The 1997 Tournoi de France was a short but thrilling international football tournament held in France from 3 to 11 June 1997. This was a kind of warm‑up for the upcoming 1998 FIFA World Cup. As always, the 1xBet betting sites in Nigeria are perfect for wagering on the FIFA World Cup.
4 powerhouses participated of this tournament:
- France;
- Brazil;
- England;
- and Italy.
Matches were played across 4 French cities: Lyon, Nantes, Montpellier and Paris, with stadia such as Parc des Princes, Stade Gerland and Stade de la Mosson hosting games. You can become a member of the betting sites in 1xBet Nigeria in order to bet on other big football competitions.
A competition that offered memorable matches
The format was a simple single round‑robin: each team played 3 games and the team with the most points would be crowned champion. A website that has plenty of tournaments of various formats to place great bets is the http://1xbet.ng/en/live platform.
The tournament produced a memorable set of matches. On 3 June, France and Brazil played to a 1-1 draw: the Brazilian left‑back Roberto Carlos curled in a spectacular free‑kick. It has been widely hailed as one of the best in modern football, before Marc Keller restored parity for the French side. Matches between France and Brazil are always great to bet at the 1xBet website.
Two days later, England beat Italy 2-0, establishing themselves as serious contenders for claiming the title of the competition.
A chaotic but entertaining ending
One of the most chaotic and entertaining matches occurred when Brazil faced Italy: the game ended in a dramatic 3-3 draw. It had goals from Ronaldo Nazário and Romário for Brazil and a brace from Alessandro Del Piero for Italy. In fact, Del Piero would go on to finish as the tournament’s top scorer with 3 goals. Before other great Italian footballers start playing, you can try the online casinos in Nigeria from 1xBet.
In the final round, England sealed the title by defeating France 1-0 (goal by Alan Shearer) and despite losing to Brazil on the last day, ended with 6 points to finish top of the table. Brazil came in second with 5 points, followed by France and Italy.
Though brief, the 1997 Tournoi de France delivered flair, drama and glimpses of players who would shine the next year at the World Cup. This made it a small but memorable festival of international football that fans still talk about today. While waiting for other interesting football tournaments, you can also explore the online casinos in 1xBet Nigeria and its extraordinary collection of games.
