Marcel Desailly has described holder’s France’s exit from the World Cup as a catastrophe.

“It’s a big disappointment, a catastrophe, but at the same time we mustn’t go over the top. The machine has ground to a halt,” he said after the 2-0 defeat to Denmark saw France knocked out of the tournament.

“All of us, journalists and supporters, were perhaps expecting too much, we wanted to feel the emotions of 1998, we thought we were already in the last 16, in the quarter-finals, in the semi-finals.

“We didn’t manage to play and I think a few little things need changing.”

“I hope that when we get together, depending on who the next coach is, we’ll be able to start from scratch.”

“There will be continuity in the squad and Roger has extended his contract until 2004.”

“The friendly matches we had before the World Cup perhaps misled us a little as to the true level of competition.

“And away from home, we’ve had problems, in Spain, in Chile or in Australia.

“Perhaps we just don’t travel very well,” he said.