France 1986
France at Mexico 1986 were the reigning European champions and arrived with their magnificent Carré Magique intact Michel Platini, Alain Giresse, Jean Tigana, and Luis Fernández. The team carried the scars of Seville 1982 and burned for redemption. They topped their group and produced a sublime quarter-final performance against Brazil, winning on penalties after a 1-1 draw in one of the finest matches of the tournament. But the semi-final against West Germany proved once again to be France's nemesis a 2-0 defeat, with Andreas Brehme and Rudi Völler scoring. France finished third after beating Belgium. Platini's last World Cup ended without the trophy his genius deserved, and the golden generation of French football bowed out having twice been denied by the Germans at the semi-final stage.
