Thierry Henry poached the only goal of the game to put France into the semifinals of the World Cup and dump champions Brazil out of the tournament on Saturday.
Updated at 2.22 am, Sunday
Brazil 0 France 1 (Thierry Henry, 57)
FRANKFURT: Thierry Henry poached the only goal of the game to put France into the semifinals of the World Cup and dump champions Brazil out of the tournament on Saturday.
Henry struck in the 57th minute of a match largely controlled by the French, racing in at the far post to volley a Zinedine Zidane free kick into the roof of the net from close range.
France will play Portugal in the semifinals on Wednesday in Munich.
With Germany meeting Italy the previous day in Dortmund, it will be the first time since 1982 that all four semi-finalists have been European.
Brazil, who have won a record five world titles, had been in the last three finals, winning in 1994 and 2002 and losing to France in 1998 in Paris.
France's win means the great Zidane, who was back to his brilliant best in Frankfurt, has not played his last match yet.
The 34-year-old maestro, who will retire after the finals, lived up to the occasion, as did the entire French team.
The finest bunch of players to wear French colours when they were world champions began the finals sluggishly but proved at Brazil's expense that they are still a formidable outfit.
Brazil showed more initiative in a tight, tactical start dominated by an intense battle for possession and threatened after 11 minutes as Ronaldo headed a Ronaldinho free kick over.
France, gradually winning more balls in midfield and gaining confidence, dominated their prestigious opponents for most of a frustrating first period with few highlights.
Les Bleus hardly created a chance in those first 45 minutes but neither did their hosts, whose feared forwards failed to breach a watertight French defence.
The closest France came was in added time before the break when Patrick Vieira, beautifully set up by some Zidane wizardry, charged towards goal.
It took a late, dangerous tackle from Brazil defender Juan, who collected a yellow card for the offence, to stop the France midfielder.
France started the second half in determined fashion, Vieira heading a Zidane free kick wide before Henry headed into the net, also from set piece, only to be flagged offside.
Shortly after France opened the scoring, Juan almost doubled their advantage with an own goal as he sliced a clearance aiming at a cross by the ever-dangerous Franck Ribery.
Clearly in control from then on, France thrilled the crowd with fluent moves and despite Ronaldinho's efforts, including a free kick over the bar, they savoured a deserved victory.
Zinedine Zidane of France was named Man of the Match by FIFA's Technical Study Group.
Teams
Brazil
Dida, Cafu, Lucio, Juan, Roberto Carlos, Gilberto Silva, Ze Roberto, Kaka, Juninho Pernambucano, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo
Coach: Carlos Alberto Parreira
France
Fabien Barthez, Willy Sagnol, Lilian Thuram, William Gallas, Eric Abidal, Patrick Vieira, Claude Makelele, Franck Ribery, Zinedine Zidane, Florent Malouda, Thierry Henry
Coach: Raymond Domenech
Referee: Luis Medina Cantalejo (Spain)
Linesmen: Giraldez Carrasco, Medina Hernandez (Spain)
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