Two decades on there's a bit of symmetry for French football as they look to follow up World Cup glory with a European Championship triumph at Euro 2020.
Last time they were in that position after the summer of 1998, Arsenal legend Robert Pires was part of that generation which featured Zinedine Zidane, Thierry Henry, Didier Deschamps and co that went on to follow up glory at France '98 with victory at Euro 2000!
As it happens, Pires was in Dublin ahead of the Euro 2020 qualifying draw to show off his skills at the Street Legends Community Football event on Mountjoy Square alongside Spain and Valencia great Gaizka Mendieta.
He took time out to chat to me for OTB AM and on the menu:
- How his France generation improved between World Cup 1998 and Euro 2000
- What he makes of the current French side and the key leaders
- His thoughts on ex-Arsenal team-mates going into management
- How much freedom Steve Bould had on the training ground under Arsene Wenger
- The mix that worked for Arsenal and how that declined in the second half of Wenger's reign
- How he and David O'Leary moved on from a post-match run-in following a bad-tempered 2000 clash between Arsenal and Leeds
You can watch the full interview above in video form or listen back on the OTB AM podcast:
