From winning in 1998 and being a finalist in 2006 to imploding in 2010, France has gone a long way over the past twelve years. Their victory in '98 was seen as a triumph for the French model of integration, since their multi-ethnic team was comprised of players from all parts of the former French Empire. This editorial from NYT columnist Roger Cohen suggests that there may be some cracks in the fascade of French national identity and suggests some of the complexities of Frenchness.
