[Excape Goat]

I started the same thread in Italy and Spain. It seemed that people seldom talked about France's rival in soccer. Naturally, people considered Germany or England as France's biggest rival.

[Nanbawan]

Personally, I'd say Italy. After that : England, Germany and Spain.

[lefutur]

Germany and England are obvious choices. Germany because of the legendary clashes in the 80's (and because of Schumaker) and England because the English were gutted after the come-from-behind victory France pulled off in the last Euro.

Of course world history has a lot to do with it too with all the wars between France and those 2 countries.

[gaijin]

Belgium and Germany are the traditional rivals.

I've never really considered England v France as a rivalry, its as much as I consider England v Portugal is one.

For me, our big rivals are Germany, Argentina and then Scotland.

[RandyNA74]

Originally Posted by Nanbawan

Personally, I'd say Italy. After that : England, Germany and Spain.

Italy? Really? That's kinda surprising. For us, France has really only been a rival since...well, you know.

Then again France doesn't really have a history of being involved in many particularly bitter and intense games...it's usually pretty clean as far as I can recall, with the exception of the 1982 semifinal.

Then there is that famous France-Algeria friendly where the Franco-Algerian jeered the French anthem...though that phenomenom is more tied in with the recent riots.

[fishbiproduct]

For me, England/ Germany/ Italy

[jambon-beurre]

Originally Posted by RandyNA74

Italy? Really? That's kinda surprising. For us, France has really only been a rival since...well, you know.

Then again France doesn't really have a history of being involved in many particularly bitter and intense games...it's usually pretty clean as far as I can recall, with the exception of the 1982 semifinal.

Huh ? in the last 20 years there have been lots of bitter and intense games ... but maybe often not for the French side, ask the Portuguese for example

Anyway, I agree that France's biggest rivalry is Italy because it's the football nation against the French have (or had) the biggest complex of inferiority, although it has quite soften in the last years (you know what I mean ...). The feeling is certainly not reciprocal for the Italians, but it is there for the French, so ... it's just like England and Germany. The English will tell you that their biggest rival is Germany but the Germans won't tell you it's England for them (probably Netherlands instead).
Before 98, I would have said Germany, but they've been so disappointing since then, that the animosity is not there anymore.

[navid90]

after what happened in lisbon by far england and if u actually look at european history from an academic view english ppl and french ppl hate each other w/ a passion since the beginning of time.

[Nanbawan]

Originally Posted by RandyNA74

Italy? Really? That's kinda surprising. For us, France has really only been a rival since...well, you know.

Little to do with animosity but it's the team we definitely don't wanna lose against.

*edit* it's a cousin thing ya know...

[jonam]

Not meant offending but most Germans see The Netherlands as their biggest rival. Though it differs as Bavarians naturally have their focus more on Austria for example and of course there are many that don't like England or still see France as our traditional rival (several centuries of history as rivals on continental Europe). But as said if we have something like a "main rival" it is probably The Netherlands.

On the other hand the Austrians, the Dutch, the French, England and sometimes even the Swiss see us as their main rival. I had that discussion some days ago with a friend. Our conclusion: Either all those countries regard Germany still as a somewhat important football-wise or....they just hate us. ;-)