<P> The French team won its first World Cup title in 1998 . The tournament was played on home soil and France defeated Brazil 3--0 in the final match . The tournament was hosted in France once before in 1938, where France was eliminated by defending champions Italy in the quarter finals . </P> <P> In 2006, France finished as runners - up, losing on penalties (5--3) to Italy after the game was tied 1--1 after 120 minutes . The team has also finished in third place on two occasions, in 1958 and 1986, and in fourth place once, in 1982 . In 2018 France won the World Cup for the second time 4--2 against Croatia in Luzhniki Stadium, Russia . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th_colspan="10"> FIFA World Cup finals record </Th> <Th> </Th> <Th_colspan="7"> Qualifications record </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Year </Th> <Th> Round </Th> <Th> Position </Th> <Th> GP </Th> <Th> </Th> <Th> D * </Th> <Th> </Th> <Th> GF </Th> <Th> GA </Th> <Th> Squad </Th> <Th> GP </Th> <Th> </Th> <Th> </Th> <Th> </Th> <Th> GF </Th> <Th> GA </Th> <Th> </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1930 </Td> <Td> Group stage </Td> <Td> 7th </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 0 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Squad </Td> <Td_colspan="6"> </Td> <Td>--</Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1934 </Td> <Td> Round of 16 </Td> <Td> 9th </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 0 </Td> <Td> 0 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Squad </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 0 </Td> <Td> 0 </Td> <Td> 6 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1934 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1938 </Td> <Td> Quarter - finals </Td> <Td> 6th </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 0 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Squad </Td> <Td_colspan="6"> Qualified as hosts </Td> <Td> 1938 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1950 </Td> <Td_colspan="9"> Originally did not qualify, then invited, later withdrew </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 0 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 5 </Td> <Td> 1950 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1954 </Td> <Td> Group stage </Td> <Td> 11th </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 0 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Squad </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 0 </Td> <Td> 0 </Td> <Td> 20 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1954 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1958 </Td> <Td> Third place </Td> <Td> 3rd </Td> <Td> 6 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 0 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 23 </Td> <Td> 15 </Td> <Td> Squad </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 0 </Td> <Td> 19 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1958 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1962 </Td> <Td_colspan="9"> Did not qualify </Td> <Td> 5 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 0 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 10 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1962 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1966 </Td> <Td> Group stage </Td> <Td> 13th </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 0 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 5 </Td> <Td> Squad </Td> <Td> 6 </Td> <Td> 5 </Td> <Td> 0 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 9 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1966 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1970 </Td> <Td_colspan="9"> Did not qualify </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 0 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 6 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1970 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 5 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1978 </Td> <Td> Group stage </Td> <Td> 12th </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 0 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 5 </Td> <Td> 5 </Td> <Td> Squad </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 7 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1978 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1982 </Td> <Td> Fourth place </Td> <Td> 4th </Td> <Td> 7 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 16 </Td> <Td> 12 </Td> <Td> Squad </Td> <Td> 8 </Td> <Td> 5 </Td> <Td> 0 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 20 </Td> <Td> 8 </Td> <Td> 1982 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1986 </Td> <Td> Third place </Td> <Td> 3rd </Td> <Td> 7 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 12 </Td> <Td> 6 </Td> <Td> Squad </Td> <Td> 8 </Td> <Td> 5 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 15 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1986 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1990 </Td> <Td_colspan="9"> Did not qualify </Td> <Td> 8 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 10 </Td> <Td> 7 </Td> <Td> 1990 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1994 </Td> <Td> 10 </Td> <Td> 6 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 17 </Td> <Td> 10 </Td> <Td> 1994 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1998 </Td> <Td> Champions </Td> <Td> 1st </Td> <Td> 7 </Td> <Td> 6 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 0 </Td> <Td> 15 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Squad </Td> <Td_colspan="6"> Qualified as hosts </Td> <Td> 1998 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2002 </Td> <Td> Group stage </Td> <Td> 28th </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 0 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 0 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Squad </Td> <Td_colspan="6"> Qualified as defending champions </Td> <Td> 2002 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2006 </Td> <Td> Runners - up </Td> <Td> 2nd </Td> <Td> 7 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 0 </Td> <Td> 9 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Squad </Td> <Td> 10 </Td> <Td> 5 </Td> <Td> 5 </Td> <Td> 0 </Td> <Td> 14 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 2006 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Group stage </Td> <Td> 29th </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 0 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Squad </Td> <Td> 12 </Td> <Td> 7 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 20 </Td> <Td> 10 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2014 </Td> <Td> Quarter - finals </Td> <Td> 7th </Td> <Td> 5 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 10 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Squad </Td> <Td> 10 </Td> <Td> 6 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> 8 </Td> <Td> 2014 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2018 </Td> <Td> Champions </Td> <Td> 1st </Td> <Td> 7 </Td> <Td> 6 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 0 </Td> <Td> 14 </Td> <Td> 6 </Td> <Td> Squad </Td> <Td> 10 </Td> <Td> 7 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> 6 </Td> <Td> 2018 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2022 </Td> <Td_colspan="9"> To be determined </Td> <Td_colspan="6"> To be determined </Td> <Td> 2022 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Total </Th> <Th> 15 / 21 </Th> <Th> 2 Titles </Th> <Th> 65 </Th> <Th> 33 </Th> <Th> 13 * </Th> <Th> 19 </Th> <Th> 120 </Th> <Th> 77 </Th> <Th> N / A </Th> <Th> 111 </Th> <Th> 65 </Th> <Th> 23 </Th> <Th> 23 </Th> <Th> 216 </Th> <Th> 88 </Th> <Th> Total </Th> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th_colspan="10"> FIFA World Cup finals record </Th> <Th> </Th> <Th_colspan="7"> Qualifications record </Th> </Tr>

When was the last time france was in the finals