Aarran Summers

 "We were not satisfied just to be in the final. We've been working toward this for two years, and we deserved to win." – Aime Jacquet, France Head Coach

Ever since France's dramatic exit at the 1996 European Championships, there was a degree of hostility towards Aime Jacquet. There were questions over his suitability to lead France at the upcoming World Cup. The 16th edition was on home soil, and anything but a place in the final would be a failure.

What added to the pressure was that Jacquet was in charge of France's 'golden generation'. Didier Deschamps led by example as the nation's captain. Zinedine Zidane, the enigmatic and extraordinarily talented, would become their key player. 

As France progressed through the competition, fever pitch ran high in the host country. It was a tense champaign which included a red card for Zidane against Saudi Arabia in the group stage, a golden goal victory against Paraguay in the Round of 16, and a nerve-wracking penalty shoot-against win over Italy in the quarter-finals.

A comeback victory over Croatia in the last four followed. Aime Jacquet's half-time outburst of "you have no chance of winning the cup,'' was proved wrong. A nation was proved wrong. France was now in the final. 

What a showdown it was, a dream finale to finish a month of competition. It was the host nation against the defending champions, Brazil. The Hollywood drama at the 1994 World Cup in the United States, was to develop further at the Stade de France in 1998. 

On the morning of the final, Brazil's superstar, Ronaldo, suffered a seizure. He had fainted at lunch according to the team doctor Lidio Toledo. Roberto Carlos claimed the great Brazilian was suffering from a bout of nerves. 

It led to confusion as to whether Ronaldo would feature. Ronaldo, omitted from the team-sheet, was sensationally added to the second just minutes. It confused the watching world; it handed France a stunning advantage. Something was wrong in the Brazilian camp.

When the teams appeared in the tunnel, it was evident that Ronaldo was not fully fit. France looked to take advantage of a troubled Brazil team. Stephane Guivarc'h went close early on and should have put the hosts ahead. He was France's only proven striker, and he would end the competition without the goal. France were probing and creating, but could not finish.

Roberto Carlos gifted the French a corner on 27 minutes. Emmanuel Petit's delightful ball found the head of Zidane who beat Claudio Taffarel to his left. It Zidane's first World Cup and it was lift-off for France in the final.

France continued on the offensive and doubled their lead on the stroke of half-time. Zidane's head met Youri Djorkaeff's corner, and it was 2-0 to France. It was déjà vu for the French. 

France were never good at finishing with ten men. A statistic proved by Zidane in the group stage, Laurent Blanc in the semi-finals and now Marcel Desailly in the final itself. The defender's second yellow handed Brazil a lifeline with just over twenty minutes to go. 

Jacquet suffered a warning when Denilson hit the crossbar for Brazil. The French coach later revealed the game was not over at two, but when Emmanuel Petit scored a third deep into second-half stoppage time, it was C'est fini. 

Brazil were humiliated at the Stade de France. Their national press were quick to destroy the team and their coach Mario Zagallo. A mortified Ronaldo would have his moment in Japan four years later.

For France, it was magnificent. Deschamps lifted the trophy to the tune of the film, Superman. Jacquet retired at the very top, still furious with the French press. Zidane became a legend, his face projected on the Champs-Élysées. It was the biggest night in the nation's sporting history - France were the new world champions.