Tom and Bappo reflect on a group stage that has delivered 9 points, 10 goals, and two golden boot candidates for France. We reflect on their campaign to date, preview the Sweden game and attempt to find some kind of meaningful footballing connection between les Bleus and the Blågult. We settle on the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, which put French international football on the map and set a record by Just Fontaine that will surely never be bettered. Or will it….

It wasn’t all good news in Ligue 1 this year: dodgy fixture delays, shambolic owners, and the sad relegation of an iconic French club. Le Classique boys are back with friend of the Pod Jonathan Johnson for the second part of our Ligue 1 season review, focusing on the lowlights of the season. Awards for villain of the season, biggest disappointment, and the legendary ‘ballon de plomb’ are dished out.  To finish on a high, we also list our ‘coups de coeur’ of 25-26. Featuring French wonderkids and chess-playing Russian goalkeepers.

Friend of the pod Jonathan Johnson joins Tom and Bappo for the first part of our Ligue 1 Season Review. We discuss the top 7, RC Lens' incredible campaign, as well as the chaos that engulfed Marseille and Monaco. Individual awards are also dashed out and we also have a non-PSG (to keep things interesting..) team of the season. Les 'Sang et Or', naturally, feature heavily.

In light of the recent documentary 'Le Jeu avant le Je' by Theo Boyer, le Classique are joined by Jonathan Johnson to review the glory days of FC Nantes, and the mystery of their brilliant coach Raynald Denoueix. An undoubted Ligue 1 Legend.

After an international break where Les Bleus flexed their muscles, Tom and Bappo  return to Ligue 1 with a cracking run-in expected in the next seven games. Featuring a title race (still!), a European race , and France’s very own Tottenham Hotspur.

Before Thomas Tuchel's 35-man England squad, there was Aime Jacquet's 28-man France squad in the run up to 1998 ... A decision widely mocked at the time, and the nadir of a bitter dispute between journalistic institution l’Equipe and France's first world cup winning manager. Tom and Bappo reflect on a feud for the ages.

De Zerbi gone. Benatia gone (and then not gone). Longoria on the way out. Beye on the way in. Tom and Bappo reflect on mad couple of weeks at l'Olympique de Marseille and go back in time to when things were (believe it or not) even worse. The 1999 -2000 and 2000-2001 seasons when Marseille flirted with relegation and bankruptcy.

Tom and Bappo review the wheeling and dealing in Ligue 1 this January from major sales to the EPL and the Saudi Pro League, to incoming loans for some of the most exciting talent on the continent (Endrick!). Note: this episode was recorded just before OM’s humiliating 5-0 defeat to PSG, and De Zerbi’s subsequent departure. 

Ligue 1 resumes this weekend and it is 'les Sang-et-Or', not PSG, that top the table. Tom and Bappo review an exciting first half of the season, with a title race very much on, a tight relegation dogfight. Liam Rosenior might also be discussed...

This is part 2 of a draft of France's also-rans. The rules are simple: max 3 caps, born before the year 2000, and each squad must contain at least 3 totally uncapped players. In the first half of the draft, Bappo picked Bourigeaud, Pagis, Distin, Bonnissel, Monterrubio, and Rongier. Tom picked Ziani, Savidan, Malbranque, Mendy, and Cheyrou. You join us as Tom ponders his sixth pick.