Disappointment and tears in France: “We were confident of victory, but we will return home and we will cry”

Paris.- The long-awaited party led to disappointment, in many cases tears. Like the thousands of Frenchmen who traveled to Qatar, their compatriots in the capital were left with sadness after the defeat of the national team. World Cup Final. A fall that seems to go away shortly after the doubling of the national statue, Kylian Mbappe, But it was recognized as fair in all of France.

“We were hoping to win. But now we will come home and start crying”, hoped a young couple last night as they walked away from the Champs-Élysées, the center of popular festivities in the French capital. “I’m infinitely sad. But in the second half we managed to save the honor,” admitted another supporter.

15,000 police officers were mobilized across the country to prevent trespass during the victory.. On the Champs Elysées, lit up especially for the occasion, but with rain and freezing temperatures of -2 degrees, security forces raised the device and reopened circulation shortly after the “” ended.fit”. Fireworks prepared by the Paris mayor’s office were also canceled, however, despite the bad weather, a few fans waited for them.

Those brave enough to spend some time in the rain realized that this French team knows how to make the nation’s heart flutter throughout the World Cup. Especially in this final.

“Even though we wanted to win, I’m glad we enjoyed it,” a young woman says to the television cameras. For his part, his team-mate is less optimistic: “It’s hard to remember the games against Poland, England and Morocco where we were in difficult times. However, we reached the end. That’s why it’s hard to lose like this“, recognize.

However, the weather did not subside. Not far from there to the thousands of Argentines who had gathered to celebrate the victory in the Plaza de la Concorde. There was a banquet at the Argentine Legion in Paris, where its Ambassador, Leonard ConstantineThe doors were open to those who wished to attend.”Match”.

The same Parisian disappointment was felt in all corners of the country as people flocked to bars, restaurants and nightclubs for that special moment, hoping to recapture the excitement of the previous two world wins in 1998 and 2018.

Of course with more consistent weather, the major cities of the South prepared to extend the victory celebration with traditional parades of cars along major arteries, fireworks, flags, songs and carols.

“Messi killed us” (Messi nous a Tués), Quintin rages in the Mediterranean city. A string, takes the famous phrase of a never-solved murder in that Mediterranean city. “We deserve that World Cup. But it’s not serious, we’ll come back even stronger in 2026 and then we’ll win,” he added, though he couldn’t hide his disappointment.

But the tears that fell on the avenue Jean-Medicine in Nice were not only sad. They were also products Tear gas was used by the security forces to disperse some gangs of masked youths who were ready to sow disorder.

A tense situation prevailed in Pellicore area LeonIn the center of the country: Fireworks, bottles and other devices thrown by masked men provoked a police response.

“They are regular vandals. No fan, no matter how rabid, tries to break windows or set cars on fire.” A police officer wails on television.

However, from north to south and from east to west, the general atmosphere was not favorable to the party.

“I hope the nearness of Christmas can calm the restlessness. The second half filled all the French with enthusiasm and the fallout with penalties was brutal,” observed a member of the Strasbourg mayor’s office in the east of the country.

Amid the tension, sports commentators this Sunday questioned even that — announced by the president Emmanuel Macron From Doha – Members of the selection decided to march in an open-top bus down the Champs-Élysées after landing in Paris this Monday.

“Disappointment is so high among team members that the traditional parade may be canceled, multiple sources at the French Football Federation tell us.”, said journalist Bruce Toussaint at BFM-TV.

The same ambiguity marked the French president’s first statements from Qatar. Before taking the plane that would bring him to France, Macron declared himself “very sad and disappointed by the defeat, like all French people”. But he insisted, “The country can be proud of all the members of the team. They had exemplary reaction skills and team spirit,” he added.

Aware that there would be no shortage of accusations of “attempted political redemption” as he attended the final and the semi-final before that in Qatar, the president vowed “not to get the team into the Elysee immediately”. -Like every year- this week he will celebrate Christmas early, with French troops stationed in theaters of conflict.

“Of course, when they want, they come to the Elysée. In the coming weeks or monthsHe declared.