World Cup winner Emmanuel Petit has shocked football fans with claims his team’s France 98 win could have been staged.
Following corruption revelations that have rocked FIFA and the footballing world in recent weeks Petit suggested his team’s historic victory was a sham.
In a bizarre interview broadcast online he branded his team-mates “puppets” and asked: “Was it fixed?”
The decorated former Chelsea and Arsenal midfielder sealed his nation’s win over Brazil with the third goal at the Stade de France on July 12, 1998.
But Petit, now retired, said he believes the final was the last stage in a carefully-orchestrated campaign to ensure their victory from behind closed doors.
He said: “For the past few weeks I’ve been asking myself ‘Did we really win the World Cup?’ I ask myself that question today. Was it fixed?”
He added: “I have no idea. On the pitch we gave it everything. We truly gave it everything against our opponents, we did everything to win.”
Petit is no stranger to controversy after branding the French “cowards” and saying the country would have been better off during German rule in a 2014 interview.
But he cast further doubt on his team’s success after highlighting Brazil’s opening game at the 2014 world cup.
The home nation came from behind to beat Croatia 2-1 after a controversial penalty was awarded 19 minutes before the final whistle.
And Petit said: “We prepared. But with everything that’s going on today, I ask myself, after seeing what happened during Brazil’s World Cup, that first game between Brazil and Croatia.
“I’m sorry, but, a bit shady? Sometimes it scares me. I ask myself if I’m becoming paranoid.”
France’s victory over the Brazilians in 1998 came after their talisman Ronaldo suffered a convulsive fit on the day of the final.
The striker had scored four goals during the tournament, but his name was pulled from the team sheet before he was reintroduced just 72 minutes before kick-off.
The episode was shrouded in mystery – and saw the star striker play below par amid speculation over claims of an attempted poisoning.
But Petit seemed to suggest this episode fell in with a wider, shadowy campaign to ensure economic success through France’s victory.
He said: “Weren’t we puppets? Haven’t we always only and solely been puppets, keeping the economy moving, and don’t worry about anything else.
“Today I ask myself that question, did we really win the World Cup in 1998? Myself, I believe we did. In any case us, the players, we did everything for that.
Beyond that, if there was anything else or not, I don’t know – but I do ask myself the question. It’s been 17 years since we won the World Cup, and for the last few weeks I do ask myself that question.”
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