2008 France Away – Franck Ribery #22 Large

The 2007–08 season for the France national team was defined by UEFA Euro 2008, where hopes were high but the campaign ended in disappointment. Drawn into the so-called "Group of Death" alongside Italy, the Netherlands, and Romania, Les Bleus struggled from the outset. A goalless draw with Romania was followed by a crushing 4–1 defeat to the Netherlands and a 2–0 loss to Italy, resulting in a group-stage exit. Manager Raymond Domenech came under heavy criticism for his tactics and team selection, while injuries to key players such as Patrick Vieira hurt their midfield stability. Despite the presence of stars like Franck Ribéry, Thierry Henry, and Karim Benzema, France failed to replicate the cohesion and quality that had made them World Cup finalists two years earlier.

🇫🇷 France Euro 2008 Final Tournament Squad

Manager: Raymond Domenech
Captain: Patrick Vieira (injured during tournament, Henry captained some matches)

Goalkeepers

• Grégory Coupet

• Steve Mandanda

• Sébastien Frey

Defenders

• Lilian Thuram

• William Gallas

• Eric Abidal

• Patrice Evra

• Willy Sagnol

• Sébastien Squillaci

• Jean-Alain Boumsong

Midfielders

• Patrick Vieira

• Claude Makélélé

• Jérémy Toulalan

• Alou Diarra

• Samir Nasri

• Florent Malouda

Forwards

• Thierry Henry

• Karim Benzema

• Nicolas Anelka

• Sidney Govou

• Bafétimbi Gomis

• Franck Ribéry