Sports Played in France

France has become a major player at the international level in various sporting disciplines ranging from football to motor sports. Some of the worlds most prestigious sports events are held in this nation. Tour de France, French Open, Andros Trophy, Six Nations Rugby and the list continues...

Football
France created history on 12th July, 1998, when they defeated Brazil 3 - 0 to win their maiden World Championship. They also have two European Championships to their credit. The rich tradition of the game can be traced back to 1872, when this sport was introduced to this country by the English sailors in the port city of Le Havre. Winning the Olympic gold, in 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, gave a major boost to this sport in France. Football clubs like Marseille, AS Monaco FC, AJ Auxerre and Lyon have featured in the UEFA Champions League. Stars like Zinedine Zidane, Lilian Thuram, Patrick Viera and Thierry Henry have made it big in the International as well as European leagues. The Ligue de Football Professionnel is the domestic football league of this nation. Lately, football has become the most watched sport in the country.

Rugby
Rugby is the second most popular game in France. The sport was introduced to this nation by the British in 1870s. Fédération Française de Rugby à XIII, formed in 1920, is the governing body for rugby in France. Earlier it was governed by the Union des Sociétés Françaises de Sports Athlétiques. France won the Olympic gold for rugby, when it was introduced in the Olympics in 1900. The French rugby team reached the finals of the Rugby World Cup in 1987 and 1999, but failed to capitalize on these opportunities. There are 1720 rugby clubs and around 200,000 registered players in France.

Cycling
One of the most popular sports in France, cycling got a major boost with the introduction of Le Tour de France in 1903. Spanning a period of three weeks in the month of July every year, the cyclists cover a distance of 2,200 miles to win the most prestigious competition in the history of France. The first race, organized in 1903, was won by French cyclist, Maurice Garin. Though, the course is changed every year, the finishing point is one of the prominent venues of Paris. The Champs-Élysées avenue has been chosen as the finishing point since 1975. Lance Armstrong, of the United States, tops the list of most titles with seven wins while French cyclists Jacques Anquetil and Bernard Hinault have won this race five times each.

Motor Sport
In recent years, motor sport has become one of the most important sporting events in France. Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) champions hailing from France include Alain Prost (F1), Jean-Louis Schlesser (WSC) Didier Auriol and Sébastien Loeb (WRC). The nation plays host for one Formula One race every year. French racer Alain Prost dominated the Formula One circuits in the 80s and early 90s. Representing teams like McLaren, Ferrari, Renault and Williams, Prost has four F1 Championships to his credit. Yvan Muller, is another prominent French national in World Touring Car Championship. An annual ice racing championship, the Andros Trophy, is held in France at the end of the year.

Tennis
Tennis is a popular sport in France, especially in the urban areas of the country. French Open, also known as the Les Internationaux de France de Roland Garros, is a major tennis tournament held in this country between mid-May and early June. Other tournament's organized here include Grand Prix de Tennis de Lyon, Open Gaz de France, Open de Moselle and Paris Masters. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Amelie Mouresmo and Richard Gasquet are famous French tennis players in the international arena.

Over the years, France has proved its merit in the world of sports. Sportsmen like Zinedine Zidane, Thierry Henry, Alain Prost and Bernard Hinault have immortalized this nation with their immense contribution.