France–Germany football rivalry
Football rivalry between the national football teams of France and Germany
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The football rivalry between France and Germany is one of the biggest and most heated association football rivalries in Europe. The teams are among the most successful national teams in the world. Previously, it was mostly a one-sided phenomenon since most German fans considered the Netherlands or Italy to be their traditional footballing rivals until the rise of France from the 1990s onward, but the rivalry really began during the UEFA European Championship in the 2010s decade after a series of mere friendlies in the 1990s to 2000s.[citation needed]
Friendly
France 1–0 Germany
UEFA Nations League finals
Germany 0–2 France
| Location | Europe |
|---|---|
| Teams |  France Germany |
| First meeting | 15 March 1931 Friendly France 1–0 Germany |
| Latest meeting | 8 June 2025 UEFA Nations League finals Germany 0–2 France |
| Statistics | |
| Total meetings | 35 |
| Most wins | France (16) |
| Top scorer | Antoine Griezmann (5 goals) |
All-time series | France: 16 Draw: 8 Germany: 11 |
Largest victory | West Germany 5–1 France Friendly 27 September 1967 |
  France Germany | |
Background
The root of France–Germany rivalry could have dated back from the old tensions between France and German Empire after the capture of Paris by Prussian Army in 1870.[1] Since the end of the war, enmity between France and Germany increased, resulted with military arm race and eventually, set up the World War I. During the beginning of war, a peaceful moment, the Christmas truce, where a peaceful football match between French, British and German soldiers occurred.[2] This was considered the first unofficial match between France and Germany.
The countries first played each other in an official international in 1931 when France defeated the Weimar Republic. However, rivalry soon increased with the German invasion of France, and antagonism persisted until the end of World War II.[3][4] One of the most notable meetings between the two countries came in the 1982 World Cup semi-final, which ended 3–3 after extra time before West Germany won in a penalty shoot-out.[5] Michel Platini himself declared the match as his "most beautiful game".[6]
Comparison in major tournaments
- Key
Denotes which team finished better in that particular competition.
DNQ: Did not qualify.
DNP: Did not participate.
TBD: To be determined.
| Tournament | France |
Germany |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 FIFA World Cup | 7th | DNP | |
| 1934 FIFA World Cup | 9th | 3rd | |
| 1938 FIFA World Cup | 6th | 10th | Tournament hosted by France. |
| 1950 FIFA World Cup | Withdrew | DNP | |
| 1954 FIFA World Cup | 11th | 1st | |
| 1958 FIFA World Cup | 3rd | 4th | In the third-place match, France defeated West Germany 6–3. |
| Euro 1960 | 4th | DNP | Tournament hosted by France. |
| 1962 FIFA World Cup | DNQ | 7th | |
| Euro 1964 | DNQ | ||
| 1966 FIFA World Cup | 13th | 2nd | |
| Euro 1968 | DNQ | ||
| 1970 FIFA World Cup | DNQ | 3rd | |
| Euro 1972 | 1st | ||
| 1974 FIFA World Cup | Tournament hosted by West Germany. | ||
| Euro 1976 | 2nd | ||
| 1978 FIFA World Cup | 12th | 6th | |
| Euro 1980 | DNQ | 1st | |
| 1982 FIFA World Cup | 4th | 2nd | In the semifinals, West Germany defeated France 5–4 on penalties, after the match ended 3-3 after extra time. |
| Euro 1984 | 1st | 5th | Tournament hosted by France. |
| 1986 FIFA World Cup | 3rd | 2nd | In the semifinals, West Germany defeated France 2-0. |
| Euro 1988 | DNQ | 3rd | Tournament hosted by West Germany. |
| 1990 FIFA World Cup | 1st | ||
| Euro 1992 | 6th | 2nd | |
| 1994 FIFA World Cup | DNQ | 5th | |
| Euro 1996 | 4th | 1st | |
| 1998 FIFA World Cup | 1st | 7th | Tournament hosted by France. |
| Euro 2000 | 15th | ||
| 2002 FIFA World Cup | 28th | 2nd | |
| Euro 2004 | 6th | 12th | |
| 2006 FIFA World Cup | 2nd | 3rd | |
| Euro 2008 | 15th | 2nd | |
| 2010 FIFA World Cup | 29th | 3rd | |
| Euro 2012 | 8th | 4th | |
| 2014 FIFA World Cup | 7th | 1st | In the quarter-finals, Germany defeated France 1-0. |
| Euro 2016 | 2nd | 3rd | Tournament hosted by France. In the semifinals, France defeated Germany 2–0. |
| 2018 FIFA World Cup | 1st | 22nd | |
| Euro 2020 | 11th | 15th | Tournament hosted by multiple countries; Germany hosted some matches. In the group stage, France defeated Germany 1-0. |
| 2022 FIFA World Cup | 2nd | 17th | |
| Euro 2024 | 4th | 5th | |
| 2026 FIFA World Cup | 18th | ||
| Euro 2028 | TBD | TBD | |
Major encounters
1958 FIFA World Cup
