Aimé Jacquet watches the France‑Belgium duel at the Stade de France

On Monday evening, Aimé Jacquet, 1998 World Cup champion and former manager of the French national team, was seated in the stands of the Stade de France to watch the Nations League match between France and Belgium. The former coach, 84 years old, was sitting just behind the president of the French Football Federation, Philippe Diallo.

A rare presence in recent years

It is rare, in recent years, to see Aimé Jacquet attend matches of the French national team. His presence is usually reserved for major occasions. Supporters always notice him when he appears.

Archives show that he was present at the pre‑Euro 2016 friendly, France‑Scotland (3‑0), in Metz. In 2018, he gave the kickoff in Lyon for the friendly France‑United States match, twenty years after the 1998 triumph. He was also in the stands in Doha for the round of 16 of the 2022 World Cup, France‑Poland (3‑1).

As manager from 1993 to 1998, Aimé Jacquet had placed under his responsibility the future manager Zinedine Zidane as well as goalkeeper coach Fabien Barthez. This experience marked the generation that now leads the French team.

An emotional scene at the Stade de France between Zidane and Jacquet

During Monday's match, he was seated just behind the president of the French Football Federation, Philippe Diallo. This position underscores his status as a former pillar of French football.

Nearby were several former 1998 teammates: Laurent Blanc, Robert Pirès, Vincent Candela, Bernard Diomède and Christian Karembeu. Their presence evokes the generation that lifted the World Cup.

In 1998, Aimé Jacquet led France to World Cup victory, a feat that remains etched in football history. His presence today reminds supporters of that triumph.