"Hooray, but" - France's bitter World Cup qualification (Feature)

By Siegfried Mortkowitz Nov 19, 2009, 9:20 GMT

Paris - The loudest World Cup celebrations in Paris late Wednesday were held not by France supporters but by joyful fans of the Algerian national team, who defeated Egypt 1-0 in a play-off.

For the French, the primary emotions were relief and embarrassment, rather than joy, after France's unglorious 1-1 tie with Ireland that qualified Les Bleus for the 2010 World Cup finals.

On Thursday, self-doubt and even shame dominated as questions were raised about the decisive goal, scored in extra-time by William Gallas but thanks to a handball by Thierry Henry, and especially about the poor performance by the 1998 World Cup champions.

The mood was best summed up by former France international Bixente Lizarazu, who told RTL radio, 'Personally I am feeling uncomfortable, because the French were catastrophic and because the Irish side was robbed.'

Sports Minister Roselyne Bachelot was harsher. She told RTL radio Thursday that the team had been 'totally asphyxiated' during the match.

Then, addressing coach Raymond Domenech, she said, 'Raymond, you and your boys really have to do something. If you don't, we will not do well in South Africa. The French people are troubled and disappointed.'

Under the ironic page 1 headline 'The Hand of God' - a reference to Diego Maradona's explanation for his handball goal against England during the 1986 World Cup quarter-final - the French daily L'Equipe wrote Thursday, 'This morning we have the strange feeling that South Africa is still far away. Certainly, France has qualified for the 2010 World Cup. But this result is far from erasing the bad feelings created last night.'

The daily also called the French performance 'catastrophic' and suggested that Domenech may not be the man to take the side to South Africa.

In 14 months of qualifications, 'les Bleus did not play a single match on a convincing international level,' L'Equipe complained, and added that after Wednesday's tie, 'the question of retaining the coach in his post is legitimate.'

But Domenech was sanguine after his side's success, comparing the qualification to being accepted to university.

'When you go to university, no one asks you if you received your A-levels with honours or not,' he said. 'You have (the A-levels) and you can register. We're registered.'

The tie's 'villainous hero,' striker Thierry Henry, was pragmatic. 'Of course, that was a handball,' he admitted. 'But the most important thing was to qualify.'

But a large number of France supporters who commented on the France Info radio website strongly disagreed with him.

'I will never understand why these football players are not honest,' Julien74 said. 'It is shameful to qualify for the World Cup by cheating.'

A web surfer named paradoxe wrote, 'Today I am ashamed of being French. We are a nation of cheaters.'

Rarely in World Cup history has success come with such a loss of face.