World Cup 2018: France expects

World Cup 2018: France expects
By Euronews
Share this articleComments
Share this articleClose Button

Expectations are extremely high here in France ahead of Sunday's World Cup final.

ADVERTISEMENT

Expectations are extremely high here in France ahead of Sunday's World Cup final. 

Firstly because France actually have a very strong squad and two because is a big appetite for another title. 

The last time les bleus actually held that golden trophy was 20 years ago. 

But this is about more than just football this is about an often divided nation that rarely agrees on anything that rarely gets the chance of dreaming of rooting as one. 

And now they will have the opportunity of rallying behind one team that represents France in all of its diversity. 

The entire nation has placed his hopes in the hands of players named Pogba, Dembelé, Umtiti and Mbappé. 

Kylian Mbappé that phenomenal 19-year-old player with Algerian and Cameronian roots, and out of the 23 players that Didier Deschamps chose to actually represent France this year in Russia 17 are immigrants or sons of immigrants, 12 are of African ancestry. 

And of course that raises questions about asimilation in a time when a populism and of course racism are on the rise here in this country. 

So across France on Sunday there will be hundreds of thousands of people rooting for their heros. 

Heros that they can actually identify with. Hero's they hope they'll bring home a second World Cup title. 

But more importantly if the French national team can actually inspire other sectors of French society with regards to integration well France will already claimed a big victory." 

Anelise Borges, from Paris, for euronews

Share this articleComments

You might also like

Russia hands over World Cup mantle to Qatar

France wants to persuade the EU to list Wagner mercenaries as 'terrorist group'

'Disturbing': Rough sleepers and migrants removed from Paris ahead of Olympics