While it is France’s name that was etched onto the iconic trophy at the 1998 FIFA World Cup™, New Caledonia could certainly bask in some of the reflected glory. One of the Pacific nation’s favourite sons, Christian Karembeu, started four of Les Bleus’ seven showdowns at the competition, including the 3-0 bashing of Brazil in the final in Saint-Denis on 12 July.
Back then, the game’s governing body on the archipelago was but a regional offshoot of the French Football Association, meaning that the locals were unable to represent Les Cagous in competitive action; the New Caledonian Football Association would not join FIFA until 2004, having been (re-)established three years earlier.
Now, 28 years on from Karembeu’s most momentous triumph in a France shirt, New Caledonia are on the verge of making football history in their own right, with a first-ever spot at the global showpiece within striking distance. Later this month, the Oceanians will line up at the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Play-Off Tournament in Mexico, where they will joust with Jamaica in the semi-finals, with Congo DR awaiting the winners in the decider.
Karembeu is sure to be cheering his heart out when his compatriots take to the pitch against the Reggae Boyz and seek to move another step closer to the flagship event in North America. “I’ll obviously be rooting for New Caledonia,” the 55-year-old told FIFA in an exclusive interview.
“Jamaica have a number of players based in Europe, including a few in the English Premier League, so it’s going to be really tough. However, anything is possible in a one-off match. It’s all about being mentally strong,” added the legend, who hails from Lifou – the largest of the French overseas territory’s outlying Loyalty Islands.
Karembeu upped sticks to try his luck in mainland France in the late 1980s, joining the Nantes academy as a 17-year-old. While this must have been a daunting move for the teenager, he could take inspiration from a cohort of fellow New Caledonians before him who had enjoyed considerable success after embarking on the same odyssey. “Jacques Zimako, Marc-Kanyan Case, Charles Teamboueon and Simei Ihily blazed a trail,” underscored the erstwhile defender and holding midfielder.
Having followed in these illustrious footsteps, Karembeu flourished himself and went on to earn 53 caps for Les Bleus, with whom he lifted silverware not just at the World Cup, but also at UEFA EURO 2000 and the FIFA Confederations Cup 2001. Naturally enough, the icon is therefore thrilled that his one-time Nantes and international team-mate Didier Deschamps has guided France to their 17th World Cup. However, his own allegiances now lie chiefly with his native nation, and he would love nothing more than for Johann Sidaner to steer New Caledonia to the promised land.
“He’s a Nantes old boy too,” Karembeu noted in reference to Sidaner, who had a long stint as a youth coach at the club from western France. “We’ve really rallied behind him and continue to do so in the belief that he can take us far. He’s put together a free-scoring team who play football the right way, which has been no mean feat.
“The groundwork has been laid over the last ten years or so by the higher-ups at the New Caledonian FA, who have set up academies and brought in professional coaches to grow the game and build a national team that can make major strides,” explained the veteran.
Another of the factors behind Karembeu’s bullishness on New Caledonia is the advent of the OFC Pro League, which kicked off in January this year and is providing certain New Caledonians with a golden opportunity to dedicate themselves to the game in earnest.
While recognising that Oceania has traditionally been a rugby heartland, Karembeu has been encouraged by the fact that football in the region “has entered a new dimension thanks to the OFC Pro League, which is a springboard for our young players”. The ex-stopper is confident that this additional exposure will benefit Les Cagous: “We used to lack experience in international competitions, but I think we’ve got more seasoned campaigners nowadays. Six or seven members of the New Caledonian national team now play the game professionally. The next step is for them to go all out and make a splash to overcome Jamaica. The sky’s the limit.”
Karembeu, of all people, knows full well what it takes to surmount such challenges. “Every budding footballer dreams of becoming a big name, but the odds are stacked against you,” he said. “When I arrived at Nantes, I felt like I was out of my depth, even though I’d worked really hard and had been preparing for six months. [Legendary Nantes tactician] Jean-Claude Suaudeau was sceptical initially, but once he’d seen me play, he backed me to use my nous to quickly get up to speed by raising my game to match my team-mates.”
Crazy Horse, as he was later nicknamed, vindicated that faith and cleared every hurdle in his path. “I’m really proud of my journey. When you’re 17, you don’t really know where you’re headed, but I always felt I could go a long way given my cultural background and upbringing.
“I want all kids who dream of becoming professional footballers to understand that it’s not easy. Granted, some shooting stars have a meteoric rise to the top, but many of those will end up being a flash in the pan, and there are lots of cautionary tales. Personally speaking, I had a great ride, but the road was full of obstacles. You need to be able to bounce back by displaying mental strength and, most importantly, discipline.”
It is ultimately to this mentality that Karembeu attributes his glittering career, during which he practically won the lot, including capturing two UEFA Champions League titles during a sparkling spell with Real Madrid, the first of which was sealed just weeks before the 1998 World Cup got under way. The much-travelled former utility man was able to hang up his boots in 2006 with precious few regrets… although he admits that he would have jumped at the chance to turn out for New Caledonia, especially at the global extravaganza.
“Absolutely. I think the same goes for Marc-Kanyan Case and Jacques Zimako,” said Karembeu. “We’d all like to have played for New Caledonia, but our time has passed and now it’s all about getting behind the current crop, who deserve to feature at the upcoming World Cup. I hope that they show what they’re made of [at the play-off tournament]. We’re a nation of Pacific warriors, and the lads need to draw on their mental fortitude and intelligence to get over the line.”
Achieve that and Les Cagous can start writing their very own story on the world stage this June, building on the legacy left by pioneers like Karembeu.
