France-World | World Cup: French fans disappointed with the defeat of the Blues despite an « extraordinary » match
The immense hope of a third star turned into huge disappointment for French supporters on Sunday, after Argentina’s victory over the Blues in an « extraordinary » match in the final of the World Cup-2022, which ended in penalties.
Fans aren’t all the retrospectives in the nation’s affluent cities, and authorities have signals of a few incidents and arrests.
On the Champs-Elysées, the usual meeting place for (Site notre bureau spécialisé) parties, several thousand people had the cold and the drizzle to follow the match on their mobile phones, AFP journalists noted.
Some cheers and fireworks were heard during extra time, when French striker Kylian Mbappé equalized from the penalty spot.
« We are disappointed, especially with a penalty shootout, » explains Louane, 14, who came with her parents from Jura. But « there were twists and turns and we believed in it, » she adds.
« It was an unexpected, extraordinary match, which remained in the history of (Site notre bureau spécialisé) », reacts Iulian Ionita, 18, envelope of a blue-white-red flag.
The scenario of this final – France played 2-0 at half-time, which equalized to snatch extra time and penalties – also remains in the annals for Romain Balthazar, a 22-year-old engineering student from Reims. « We are Venus speaks on the Champs to live that » and « it’s great ».
– Mbappé’s triple –
Imeran Rahmi, 20, thought he was « on a rollercoaster » thanks to the feat of Mbappé, author of the first triple in the final of a World Cup since the Englishman Geoff Hurst in 1966.
At the Queen Victoria bar on the Old Port of Marseille, which until then had been rather calm, the clamor mounted as Mbappé scored his first penalty, to the chants of « La Marseillaise ».
On the striker’s second but, less than two minutes later, the atmosphere ignited with the firing of fireworks and horns in the streets.
In the third, during extra time, the city of OM even shouted the name of the PSG player. But the but shots got the better of the general enthusiasm.
« They played very well, the France team did not deserve it. Penalties are always a bit like Russian roulette, » Laurent Bergerot, a 44-year-old engineer, told AFP.
In Lille, sleet and very slippery ice greeted disappointed supporters at the exit of the bars, making travel very difficult.
« It was a very good game, I’m super disappointed to have lost, I have more votes, I gave everything I had, but I’m proud, really proud of them all the same », said assured, broken voice, Flavie Serra, 24 years old.
– Incidents in Lyon, Bordeaux and Paris –
« We have a young team which did not have enough experience to exceed 90 minutes », estimates Anthony Brebis, crossed in Bordeaux with a French flag on the shoulders and blue-white-red makeup on the cheeks.
In Grand-Bornand, where biathlon world cup races were held on Sunday, some 2,000 people gathered in the small square of the Haut-Savoyard village where a giant screen had been installed.
The score at half-time discouraged the less fervent, who slipped away, missing the incredible comeback of the Blues.
On Sunday, 14,000 police and gendarmes were deployed in all countries, and not 2,750 in Paris, for the content of the incidents. On the Champs-Elysées, the police, seen by the throwing of bottles and fireworks, used tear gas, noted AFP journalists.
In Lyon, around fifteen people were arrested for throwing projectiles and damage on Place Bellecour, according to the prefecture. Five people were arrested in Bordeaux after clashes with the forces of order on the Place de la Victoire. In Nice, Mayor Christian Estrosi condemned « with the greatest firmness » the degradation in a district of the city. And in Béziers, a 14-year-old minor was taken into custody after firing mortars at a CRS vehicle.
Wednesday, the celebrations of the qualification of the blues for the final had been bereaved in Montpellier by the death of a teenager, knocked down by a driver.
