Ooh la la! What a classic jersey this is. The superb French team of the early to mid 1980’s were beautifully kitted out by Adidas with no more perfect example than the kit they wore during their successful 1984 European Championship campaign won on home soil.
That iconic thick red stripe across the chest with the three thinner white stripes below was so beloved by the French nation that they wore virtually the same design 14 years later when they hosted the World Cup, no doubt hopeful of its magical powers bringing them further international glory. The design – and the team – did not disappoint then either.
The original was worn by names that resonate through football even today, most notably their near mythical midfield quartet of Jean Tigana, Alain Giresse, Luis Fernandez and the great Michel Platini.
Having been controversially eliminated by West Germany in the 1982 World Cup semi-final, captain Platini seemed to be on a one man mission to make sure France would not suffer heartbreak again. The Juventus playmaker and Ballon D’or winner scored nine goals in just five games, including the opener in the final at Parc des Princes and the crucial, last-gasp extra time winner in the classic semi-final thriller with Portugal in Marseille.
Just like Aime Jacquet in 1998, French manager Michel Hidalgo had to develop a winning team without a world class forward. But just like Jacquet, who had Zinedine Zidane, Hidalgo had a number 10 who was so good, he was able to turn a good team into a great one.
Classic retro shirts available now from Campo www.camporetro.com
