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Famous Sports in France
Sports in France are as natural to its culture as croissants and red wine. In fact, participation and interest in the activities is high, as the French people are extremely proud of their athletes. Here is a list of the most popular sports in the country.
Football - this is the most well-known in the land, with 2,225,595 licensed players in 2009. The country was one of the four European teams that participated at the inaugural World Cup in 1930 and won the competition during the time the nation hosted the Cup in 1998.
Tennis - it is among the famous athletic pursuits in France and, yearly, the best clay-court specialists in the world converge to test their skills in the country. The last French citizens to win the French Open was Yannick Noah in 1983 and Mary Pierce in 2000.
Rugby Union - the French rugby team is considered as one of the strongest in Europe, that is why they participate every year in the Six Nations Championships, along with England, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. The athletes are very proud to have won the championship fourteen times, making this sport an extremely popular game in the region.
Basketball - it may come as a bit of a surprise that this activity is quite famous in the country. But the French national basketball team is doing a lot of work just to be recognised as a true force on the court.
It is clear that France has much to be proud of as its athletes are talented and known throughout the world for their skills and perseverance in athletics.