AGI – From the trenches of the First World War to ‘night of Seville’ of 1982, when a controversial German victory in the semifinal of the World Cup brought back the rusts of many conflicts. The one between France and Germany, opponents on the first day of group F of the Europeans, it is a rivalry that has marked history and that could not fail to be reflected on the football field.
The Franco-Prussian War
The grudges between the two banks of the Rhine have their roots in ancient conflicts: the Franco-Prussian war of 1870 with the annexation of Alsace and Lorraine to the Reich, the horrors of the First World War, the Nazi occupation of France during the Second, between the collaboration of General Philippe Petain and the resistance of Charles de Gaulle.
Peace and the Elysée Treaty
It was inevitable that this enmity, rooted in entire generations of French and Germans, would extend to sport and also survive peace, the birth of the European Economic Community and the Elysée friendship treaty of 1963. Since the Second World War there has been a long period of political and economic collaboration which has made the Franco-Rhine axis the engine of European integration. But the rivalry resurfaces every time the ‘panzers’ and ‘cockerels’ find themselves on a playing field.
The legendary game of the ‘Christmas truce’
The first challenge is shrouded in legend: during the ‘Christmas truce’ of 1914, German, French and British soldiers came out of the trenches to face each other at a football match in Wulverghem, Belgium. From the vague memories of the military we speak of a challenge in which hundreds of players took part, without particular tension despite the fact that the amphibians on the feet were a constant threat to the opponent’s ankles. It tells of a leather ball that rolled soaked in mud and a challenge in which no one bothered to keep the score. Historians do not even confirm its development.
The first official race dates back to March 15, 1931 when France defeated the Weimar republic 1-0 in friendly in Colombes, near Paris. Since then, the whites of Germany and Les Bleus have faced each other 20 times and the record is 13 French wins, seven draws and 10 German wins.
The watershed challenge
There is one match, however, that marked a watershed in this rivalry: France-Germany on 8 July 1982, at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán stadium in Seville. It is decided who will face Italy in the final, which a few hours earlier overtook Poland. It is the clash between two football schools: il ct Michel Hidalgo against each other Yep The whalel, the imagination and the tactical superiority of the French one against the solidity and determination of the German one, whose emblem of roughness is the bristly beard of Paul BreitnerAt the beginning the athleticism of the Panzer prevails: in the 17th Littbarski collects a short rebound from the goalkeeper Ettori and puts Germany ahead. At that point, however, Michel Platini takes the chair in what he himself would have called his “best game ever” and in the half hour he scores the equalizer goal with a penalty.
Battiston’s drama
In the second half, France takes the field without Genghini, injured, and in his place defender Patrick Battiston enters, protagonist of the decisive episode on which the French have complained for 40 years. It is time for the game when Platini recovers the ball in midfield and with an unmarked lob puts the newcomer only in front of the goalkeeper: arrived at the edge of the area, Battiston tries to score with a touch below but is run over by Harald Schumacher. The German’s hip hits the Frenchman’s face who does not even have time to watch the ball come out a few centimeters from the pole.
Terror on the pitch
In the terrible impact he loses two teeth, fractures a vertebra and is carried away on a stretcher semi-unconscious. On the pitch, the scenes are reminiscent of Christian Eriksen’s illness in these Europeans: a teammate sticks his fingers in his mouth to prevent him from suffocating, others put their hands in their hair and cry fearing the worst. The most surprising aspect is that Dutch referee Corver sees no irregularity and authorizes the entry of the medical workers only after the French ask him to.
The French anger
Regular time ends at 1-1 but in extra time France extends with goals from Trèsor and Giresse, equalized by Rummenigge and Fischer. It goes to the penalties and the Germans win 5-4 and conquer the final of the Mundial thanks to the penalties saved by Bossis and Six. But the game leaves an incredible trail of controversy in France, also because Battiston will remain in a coma for two days and the German ‘hero’ Schumacher, instead of apologizing, will make fun of being ready to give “gold dentures” to his rival .
The next day, a prestigious newspaper such as Le Figaro launched a poll to vote who was the most hated German of all time and the German goalkeeper ousted Adolf Hitler in first place.
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