France Has Only Been Knocked Out by Germany in World Cup Knockout Stages Since 1958
France is not only a favorite to reach the World Cup final this Tuesday but also holds an impressive historical record in the tournament's knockout stages. Since 1958, France has been eliminated in the knockout rounds by only one team: Germany.
From 1982 onwards, France faced 21 knockout matches against 15 different teams, with Germany defeating them three times, in the 1982 and 1986 semifinals and the 2014 quarterfinals. During this period, France eliminated strong teams including Italy twice, Brazil twice, Paraguay twice, Croatia twice, and once each Spain, Portugal, Nigeria, Argentina, Uruguay, Belgium, Poland, England, Morocco twice, and Sweden.
Before the color television era, France was knocked out three times in knockout stages by Austria (1934), Italy (1938 final), and Brazil (1958). France reached the final twice more, losing only on penalties to Italy in 2006 and Argentina in 2022, which are officially recorded as draws. This record highlights France's consistent strength in World Cup knockout matches, a fact Spain might consider ahead of their encounter.
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