French Football Federation president Jean-Pierre Escalettes has shouldered the blame for a disastrous World Cup campaign after confirming he will resign from his post.
The 75-year-old released a statement via the FFF website announcing he would step down on July 2.
It follows the team's exit at the group stage in South Africa with just one point and one goal to their name, a bust-up involving Nicolas Anelka and coach Raymond Domenech which resulted in the Chelsea striker being expelled from the team camp and a subsequent strike by the rest of the squad in protest at Anelka's expulsion.
There have been calls from government officials in France for change at the top of the FFF and Escalettes has now fallen on his sword.
"After a weekend of reflection during which I consulted with my elected colleagues and those close to me, I have decided that I must resign my position as president of the French Football Federation," he said.
"I accept a clear portion of responsibility. My decision is essentially dictated by the wish to preserve and facilitate the development of an institution that I have had a passion for for several decades.
"I will hand over my resignation at the meeting of the federal council on July 2.
"I will be available to everybody to analyse frankly the reasons behind the fiasco of the French team in South Africa. I will go into these points further on Friday in front of my colleagues in the federal council. In the interval, I will not comment further."
The president of the Professional Football League (LFP) Frederic Thiriez praised Escalettes' contribution to French football and described him as a "just man".
Amongst other achievements the 75-year-old spearheaded France's successful bid to host the 2016 European Championships, and Thiriez said in a statement: "Jean-Pierre Escalettes is a just man.
"The disaster at the World Cup should not overshadow the positive aspects of his action: Euro 2016, the recovery of the finance of the Federation and solidarity between amateur football and professional football.
"This solidarity must remain stronger than ever when it comes to rebuilding an entire new system of governance for the future of football."
Former France defender Bixente Lizarazu, who was a part of the 1998 World Cup-winning team, claimed Escalettes' decision to renew Domenech's contract two years ago had been the beginning of his demise.
Domenech was handed a new deal following an unimpressive Euro 2008, when Les Bleus also failed to get past the group stage.
"It seems to me to be a logical move, given all that has happened recently in the France team," Lizarazu told French radio station RTL.
"I think that Jean-Pierre Escalettes has taken responsibility and that is to his credit.
"The mistake he made, and that led to this decision, was in 2008 when Raymond Domenech should have been let go.
"But I remember that at that time he was not alone - he listened to the advice of Michel Platini, Gerard Houllier and Christmas Graet, who are important figures in football.
"There was also the desire of players to continue to work with Raymond Domenech, major players like Henry, Ribery and Vieira.
"I think he made the wrong choice, he did not realise that it would lead him to this crash."