Olympic vice-champion in 2021 and European vice-champion last year, the French team will arrive at the World Cup with great ambitions and the objective of finally going to the end of a major international competition. But for that, it will be necessary to pass the course of the semi-finals, which the Blues have never managed to do during a World Cup. The painful episodes of 2014 and 2019 are still remembered…
2014: a huge achievement against Spain… then the disappointment against Serbia
We remember it like it was yesterday. And yet, it is starting to date. It was September 10, 2014, near the Palacio de los Deportes de Comunidad de Madrid. The French basketball team pulled off one of the greatest feats in its history that day: beating great Spain on home soil, without its leader Tony Parker, to qualify for the semi-finals of a World Cup for the very first time. Rudy Gobert’s stratospheric counterattack on Pau Gasol, Boris Diaw’s performance as the boss, Thomas Heurtel’s legendary shoot… so many memories that remain etched in our memories for eternity.
Unfortunately, despite this success as enjoyable as it was unexpected against the Spanish rival, the 2014 World Cup will forever leave a taste of unfinished business. Because that year, the Blues missed a World Cup final against the United States of Kyrie Irving, Stephen Curry, James Harden and Co. Blame it on Serbia’s Milos Teodosic, who won the semi-finals 90-85. But the fault of the Blues especially, who still had their heads in the stars after their exploit to such an extent that they went through their first half against the Serbs. At this level, it does not forgive, and Nicolas Batum’s huge heat stroke in the second half was not enough to complete the comeback of EDF, which finally had to settle for third place .
2019: a huge achievement against the United States… then the disappointment against Argentina
For a long time, beating Team USA in an official match of a major international competition was just a dream. But this dream came true on September 11, 2019 when the French team beat the Americans 89-79 in the quarter-finals of the Chinese World Cup. A historic victory for the Blues, carried by a gala Rudy Gobert as well as an Evan Fournier – Nando De Colo XXL duo. But above all a victory full of hope for the future, even if it was the Z team of the United States in front. Because when you beat the queen nation of basketball, you can immediately aim for the heights.
Except that two days later, on Friday the 13th, France suddenly fell from its cloud. As in 2014, the feat will be without a future, the Blues passing completely through their semi-final against Argentina of the eternal Luis Scola. However, Vincent Collet’s men had insisted on their desire not to make the same mistakes as five years earlier, when EDF had “celebrated a little too much” its superb victory on Spanish soil. But Les Tricolores never really saw the light of day against Albiceleste, eventually losing 80-66 in a game that still gives us nightmares. And it was not the bronze medal, won against Australia in the match for third place, which came to console Evan Fournier’s band.
Evan Fournier puts on his protocol medal, then takes it off and hides it in his sock. #FRAAUS
— Yann Ohnona (@yohnona) September 15, 2019
2023: the good year?
Just ten years ago, at EuroBasket 2013, the French team led by Tony Parker won the one and only French basketball title in a major international competition. Since then, we have been waiting, we hope, with ups and downs like those experienced during the last two editions of the World Cup. Can the Blues version 2023 finally make it past the semi-finals of a World Cup to give themselves a chance to finish at the top of the basketball planet?
We want to believe it, as always with our Blues. Of course out of passion, but not only. Because the French team has continuity, experience, talent, and all its leaders. With the return of Nicolas Batum and Nando De Colo, absent at Euro 2022, we find a hard core that looks a lot like the one who won silver at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, beating Team USA in the group stage before fall in arms against Kevin Durant’s band during the grand finale. Suffice to say that there is a way to do something big, very big.
So it’s up to you to play the boys.
The history of the France team at the World Cup
1950: 6th 1954: 4th 1959: did not qualify 1963: 5th 1967 – 1982: did not qualify 1986: 13th 1990 – 2002: did not qualify 2006: 5th 2010: 13th 2014: 3rd 2019: 3rd
2023-08-22 16:44:00
#French #team #ready #higher
