From the Champs-Elysées to the Élysée, the Blues world champions cheered by a delirious crowd

After the coronation, the triumphal return: the Blues celebrated Monday their title of world champion on the Champs-Elysées with hundreds of thousands of people came to cheer them, before being received at the Élysée

"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 View of the double-decker bus carrying the 23 heroes, arrived a few hours earlier at Roissy, haloed the second world title in the history of the team of France twenty years after that of 98.

They were about 300,000, according to a police source, to have massed on the Champs-Elysées. Twenty years ago, half a million people came on July 13, 1998, to cheer on their glorious seniors – including their coach Didier Deschamps.

Euphoric despite their short night, dressed in two-star T-shirts and words "world champions", the players harangued the crowd drowned in the clouds of smoke. And many of them immortalized the scene with their smartphone.

"I will survive"

On the sidewalks and windows, blue-white-red came in all forms: flags, jerseys, flower necklaces, hats, makeup on the cheeks or lips .. The sky was also decorated with the three colors at the passage 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 father has 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 relaxed atmosphere.

On the doorstep of the presidential palace, the tube "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 the football clubs training clubs of the world, like that of Bondy (Seine-Saint-Denis) where Kylian Mbappé started.

But it is especially Paul Pogba who made the show, by making the crowd sing – "We broke everything" or "N'Golo" Kanté ", on the air of" Aux Champs-Elysees ".

" Do not change! ", Urged the head of state at the place of the tricolor team, saying that" this team (was ) beautiful because she was united, because she was strong and proud of France ".

In the milie u photos and autographs, Captain Hugo Lloris extended the cup to young people to touch them

False note

This day of communion ended on a false note: while thousands of supporters were waiting for the appearance of the Blues at the palace of Crillon in the evening, they saw their hopes showered.

Exasperated by the wait and disappointed, supporters let burst their anger. 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 group France took place in the exit of the Elysee, the players are on vacation, "told AFP Philippe Tournon, head of the press of the Blues, without wanting to specify where the players had chosen to celebrate their victory with their loved ones.

As their 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," seemed to realize the Atlético Madrid striker, on top of the world at 27.

"We try to give a good picture of France, French players I hope that many young people will have seen this match and will do the same, "he added.

Kylian Mbappé and its 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 had made the net shake in the 1958 tournament's top match.

"I'm very happy, I posted my collective ambitions at the start of the World Cup, it was to win the World Cup ", rejoiced on TF1 the kid from Bondy:" We are proud to make the French happy. "

17/07/2018 02:40: 02 –
Paris (AFP) –
© 2018 AFP