Les Bleus hold minute's silence for victims of Paris attacks, four years on

SHOWS: SAINT-DENIS, FRANCE (NOVEMBER 13, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)

1. VARIOUS OF FRANCE TEAM MEMBERS HUDDLED TOGETHER IN PITCH, IN MINUTE'S SILENCE FOR VICTIMS OF NOVEMBER 13, 2015 ATTACKS IN STADE DE FRANCE AND AROUND PARIS

2. PLAYERS BREAKING CIRCLE

3. (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRANCE NATIONAL TEAM COACH, DIDIER DESCHAMPS, SAYING, IN RESPONSE TO QUESTION ABOUT NOVEMBER 13 PARIS TERROR ATTACKS THAT INCLUDED SUICIDE BOMBINGS OUTSIDE STADE DE FRANCE:

"Obviously, time passes, but we cannot forget what we experienced, because there were many other people who suffered, many who lost their lives. So what took place will always mark us, even if the years have passed. We cannot forget."

4. WIDE OF NEWS CONFERENCE

5. (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRANCE NATIONAL TEAM COACH, DIDIER DESCHAMPS, SAYING:

"It's always good to be cautious or vigilant, because the current reality is that we have not yet not qualified. That's it. It's factual. We have everything to reach our objective, we're making sure to reach it. (We must be) be realistic, pragmatic."

6. JOURNALISTS

7. (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRANCE NATIONAL TEAM COACH, DIDIER DESCHAMPS, SAYING:

"Despite the absence of some players, and sometimes it's a question of the strength of the adversary we're coming up against, but during this (Euro 2020) elimination phase up until now, we've had better control, we've had much more possession than we had before. It is over 70 per cent, even if at times this says nothing, but here this says something because we were able to take control, create threats, and have chances."

STORY: On the eve of their Euro 2020 qualifying match against Moldova, Les Bleus held a minute of silence on the pitch of Stade de France, where militants detonated bombs outside the stadium on November 13, 2015 as a France-Germany friendly was underway.

France coach Didier Deschamps was reportedly made aware of the explosions, but kept the information from his players.

One-hundred-thirty people were killed In simultaneous attacks around Paris, most of them in the Bataclan theatre.

Four years later as France marked the anniversary of the attacks, Deschamps said at a news conference on Tuesday (November 13) they "cannot forget".

France face Moldova on Thursday (November 14) as they seek to qualify for the Euro 2020 championship.

They are second to Turkey in group H, after drawing with Turkey in a match last October that denied them a chance for early qualification.

"The current reality is that we have not yet not qualified. That's it. It's factual. We have everything to reach our objective, we're making sure to reach it," Deschamps said, while boasting of a 70 per cent possession rate in the elimination phase.

Defensive midfielder N'golo Kante, who Deschamps called a "motor" for the team because of his "intensity" and skill in bringing together the defensive and offensive elements, and striker Kylian Mbappe, are back from injury.

(Production: Clotaire Achi, Michaela Cabrera, Annette Faydenko)