France’s 1998 World Cup champions reunite for star-studded snap in full kit

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    France’s World Cup winning legends have been reunited for a star-studded snap.

    Les Bleus clinched their first ever World Cup trophy on July 12, 1998. They steamrolled tournament favourites Brazil 3-0 in the final thanks to two headed Zinedine Zidane goals and a third by ex-Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Petit.

    Brazil were infamously hampered by a sudden curious illness to talisman Ronaldo Nazario, though that didn’t stop the French players from celebrating emphatically on home soil.

    Now 10 members of that famous France squad have joined up for the 25-year anniversary of the historic triumph.

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    A viral photo emerged on social media last week showing almost an entire starting line-up of the legends who came out victorious at the Stade de France together.

    They posed together, clad in the original '98 jersey, having seemingly enjoyed a kickabout on an astro-turf pitch.

    Among them was Fabien Barthez – the maverick goal-keeper who wiped out Ronaldo and kept a clean sheet on the night. Barthez was in the past, perhaps tongue-in-cheek, referred to as the most crucial player in the squad by his teammates, before launching a successful motorsport career.

    Was France's '98 World Cup-winning squad the best ever? Let us know in the comments section.

    Current French national team manager Didier Deschamps and Zidane, who has long been tipped to take over from Deschamps after winning three successive Champions Leagues, were crouched down.

    Joining them was former Bayern Munich full-back Bixente Lizarazu, who went on to become a European champion in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

    Former Rangers goalkeeper Lionel Charbonnier, Christophe Dugarry, Bernard Diomede, Alain Boghossian, Sabri Lamouchi and Christian Karembeu made up the rest of party.

    Notable absentees were legendary Arsenal midfield duo Petit and Patrick Vieira. Thierry Henry was also a no-show, though the striker was yet to sign for the north Londoners when he lifted the iconic golden trophy as a youngster.

    Other pivotal players like Laurent Blanc, Marcel Desailly, Robert Pires, David Trezeguet and Lillian Thuram also missed the get-together.

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