Six times in major competitions, the blue jersey, whether worn by Just Fontaine, Michel Platini or Kylian Mbappé, has floated between the white jerseys and black shorts of the Germans.
If the French victory in the group stage of Euro 2020 (1-0) is forgettable, other meetings have written the broad outlines of the history of the two nations.
A look back at these legendary duels which did not always turn out in favor of the Blues.
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The complete Blues schedule
1958 World Cup: Fontaine's quadruplet
It was the first and, for a long time, the only France-Germany contested in official competition to have been won by the French.
A real offensive festival, as matches of the time could be, this match for 3rd place in the 1958 World Cup, in Gothenburg, Sweden.
“
Both teams absolutely wanted to win this match and rushed to attack
,” remembers Just Fontaine.
A fierce encounter, during which the ball traveled from one goal to another, ultimately won by the French team 6-3.
The scorers?
Raymond Kopa (27th), Yvon Douis (50th) and especially Just Fontaine.
The latter scoring 4 of the 6 goals of the match (15th, 36th, 77th, 89th) to establish a record of 13 goals unmatched in the World Cup.
And Fontaine regularly recalls that, failing to be able to sing the Marseillaise on the podium of a “
sort of fair
” after the match, he had sung “Les Couilles de mon grandpère” with his teammates.
SEE ALSO -
The last training of the Blues before facing Germany in Lyon
1982 World Cup: eternal pain
The second act, performed in Seville, made the whole of France cry with rage and distress.
A semi-final of the 1982 World Cup lost (3-3, 5-4 on penalties) at the end of an unsustainable scenario.
A legendary match, a nightmare verdict, eternal pain, tortured bodies.
Like that of Patrick Battiston attacked in the 57th minute by Harald Schumacher, who came out of his area to counter him after a pass from Michel Platini.
No spectator or viewer of this attack has forgotten Battiston's exit on a stretcher, and in its entirety on July 8, 1982. The images flash back.
The penalty goal from Michel Platini (27th) which responds to the opening score from Littbarski (17th), the crossbar from Manuel Amoros just before the end of regulation time, the joy of Marius Trésor (92nd) and Alain Giresse ( 98th) which gave the Blues two goals in extra time, and the hellish comeback from the Germans who equalized through Rummenigge (102nd) then Fischer (108th).
And this nervously unbearable penalty shootout.
And Maxime Bossis who comes up against the monstrous Harald Schumacher, who has become public enemy number one for a few minutes.
And France crying, for eternity.
1986 World Cup: the forgotten defeat
Oddly, the third face-to-face between the French team and the Mannschaft, four years later in Guadalajara (Mexico), another semi-final lost (0-2), resonates much less in memories.
An early goal from Brehme (9th) then a late one from Völler (90th) bury the dreams of the Platini gang, still on cloud nine after their quarter-final victory against Brazil (1-1, 4-3 on penalties) .
The Blues, crowned European champions two years earlier, are nevertheless at the top of their game with the magic square Platini-Tigana-Giresse-Fernandez.
Except that they are exhausted after this quarter-final brilliantly concluded on penalties against the Brazilian artists, played only four days earlier.
The Blues once again put away their dream of a world final.
Yannick Stopyra and Karl-Heinz Forster during France-Germany at the 1986 World Cup. 12504329 / Imago / Panoramic
World Cup 2014: the start of the Deschamps era
The fourth act of the Franco-German duel took place in one of the most prestigious venues on the planet, at the Maracana, nine years ago.
A quarter-final of the Brazilian World Cup which slipped through the fingers (toes) of the Blues, like sand on the beach (1-0).
Facing the usual ultra-realistic Germans, they tried everything but never managed to respond to Hummels' goal with a header in the first quarter of an hour (13th).
Karim Benzema and others will have pushed, hit, screamed but Manuel Neuer confirmed his title of best goalkeeper in the world that evening.
To send the Blues, in clear progress, back to their dear studies.
We didn't know it then, but it was the birth of the Didier Deschamps era, which still continues.
Euro 2016: a revenge with a bitter taste
A slow build-up to the shock.
France, coming out of a benchmark match in the quarterfinals against Iceland (5-2), sees Germany stand up.
The one who is world champion, the one who stopped her career in Brazil.
In Marseille, Antoine Griezmann dried the tears shed in Rio de Janeiro.
The new star of the Blues scores a double (45th + 2, 72nd) to guide a French team that is more solid than sexy.
As if it had taken Germany at its own game, at the Stade Vélodrome.
2-0 victory.
The Blues would later admit to having experienced it as a coronation before its time.
The return to earth against Portugal (0-1 after extra time), judged less strong on paper, will only be more violent.
A bittersweet memory.
SEE ALSO –
Eder’s winning goal during France-Portugal in the Euro 2016 final (0-1)