Le Classique

In light of the overperformance of French clubs in the Champions' League, Tom and Bappo revisit the last time a French side produced a truly epic underdog campaign: AS Monaco's 03-04 European adventure. Featuring the mother fo all revenge performances' versus Real Madrid....

Le Classique is delighted to welcome Jonathan Johnson (JJ) as we resume our 'Tour de France' with the magical island of Corsica. We discuss Sporting Bastia, AC Ajaccio, and the legendary Claude Papi. And JJ suggests an intriguing direction of travel for the future of Corsican football... 

Tom and Bappo are faced with the difficult task of picking France's Best XI since their World Cup victory in 98.

A dark night in Kiev had left France on the brink of football ignominy. Until Mamadou Sakho stepped in as an unlikely saviour. Tom and Bappo revisit the game that truly kicked off the Didier Deschamps era.

Before QSI, PSG's owners were a group of American private equity investors whose early years were an omnishambles. Tom and Bappo travel back in time to when PSG were (very) bad. And came so close to relegation au Stade Auguste Bonal... Good old Colony Capital Years!

The King is Dead. Long Live Le President. Tom and Bappo review the 08-09 season that broke Lyon's hegemony. And featured a certain Tyrone Mears...

Tom and Bappo pick their Ligue 1 team(s) of the decade for 2000 - 2010. The catch? It's a draft and they take it in turns to pick players. Who gets Juninho first??

Tom and Bappo revisit the game that shocked the World of football, brought El-Hadji Diouf to England, and gave us one of the iconic World Cup moments from much loved Papa Bouba Diop. It's France Senegal at the 2002 World Cup!

The Classique boys reflect on Guy Roux's crowning achievement: a double with AJ Auxerre in 1996. A season that also saw two French sides in European finals, with mixed results...

With Aulas departing l'OL as President, Tom and Bappo reflect on the career of - arguably - the greatest president in French Football history.

Le Classique is joined by friend of the pod (and Crystal Palace fan) Chaka as we discuss Arsenal's legendary and inspirational skipper, third in our list of the best French EPL players of all time. Quick word of warning: this episode was recorded before Vieira got the chop at Palace, so some discussion on his managerial career may be a tad out of date. Still, no debating the player - undoubtedly one of the true EPL greats.

After an (extended!) break, Tom and Bappo are back with their list of the best French players in EPL History. Number 4 is 'le Sulk', a clinical striker who wore the colours of Arsenal, Liverpool, City, Bolton, and (less famously) West Brom. We review his career in England and how he is viewed from the Hexagon. With an obligatory detour into the sh***- show of the 2010 World Cup...

Les Bleus have made it to a second successive World Cup Final. Tom and Bappo review France's quarter final and semi final performances, preview the final with Argentina, and show plenty of love to Antoine Griezmann and Didier Deschamps

It's the quarter final le Classique has been waiting for... Tom and Bappo preview 'le Crunch' between England and France at the World Cup... and go down memory lane to relive some classic encounters between les Bleus and the Three Lions.

Tom and Bappo reflect on France's qualification after 2 games ... and on the wonderfully handsome Giroud equalling France's goalscoring record.

In preparation for the Clasico between PSG and Marseille this Sunday, Tom and Bappo are joined by the brilliant Jeremy Magan from Casser Les Lignes to discuss the history of - arguably - the spiciest fixture in French football.

In preparation for the Ligue 1 season, Le Classique are touring France! We begin in Britanny , home of Breizh Cola and the iconic Roudourou. Join Tom and Bappo as they run through the history and prospects of Rennes, Nantes, Brest, Guingamp and Lorient.

Poch out, Galtier in. Tom and Bappo reflect on the latest of PSG's many managerial appointments.

Tom and Bappo have reached the Top 5 of their top French players in EPL history countdown! We start with the wonderful and oh so likeable N'Golo Kante Kante before English football (01:57) Kante's time in English football (16:35) Kante's cultural impact (32:00) How Kante is viewed in France (38:10)

We've reached the top 10! Tom and Bappo go through numbers 10 to 6 in our list of the best French players in EPL history. And if you're enjoying Le Classique, why not follow us on Twitter @LeClassiquePod Number 10: David Ginola (01:23) Number 9: Claude Makelele (15:03) Number 8: Patrice Evra (26:00) Number 7: Robert Pires (34:25) Number 6: Sylvain Distin (45:00)

Two hunks, the Rock, and Arsenal's iconic number 10 (joke). Tom and Bappo are approaching the top 10 in their list of the best French players in EPL history Number 15: Emmanuel Petit (01:25) Number 14: William Gallas (11:27) Number 13: Hugo Lloris (22:45) Number 12: Olivier Giroud (31:42) Number 11: Marcel Desailly (41:13)

The countdown continues... Tom and Bappo go through numbers 20 to 16 in the list of the best French players in EPL history. Today's group includes several Fulham players. And a player who makes Robbie from Arsenal Fan TV absolutely livid... Number 20 - Laurent Koscielny (01:45) Number 19 - Louis Saha (12:39) Number 18 - Steed Malbranque (21:08) Number 17 - Franck Leboeuf (29:30) Number 16 - Samir Nasri (38:00)

After a hiatus, Tom and Bappo are back and continue their countdown of the 50 best French players in EPL history. Today is numbers 25 to 21 in the list, Including one of Bappo's favourite ever players: 'le Snake'. Number 25 - Youri Djorkaeff (01:42) Number 24 - Laurent Robert (11:00) Number 23 - Yohan Cabaye (19:28) Number 22 - Mickael Silvestre (29:07) Number 21 - Gael Clichy (36:42)

That didn't go so well.... Tom and Bappo dissect Euro 2020 from les Bleus' perspective and reflect on the tournament as a whole.

