Diversity = Failure.
France’s tumultuous World Cup campaign ended in dismal fashion on Tuesday as the former world champions were beaten 2-1 by hosts South Africa in their final group game in Bloemfontein.
Both South African goals came in the first half while French midfielder Yoann Gourcuff was sent off following a clash with MacBeth Sibaya to deal another early blow to France’s slim hopes.
France’s nightmare ends but South Africa fall short
French preparations for the match had been overshadowed by an apparent collapse in relations between coach Raymond Domenech and his players, with captain Patrice Evra left out of the side after apparently clashing with Domenech and other coaching staff and officials.
South Africa’s win was not enough to prevent them becoming the first World Cup host nation to be eliminated before the tournament’s knockout stages, with Mexico advancing alongside group winners Uruguay despite losing 1-0 to the South Americans.
But the real misery was for French fans who saw their team — traditionally among the strongest national sides in world football — become one of the first to be eliminated from the World Cup amid turbulent infighting and allegations of treachery.The 10 biggest World Cup upsets
Striker Nicolas Anelka was sent home after confronting Domenech at halftime during France’s 2-0 defeat by Mexico last week.
Evra was then involved in a public training ground dispute with the squad’s fitness coach on Sunday and is reported to have led dissent over Anelka’s expulsion from the squad, with the entire squad boycotting the training session.
Adding to the confusion, French team director Jean-Louis Valentin then publicly announced his resignation to the media, while French sports minister Roselyne Bachelot has been in France attempting to mediate between Domenech and his players.
But on Monday night Bachelot told journalists the French players had “tarnished the image of France,” according to French sports newspaper L’Equipe.
In an indication of the extent to which relations had broken down between Domenech and his squad, the coach on Monday described this players’ decision to strike as “unspeakably stupid,” and called their actions “an aberration and an imbecility.”
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/SPORT/football/06/22/france.crisis/