France  | 6–3 | West Germany |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 1] |
|
1982 FIFA World Cup
| West Germany | 3–3 (a.e.t.) |  France |
|---|---|---|
Littbarski  17'Rummenigge 102'Fischer 108' |
Report | Platini 26' (pen.) Trésor 92'Giresse 98' |
| Penalties | ||
Kaltz  Breitner Stielike  Littbarski Rummenigge Hrubesch |
5–4 | Giresse Amoros Rocheteau Six Platini Bossis |
1986 FIFA World Cup
| France | 0–2 | West Germany |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Brehme 9' Völler 89' |
2014 FIFA World Cup
UEFA Euro 2016
2018–19 UEFA Nations League
UEFA Euro 2020
2025 UEFA Nations League Finals
Matches
| Number | Date | Location | Competition | Game | Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15 March 1931 | Paris | Friendly | France – Weimar Republic | 1–0 |
| 2 | 19 March 1933 |  Berlin | Friendly | Weimar Republic – France | 3–3 |
| 3 | 17 March 1935 | Paris | Friendly | France – Germany | 1–3 |
| 4 | 21 March 1937 |  Stuttgart | Friendly | Germany – France | 4–0 |
| 5 | 5 October 1952 | Paris | Friendly | France – West Germany | 3–1 |
| 6 | 16 October 1954 | Hannover | Friendly | West Germany – France | 1–3 |
| 7 | 28 June 1958 |  Gothenburg | 1958 FIFA World Cup | France – West Germany | 6–3 |
| 8 | 26 October 1958 | Paris | Friendly | France – West Germany | 2–2 |
| 9 | 24 October 1962 | Stuttgart | Friendly | West Germany – France | 2–2 |
| 10 | 27 September 1967 | Berlin | Friendly | West Germany – France | 5–1 |
| 11 | 25 September 1968 | Marseille | Friendly | France – West Germany | 1–1 |
| 12 | 13 October 1973 | Gelsenkirchen | Friendly | West Germany – France | 2–1 |
| 13 | 23 February 1977 | Paris | Friendly | France – West Germany | 1–0 |
| 14 | 19 November 1980 | Hannover | Friendly | West Germany – France | 4–1 |
| 15 | 8 July 1982 |  Seville | 1982 FIFA World Cup | West Germany – France | 3–3 (5–4 p) |
| 16 | 18 April 1984 | Strasbourg | Friendly | France – West Germany | 1–0 |
| 17 | 25 June 1986 |  Guadalajara | 1986 FIFA World Cup | France – West Germany | 0–2 |
| 18 | 12 August 1987 | Berlin | Berlin Anniversary | West Germany – France | 2–1 |
| 19 | 28 February 1990 | Montpellier | Friendly | France – West Germany | 2–1 |
| 20 | 1 June 1996 | Stuttgart | Friendly | Germany – France | 0–1 |
| 21 | 27 February 2001 | Paris | Friendly | France – Germany | 1–0 |
| 22 | 15 November 2003 | Gelsenkirchen | Friendly | Germany – France | 0–3 |
| 23 | 12 November 2005 | Paris | Friendly | France – Germany | 0–0 |
| 24 | 29 February 2012 | Bremen | Friendly | Germany – France | 1–2 |
| 25 | 6 February 2013 | Paris | Friendly | France – Germany | 1–2 |
| 26 | 4 July 2014 |  Rio de Janeiro | 2014 FIFA World Cup | France – Germany | 0–1 |
| 27 | 13 November 2015 | Paris | Friendly | France – Germany | 2–0 |
| 28 | 7 July 2016 | Marseille | UEFA Euro 2016 | Germany – France | 0–2 |
| 29 | 14 November 2017 | Cologne | Friendly | Germany – France | 2–2 |
| 30 | 6 September 2018 | Munich | 2018–19 UEFA Nations League | Germany – France | 0–0 |
| 31 | 16 October 2018 | Paris | 2018–19 UEFA Nations League | France – Germany | 2–1 |
| 32 | 15 June 2021 | Munich | UEFA Euro 2020 | France – Germany | 1–0 |
| 33 | 12 September 2023 | Dortmund | Friendly | Germany – France | 2–1 |
| 34 | 23 March 2024 | Lyon | Friendly | France – Germany | 0–2 |
| 35 | 8 June 2025 | Stuttgart | 2025 UEFA Nations League Finals | Germany – France | 0–2 |
Statistics
All-time top goalscorers
- As of 8 June 2025
| Nation | Player | Goals | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Antoine Griezmann | 5 | 2014–2024 |
|
Just Fontaine | 4 | 1958 |
|
Rudi Völler | 3 | 1982–1994 |
|
Gerd Müller | 3 | 1966–1974 |
Overall record
- As of 8 June 2025
| Competition | Matches[11] | Result | Goals | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| France | Draws | Germany | France | Germany | ||
| FIFA World Cup | 4 | 1 | 1* | 2 | 9 | 9 |
| UEFA European Championship | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| UEFA Nations League | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| All competitions | 9 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 16 | 10 |
| Friendly | 26 | 11 | 6 | 9 | 37 | 40 |
| All matches | 35 | 16 | 8 | 11 | 53 | 50 |
Note 1: * Germany overcame France in 1982 FIFA World Cup semi-final match via penalty shoot-out.
Trophies
| Competition | Titles | |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | France | |
| FIFA World Cup | 4 | 2 |
| FIFA Confederations Cup | 1 | 2 |
| UEFA Euros | 3 | 2 |
| UEFA Nations League | 0 | 1 |
| Summer Olympics | 1 | 1 |
| All competitions | 9 | 8 |