Wenger: France’s footballing dominance is built on immigration

Arsène Wenger, the iconic former Arsenal manager, has laid out his blueprint for why France remains a powerhouse in world football. In a wide-ranging chat with L’Equipe, the 75-year-old pointed to three pillars: elite youth development, relentless talent identification, and immigration. “Our success comes from the quality of our football education, our ability to find talent – something many countries neglect – and African immigration,” Wenger said. “If you look at the history of French football, it’s deeply tied to immigration. Raymond Kopa, our first Ballon d’Or winner, was of Polish descent. Michel Platini came from an Italian immigrant family. Zinedine Zidane’s roots are Algerian. Jean-Pierre Papin wasn’t an immigrant. Then Karim Benzema, again Algerian. Now Ousmane Dembélé – born to an African immigrant family.” Wenger stressed that France attracts people because it offers real educational opportunities, and immigrant children often carry a fierce drive to succeed. “They know they have to work extremely hard to reach the highest level,” he added. According to Wenger, it’s the combination of a strong coaching infrastructure, sharp scouting, and a willingness to give talented youngsters from immigrant backgrounds a chance that has kept France at the top for decades, consistently producing world-class players.