Football
Mark Rodden 8y

Patrice Evra: France should become a football nation that wins again

Patrice Evra believes it is high time that France proved themselves capable of winning international tournaments again.

Evra, 35, was captain of France for the 2010 World Cup, when he infamously led a training ground boycott before they crashed out in the group stages.

Les Bleus had trouble winning over their own supporters again until they overturned a two-goal deficit to beat Ukraine 3-0 in a World Cup qualifying playoff in November 2013.

They went on to reach the quarterfinals of the 2014 World Cup and Juventus left-back Evra feels the current squad has the potential to win Euro 2016 on home soil -- 16 years after France last won a major competition.

"You feel it's a young team but with a lot of character," Evra told French TV show Telefoot.

"I think we all know that the trigger was against Ukraine -- that was the real test.

"Before that match, some people had already got out the guillotines and wanted to reclaim our passports.

"I remember that it was powerful. It was the best moment of my international career.

"Now that's finished. Now France should become a football nation that wins again."

Evra celebrated his birthday earlier this month, a reminder that he is edging closer to the day he will have to hang up to his boots.

But the former Manchester United player will not necessarily quit international football at the end of Euro 2016.

"I don't want to finish my career without winning with my country," he said.

"I'm someone who lives the present -- I don't know what's going to happen.

"I've extended my contract [with Juve] by two years.

"I want to have a nice career but I won't cheat. If I see that I'm starting to slow down, I'll stop."

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