France–Germany football rivalry

France–Germany football rivalry
Locale	UEFA
Teams	France; Germany
First meeting	France 1–0 Weimar Republic; (Friendly, Paris, 15 March, 1931)
Latest meeting	France 1–0 Germany ; (UEFA Euro 2020, Munich, 15 June 2021)
Statistics
Meetings total	32
Most wins	France (15)
Top scorer	Antoine Griezmann (4 goals)
Largest victory	West Germany 5–1 France; (Friendly, Berlin, 27 September, 1967)

The France–Germany football rivalry (French: Rivalité entre l'Allemagne et la France en football; German: Frankreich-Deutschland-Fußballrivalität) is one of the biggest and most heated association football rivalries in Europe, between two European sides, France and Germany, two of the most successful national teams in the world.

Background[]

The root of France–Germany rivalry could have dated back from the old tensions between France and German Empire after the capture of Paris by Prussian Army in 1870.^[1] Since the end of the war, enmity between France and Germany increased, resulted with military arm race and eventually, set up the World War I. During the beginning of war, a peaceful moment, the Christmas truce, where a peaceful football match between French, British and German soldiers occurred.^[2] This was considered the first unofficial match between France and Germany.

After WWI, France and Germany played its first ever encounter in 1931 when France defeated the Weimar Republic. However, rivalry soon increased with the German invasion of France, thus antagonism between France and Germany remained persisted until the end of World War II.^[3] After the WWII, France and Germany's rivalry faded from political and military rivalry, but football rivalry between two remains, attracted large supporters from both nations alike.^[4] The biggest and most remembered memoir of two countries came to 1982 FIFA World Cup encounter between West Germany and France, with both teams produced three goals each and fouls.^[5] Michel Platini himself declared the 1982 match as his "most beautiful game".^[6]

Matches[]

Number	Date	Location	Competition	Game	Results
1	15 March 1931	Paris	Friendly	France – Weimar Republic	1–0
2	19 March 1933	Berlin	Friendly	Weimar Republic – France	3–3
3	17 March 1935	Paris	Friendly	France – Germany	1–3
4	21 March 1937	Stuttgart	Friendly	Germany – France	4–0
5	5 October 1952	Paris	Friendly	France – West Germany	3–1
6	16 October 1954	Hannover	Friendly	West Germany – France	1–3
7	28 June 1958	Göteborg	1958 FIFA World Cup	France – West Germany	6–3
8	26 October 1958	Paris	Friendly	France – West Germany	2–2
9	24 October 1962	Stuttgart	Friendly	West Germany – France	2–2
10	27 September 1967	Berlin	Friendly	West Germany – France	5–1
11	25 September 1968	Marseilles	Friendly	France – West Germany	1–1
12	13 October 1973	Gelsenkirchen	Friendly	West Germany – France	2–1
13	23 February 1977	Paris	Friendly	France – West Germany	1–0
14	19 November 1980	Hannover	Friendly	West Germany – France	4–1
15	8 July 1982	Seville	1982 FIFA World Cup	West Germany – France	3–3 (5–4 p)
16	18 April 1984	Strasbourg	Friendly	France – West Germany	1–0
17	25 June 1986	Guadalajara	1986 FIFA World Cup	France – West Germany	0–2
18	12 August 1987	Berlin	Berlin Anniversary	West Germany – France	2–1
19	28 February 1990	Montpellier	Friendly	France – West Germany	2–1
20	1 June 1996	Stuttgart	Friendly	Germany – France	0–1
21	27 February 2001	Paris	Friendly	France – Germany	1–0
22	15 November 2003	Gelsenkirchen	Friendly	Germany – France	0–3
23	12 November 2005	Paris	Friendly	France – Germany	0–0
24	29 February 2012	Bremen	Friendly	Germany – France	1–2
25	6 February 2013	Paris	Friendly	France – Germany	1–2
26	4 July 2014	Rio de Janeiro	2014 FIFA World Cup	France – Germany	0–1
27	13 November 2015	Paris	Friendly	France – Germany	2–0
28	7 July 2016	Marseille	UEFA Euro 2016	Germany – France	0–2
29	14 November 2017	Cologne	Friendly	Germany – France	2–2
30	6 September 2018	Munich	2018–19 UEFA Nations League	Germany – France	0–0
31	16 October 2018	Paris	2018–19 UEFA Nations League	France – Germany	2–1
32	15 June 2021	Munich	UEFA Euro 2020	France – Germany	1–0

Statistics[]

All-time top goalscorers[]

Player	Goals	Years
Antoine Griezmann	4	2014–
Just Fontaine	4	1958
Rudi Völler	3	1982–1994
Gerd Müller	3	1966–1974

Overall record[]

Includes matches involving former West Germany

Total number of games: 32^[7]
France wins: 15
Draws: 8*
Germany wins: 9

Overall[]

Competition	Matches	Result			Goals
Competition	Matches	France	Draws	Germany	France	Germany
FIFA World Cup	4	1	1*	2	9	9
UEFA European Championship	2	2	0	0	3	0
UEFA Nations League	2	1	1	0	2	1
All competitions	7	4	2	2	13	10
Friendly	24	11	7	7	36	36
All matches	32	15	8	9	50	46

Note: *Germany overcame France in a World Cup 1982 semi-final match via penalty shoot-out.

References[]

^ at 11:47am, 2nd September 2016. "The War That Set The Stage For World War One". Forces Network.
^ The Daily Telegraph
^ "World Cup: France-Germany rivalry isn't just about the wars". 4 July 2014 – via Christian Science Monitor.
^ "France vs Germany: a football rivalry 30 years in the making". France 24. 4 July 2014.
^ https://sabotagetimes.com/football/germany-vs-france-the-european-rivalry-that-keeps-on-giving
^ Pears, Tim (25 October 2008). "'My most beautiful game': France v West Germany, 1982 World Cup semi-final". the Guardian.
^ "France national football team: record v Germany". 11v11. Retrieved 29 June 2018.

External links[]

Germany vs. France: Five of the best clashes between the two countries

[1] t 11:47am, 2nd September 2016. "The War That Set The Stage For World War One". Forces Network.

[2] The Daily Telegraph

[3] "World Cup: France-Germany rivalry isn't just about the wars". 4 July 2014 – via Christian Science Monitor.

[4] "France vs Germany: a football rivalry 30 years in the making". France 24. 4 July 2014.

[5] ttps://sabotagetimes.com/football/germany-vs-france-the-european-rivalry-that-keeps-on-giving

[6] Pears, Tim (25 October 2008). "'My most beautiful game': France v West Germany, 1982 World Cup semi-final". the Guardian.

[7] "France national football team: record v Germany". 11v11. Retrieved 29 June 2018.

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show v t France national football team
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