International Career
Despite being selected in the French national team on several occasions throughout his career, Micoud never managed to secure himself a regular starting role, mainly due to the presence of Zidane, who occupied the same position.
Courtesy of his stellar championship performances with Bordeaux, he made his debut on 17 August 1999, in a friendly match with Northern Ireland, and was subsequently picked for the squad which won UEFA Euro 2000, but he only played in one of the six matches of the tournament, in the group match against Netherlands, effectively a dead rubber given that both nations had already qualified during which he was entrusted with the key midfield role against Uruguay, only to turn in a largely unconvincing display in a disappointing 0–0 draw, mostly remembered for Thierry Henry's red card.
Regardless of his consistently high level of performance at club level, Micoud found himself subsequently marginalised by the following national selectors. Jacques Santini only selected him once, in a friendly match against Holland in 2004, and he failed to make the squad for Euro 2004, despite his Bremen performances. With Raymond Domenech, he did not win a single call-up for the 2006 World Cup qualifiers, with the finals to be held in Germany, the country where he delivered strong performances on a regular basis.
Read more about this topic: Johan Micoud
Famous quotes containing the word career:
“He was at a starting point which makes many a man’s career a fine subject for betting, if there were any gentlemen given to that amusement who could appreciate the complicated probabilities of an arduous purpose, with all the possible thwartings and furtherings of circumstance, all the niceties of inward balance, by which a man swings and makes his point or else is carried headlong.”
—George Eliot [Mary Ann (or Marian)