Zidane, Mbappe star in multi-cultural French team, but race tensions remain

Some commentators have discussed the 2018 success of Les Bleus as a return to the joys of "black, blanc, beur" multicultural national celebration, acceptance and celebration of ethnic diversity

The French football team has won the 2018 World Cup, 20 years after it triumphed on home soil in 1998. “Les Bleus”, as they’re called, are back in the nation’s good books, celebrated for their excellent performance in this year’s tournament, right through the 4-2 win over Croatia in the final. Out of the limelight and the glare of success in Russia 2018, however, a question continues to dog French football – the role of race and class in the selection of national players.

On the surface, this may seem strange with the attention given to the multicultural