Mon dieu! Someone should have reminded the French national soccer team about the old maxim: don’t air your dirty laundry in public. The team is in complete disarray at the 2010 World Cup as players and coaches feud publicly over the poor performance and underachievement of one of the world’s most talented squads. Former players and current politicians have waded in, advertisers and sponsors have pulled out. Ooh la la.

It’s all a good reminder of what mother used to say: if you don’t have anything nice to day, zip it. (Or words to that effect.) It’s also a good example of how a lack of public relations skill can inflict terrible damage on individuals, a team with a noble tradition, and legions of fans around the world.