The Parc des Princes set to play host to France v. Ireland
Two years on from their 8-0 thrashing of Kazakhstan on 13th November 2021, the French men’s national team returns to the Parc des Princes tonight to face the Republic of Ireland in a UEFA EURO 2024 qualifier.
Les Bleus, who hadn't previously played at the Parc since their 6-0 win over Australia on 11th October 2013, earned themselves a resounding success over 'The Hawks' that night in what remains their most recent appearance in southwestern Paris.
The Parc des Princes is, of course, the home of Les Rouge et Bleu, but it was also the home of the French men's national team until 1998, back when the Stade de France was inaugurated in Saint-Denis.
In 1972, a little over 50 years ago, the newest version of the Parc des Princes was built to host France's domestic cup finals as well as its men's national team's fixtures, and it would be the venue of several unforgettable moments over the course of those 26 years.
It was at the Parc that Les Bleus won their first-ever trophy, beating Spain 2-0 in the final of the EURO on 27th June 1984.
From their 1-0 win over the USSR in a FIFA World Cup qualifier on 13th October 1972 to their 8-0 demolition of Kazakhstan – which is still France's biggest-ever victory at the Parc – Les Bleus have played 77 official matches at the stadium in its current form, with a record of 49 wins, 17 draws and 11 defeats.
Didier Deschamps's men will be hoping to make it 50 wins tonight, then, as they face a Republic of Ireland side that they have already met three times at the Parc, with Les Tricolores running out 2-0 winners twice (on 17th November 1976 and on 28th October 1980) after earning a 1-1 draw 50 years ago, on 19th May 1973, in what was just their third-ever fixture there.
