 Nyorai kuenderera mberi kweiyi ndima - Mu1998 FIFA World Cup, iyo yakaitirwa nenyika yake, Barthez akabvuma zvibodzwa zviviri chete mumitambo minomwe uye akahwina mubairo weYashin semubati wepagedhi akanakisa wemutambo, zvakare achiisa wechipiri muIFFHS Worlds Best Goalkeeper mubairo gore iro, kumashure kwaJosé Luis Chilavert. Barthez aizivikanwawo zvikuru panguva yemutambo uyu nokurega waaitamba naye uye shamwari yakanaka Laurent Blanc achitsvoda musoro wake wakaveurwa mutambo wose usati watanga, zvichida kuti ave nerombo rakanaka. Barthez akanga ari chikamu chinokosha chokukunda kwokutanga kwechikwata chake chenyika iyo yakaitawo kuti ive nguva yokutanga mumakore 20 kuti muenzi akanga akunda World Cup. Akachengeta machira mashanu akachena mumakwikwi ese, aine zvibodzwa chete zvaakagamuchira zvaive chirango muchikamu cheboka vachipesana neDenmark, uye chimwe chinangwa vachipesana neCroatia mumasemi-fainari. Mumutambo wequarter-final shootout kukundwa kwevanokwikwidza Italy, akachengeta pepa rakachena, uye zvakare akaponesa penalty yaDemetrio Albertini. Akachengeta rimwe gwaro rakachena mumutambo wokupedzisira, iyo yakaguma nekukunda 30 pamusoro pemakwikwi ekudzivirira Brazil. Munguva yemutambo, Barthez aivewo pakati pechiitiko chakashata chakashata paakaita runyararo runoshamisa achimhanyira kunze uye achiedza kutarisira nyeredzi yeBrazil Ronaldo, achiita chiratidzo chake chekusvetuka nhanho pamusoro pemurwi anorwisa kuti abate bhora, iro rakakuvadza Ronaldo mukuita; Barthez akazotaura kuti haana kumbofunga kukuvadza murwi. Kutevera kukunda kweFrance muNdebe yeNyika, Barthez aive mumwe wevatambi vane mukurumbira muFrance, mushure meZinedine Zidane. 