The 2010 World Cup was a tumultuous time for the French national team, and a new Netflix documentary is set to delve into the controversies that plagued the squad. The documentary aims to provide an in-depth look at how internal dissent and subsequent suspensions marred France's performance, leading to their worst showing at the World Cup.
In Euro 2008, France finished last in its group with just one point. Despite boasting top talents like Thierry Henry, Nicolas Anelka, Franck Ribery, Patrice Evra among others in their ranks for the 2010 World Cup, they failed to perform up to expectations. However, it was not just their poor performance on-field that caught attention but also what transpired off-field.
The documentary reveals how Raymond Domenech, then head coach of France lost control of his squad leading to a controversy so severe that it involved French President Nicolas Sarkozy. By tournament end Anelka faced an 18-game suspension from the French Football Federation (FFF), while Evra and Ribery were suspended for five and three games respectively.
Internal dissent led to historic suspensions
During a second group-stage game against Mexico which France was losing; Anelka delivered a fiery rant towards Domenech refusing later to apologize. This led him being sent home by coaching staff. In another incident Evra clashed with another member of France coaching staff requiring player intervention before things escalated further.
Roselyn Bachelot - Sports Minister of France had direct talks with players asking them about legacy they wanted as players representing their country at such prestigious event like World Cup. Her speech moved many players who teared up thinking about their legacy.
Despite all this turmoil within team; they went on lose in the South Africa match finishing bottom of group with only one point and single goal scored. The aftermath of tournament was severe with individual players facing suspensions and entire squad receiving a one-game suspension from FFF.
First look of documentary has created big buzz
The Netflix documentary promises first-hand accounts of what transpired in South Africa during the 2010 World Cup. It will feature perspectives from both sides of the altercations within the France camp, including those of Evra and Domenech.
Dolores Emile, director of documentaries at Netflix France, said:
“We will tell how they, in particular, experienced it almost hour by hour, from the inside. With what we thought we knew but which we never really knew… It’s a succession of actions, ultimately very personal, leading to a collective movement which went beyond sport,”
Dolores Emile, director of documentaries and streaming programs at Netflix France, has hinted at what fans can expect from this program. Soccer documentaries have become an increasingly popular way to delve deeper into the sport's new-era issues or players' lives. Previous Netflix documentaries have focused on Jose Mourinho and Manchester City while Apple has released documentaries about Lionel Messi's career.
However, there is no confirmed release date for this much-anticipated documentary about France's controversial 2010 World Cup campaign.