Karim is back, Laporte is out, and France are favourites for Euro 2020. Tom and Bappo preview les Bleus' chances this summer. Can France follow their 2018 success with another victory at a major tournament?

The list continues with 'Sacary Bagna' in amongst Bolton, Boro, and West Ham icons. This is 30 to 26 in Le Classique's list of the 50 best French players in EPL History. Number 30 - Dimitri Payet (01:30) Number 29 - Frank Queudrue (14:38) Number 28 - Sylvain Wiltord (21:45) Number 27 - Bruno N'Gotty (29:55) Number 26 - Bacary Sagna (35:55)

The World Cup Winner you didn't expect, the Euro finalist you didn't expect, and a full back Market Drayton Town didn't expect. Tom and Bappo are powering through their list of the 50 best French players in the EPL History with numbers 35 to 31. Number 35 - Aymeric Laporte (01:45) Number 34 - Steven Nzonzi (12:40) Number 33 - Pascal Chimbonda (19:40) Number 32 - Florent Malouda (27:53) Number 31 - Moussa Sissoko (35:12)

Lucas, Laca, and the 'Dabber'. Tom and Bappo are powering through their list of the 50 best French players in EPL History. Number 40 - Paul Pogba (02:50) Number 39 - Anthony Martial (15:48) Number 38 - Alexandre Lacazette (26:58) Number 37 - Lucas Digne (34:48) Number 36 - Olivier Bernard (42:28)

An entrepreneur, a ‘waste man', and 'Makelele's son'… Tom and Bappo go through 45 - 41 on the list of the 50 best French players in EPL History. Number 45 Morgan Schneiderlin (01:33) Number 44 Christophe Dugarry (10:20) Number 43 Lassana Diarra (21:10) Number 42 Mathieu Flamini (27:50) Number 41 Charles N'Zogbia (34:10)

Tom and Bappo begin their list of the 50 best French players in the EPL. Beginning with the iconic Gilles Grimandi! Number 50. Gilles Grimandi (02:30) Number 49. Hatem Ben Arfa (08:54) Number 48. Alain Goma (19:37) Number 47. Antoine Siberski (24:14) Number 46. Sebastien Schemmel (32:13)

Tom and Bappo have debated this list for a long time... Le Classique begins their countdown of the 50 best French players in Premier League History. Before getting to Cantona et al, in this intro episode we go through the criteria, a Flop XI who disappointed in England, and players who just missed the cut. PART 1: Our Criteria (02:30) PART 2: The French Revolution (07:20) PART 3: Flop XI - Goalkeeper and Defence (Barthez, Faubert, Boumsong, Mangala, Cissokho) (34:00) PART 4: Flop XI - Midfield (Bakaoyoko, Cheyrou) (41:00) PART 5: Flop XI - Forwards (Marlet, Le Tallec, Obertan, Piquionne) (44:00) PART 6: Players who just missed the cut (57:20)

Tom and Bappo look back on the second part of Domenech's reign as France manager, where things begin to fall apart. After the high of 2006, dreary football culminates in a disastrous Euro 2008 campaign (and an oddly timed marriage proposal). Second of a three parter on the 'Domenech Years'. 

Eric Cantona was the undeniable 'enfant terrible' of French football. And while he found redemption, many of his successors did not. In this final look at the unfulfilled talents of French football, Tom and Bappo explore players whose temper and attitude may have stopped them from reaching the heights they once promised. Featuring the mercurial Hatem Ben Arfa...

Tom and Bappo begin their look at Classique Games by les Bleus by reliving one of the most traumatic moments in French football history. The game that killed off David Ginola's France career, and introduced a Bulgarian side who ripped it up at the 1994 World Cup. It's the Parc des Princes. It's 1993. And it's France-Bulgaria!

In their first look at Classic Seasons in French football, Tom and Bappo revisit the iconic 'mano a mano' between Bordeaux and Marseille for the 1998-1999 championship. With a denouement as dramatic as THAT Aguero moment...

Raymond Domenech was back (albeit briefly...) as coach of FC Nantes. Tom and Bappo revisit his eventful, odd tenure as manager of France's national team, from the highs of 2006 to the deep humiliation of the 2010 South Africa World Cup.

Continuing their investigation into the unfulfilled talents of French football, Tom and Bappo look at the failed attempts of Premier League clubs - inspired by the success of Arsenal and Nicolas Anelka - to bring young talented French teenagers into English football.

In this first episode investigating the unfulfilled talents of French football, Tom and Bappo go through the list of players hailed as the successors to the one and only ZZ.