Stuttgart: France's golden generation making a triumphant farewell tour in Germany looks an unlikely prospect after the former champions opened their World Cup campaign with a lacklustre display.
Tuesday's 0-0 draw with Switzerland means France have not won a match nor scored a goal on the World Cup scene since lifting the trophy on home turf eight years ago.
Both coaches blamed the quality of the pitch for the slow tempo and France's Raymond Domenech called the referee "fussy" after a tense game featuring eight yellow cards and few thrilling moments.
Of course there are matches left and France can still progress from Group G, which also features South Korea and Togo, but their show on the pitch of the Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion did little to suggest France could soon be battling it out with the likes of Brazil or Argentina.
Since France followed up their 1998 feat by winning the 2000 European Championship, they have looked ordinary most of the time.
Tuesday's match against a compact and well organised Swiss side was no exception.
France have now drawn their last three encounters with their neighbours after two meetings in World Cup qualifying, which seems to indicate they are now in the same league at Switzerland.
While the Swiss kept a clean sheet for the first time in 23 matches at finals, the French, who went out in the first round four years ago without scoring a goal, moved one match short of Bolivia's record of five matches in finals without a goal.
"We won't be leaving Stuttgart with our heads hanging low," said Swiss coach Koebi Kuhn.
"You have to remember that this is a France team made of extraordinary players."
Only after Zinedine Zidane, Lilian Thuram and Claude Makelele decided to come out of international retirement to help out did France manage to qualify for the finals in Germany.
Zidane, who will turn 34 during the tournament and end his career after it, showed flashes of his old brilliance on Tuesday but now clearly struggles to keep up with the pace of modern football.
Thuram and Patrick Vieira, once awe-inspiring presences, have the same problem.
Then there is Thierry Henry, who needs to shine in these finals to justify his tag as possibly the best striker in the world.
The quicksilver forward who keeps treating the Arsenal fans with great goals suggested again on Tuesday that he was not the same man while playing for France, hardly creating a chance.
Top prospect Franck Ribery, starting a match for France for the first time after three sparkling performances as a substitute in warm-up games, showed his class on occasions but could not quite live up to huge expectations.
The next Zidane he may well be, but not just yet.
France might still restore some pride in Germany but to do that, they must show that they still know how to score a goal.
Their next match against South Korea on Sunday in Leipzig would be a good place to start.
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