The 98 Generation

Bertrand Desprez

1998 Coupe du monde Desprez football France

Un mot sur l'oeuvre

(BDES002)
16th June 1998, Gerland Stadium, Lyon, France. France-Denmark, the third match played by the French team in that world cup. A match with no stakes as France was already qualified for the next stage of the competition, having beaten successively South Africa (3-0) and Saudi Arabia (4-0). For the occasion, Aimé Jacquet had given some of the stalwarts a rest. France won 2-1 (goals by Djorkaeff and Petit).
 Supporting from the sidelines : from left to right : Boghossian-Zidane-Dugarry-Lizarazu-Thuram-Deschamps-Henry-Guivarc’h-Charbonnier-Blanc.

Le témoignage de Bertrand Desprez

It was at this moment that things changed. It was with this generation of players, and during this competition that the relationship between players and followers, photographers and journalists, stretched to a distance that is normally reserved for superstars. It had been really hard to follow the team or get anywhere near them to glean a few interesting images. During that month I can’t count the number of times I was called to order because I’d gone outside the designated spaces to try and get an original shot. That month was an adventure but a fight too. To get this shot for example I had to cheat a bit. Even though the match hadn’t started, I shouldn’t have been here, I was practically on the pitch… and I only had a few seconds to take the shot before I was thrown out.

Le choix de Jean-Denis

It is the kind of shot that does not make you feel any younger, but that also gets you talking and brings back good memories. It’s interesting as it says a lot about the bonds that bind the group. It attests to the sincere friendship and complicity that unites Duga, Liza and Zizou, who all played for Bordeaux. It also reminds you of how young these champions were. A moving image.