France is one of the core countries of Europe and has a reputation for its culture, food and fashion that is largely based on tourist experiences in Paris, the capital, although it is extremely accurate. A core member of the European Union, France has adopted the Euro since its introduction a few years ago but the population of 64 million still retain their own identity. The majority speak French, which is the official language, but individuals living and working in tourist areas often speak a variety of languages.

The French culture is very strong, as is their competitive streak, which is played out via a number of sports. There are two sports that contribute to the national identity, rugby and football. Both are equally important, especially when it comes to playing England and Italy, with whom they have an especially competitive relationship. They are currently sat at 4th in the FIFA world rankings and have been in the top ten for some time now. Their lowest spot was 25th, which was hit in April 1998. However, France also had a long stay on the top spot, being 1st in the rankings between May 2001 and May 2002.

France actually took part in the inaugural World Cup tournament in 1930 and has appeared 12 times in total. However, they had to wait until 1998 for their first and only win to date. They also won it on their home turf to make it that little bit more special. Their ratio of European Championship wins is far better with two wins out of six appearances. Although their first appearance was in 1960, they did not win it until 1984 and then again in 2000. They have also competed in the Confederations Cup and actually won their first and only two tournaments. They have attended twice in 2001 and 2003 and won both! They have also experienced a measure of success in the Olympics, winning gold in Los Angeles (1984), silver in Paris (1900) and bronze in Antwerp (1920).

In terms of domestic competition, there are three honours that are played for each year – Ligue 1, Coupe de France and Coupe de la Ligue. Ligue 1 is the premier league division and features all of the top sides at the moment. There are 20 teams in the league, which was founded in 1932, and incorporates those located in France and Monaco. The season runs from August to May, with the teams playing each other twice in the league and the two cup competitions running simultaneously. The Coupe de la Ligue is for professional clubs only an is third in line in terms of importance. However, any team, professional or amateur can enter the Coupe de France, thus making it more appealing. Both competitions are knock out competitions that have a final played towards the end of the season.

France has a number of top domestic teams, the best of which are Olympique Lyonnais, AS Monaco, Lille, Paris Saint-Germain and Marseille. However, Olympique Lyonnais has dominated in recent years, winning the title season after season since 2001/2. It is fair to say that they have dominated the country and done well in European competition as well!