03-23 05:02:42
#Alain #Giresse #sad