The players of Team France were welcomed as heroes Monday evening in Paris by thousands of supporters. They were then received at the Elysée by Emmanuel Macron.
After the coronation, the triumphal return: les Bleus celebrated Monday their title of world champion of World Cup 2018 on the Champs-Elysées with hundreds of thousands of people came to cheer them, before being received at the Elysee.
“We are the champions, we are the champions! “: Gathered for several hours on” the most beautiful avenue in the world “, a blue-white-red crowd capsized happiness in the afternoon at the sight of the double-decker bus carrying the 23 heroes, arrived a few hours earlier in Roissy, haloed the second world title in the history of the team of France twenty years after that of 98.
There were about 300,000, according to a police source, having gathered on the Champs Elysees. For twenty years, half a million people came on the 13th July, 1998 to cheer their glorious predecessors – which included their coach Didier Deschamps .
Euphoric despite their short night, struck dressed in T-shirts of the two stars and the words “World Champions” players harangued the crowd drowned in clouds of smoke. And many of them immortalized the scene with their smartphone.
Revivez la descente des Champs-Elysées des Bleus champions du monde pic.twitter.com/klDGDEa3jj
— BFMTV (@BFMTV) July 17, 2018
« I will survive »
On the sidewalks and windows, the blue-white-red came in all forms: flags, jerseys, flower necklaces, hats, makeup on the cheeks or lips … The sky was also decorated with three colors in passing of the Patrouille de France.
“It’s so much fun, it’s a beautiful France we have. Everyone is happy, everyone is cool, “smiles Anna, 16:” My dad so pondered me with 98, now I can live that too! “.
Players and coaching team France were then received at the Elysee President Emmanuel Macron, in a joyfully relaxed atmosphere.
Paul Pogba joue le chauffeur de salle à l’Elysée pic.twitter.com/afzKJzT7cm
— BFMTV (@BFMTV) July 16, 2018
On the steps of the presidential palace, the song “I will survive” and the Marseillaise, sung a capella by the players and the head of the state, preceded a triumphal arrival in the gardens of the palace, where awaited 3,000 guests, including many young people from football clubs training world champions, such as that of Bondy (Seine-Saint-Denis) where began Kylian Mbappé.
But it is especially Paul Pogba who made the show, by singing the crowd – “We broke everything” or “N’Golo Kanté”, on the air of “Aux Champs-Elysées”.
” Do not change! “, Urged the head of state about the team tricolor, saying that” this team (was) beautiful because it was united, because she was strong and proud of France ” .
In the middle of the photos and autographs, Captain Hugo Lloris handed the cup to young people to touch.
Disappointed supporters
This celebration day however ended on a sour note: while thousands of fans expected then the appearance of les Bleus at the Crillon palace in the evening, they saw their hopes showered.
Exasperated by the wait and disappointed, supporters let their anger burst. Among them, some have thrown bottles on the police present, who then evacuated the Place de la Concorde, said an AFP photographer.
“The breakup of the France group took place at the exit of the Elysee Palace, the players are on vacation,” told AFP Philippe Tournon, head of the team, without wanting to specify where the players had chosen to celebrate. victory with their loved ones.
Like their elders in 1998, players and coaching will be decorated with the Legion of Honor, but it will be given to them in a few months, at a date still undetermined, said Monday the Elysee.
This triumph and these honors should allow Griezmann, Pogba, Mbappé and their comrades to become aware of the feat they have just achieved.
“Frankly, personally, I do not realize yet. The cup weighs a lot, “said Antoine Griezmann during the night. “We enter history,” however seemed to be the striker Atlético Madrid, on the top of the world at 27 years.
“We try to give a good image of France, French players. I hope many young people will have seen this match and will do the same, “he added.
Kylian Mbappé and his meteoric trajectory are already dreaming.
At 19 years and a half, he scored in the final of the World Cup his fourth goal of the tournament. He became the second youngest player to score in the World Cup final after Pele, who made the net shake in the 1958 tournament’s top match.
“I’m very happy, I had posted my collective ambitions at the start of the World Cup, it was to win the World Cup”, welcomed the kid on TF1 Bondy: “We are proud to make the French happy” .
