The French selection was greeted by tens of thousands of supporters on their return to their home country. National coach Didier Deschamps, seeing the crowd, expressed the hope that the French national team that finished second in Qatar has inspired new generations.
The players and staff of Les Bleus returned to Paris on Monday evening. Tens of thousands of supporters were waiting on the Place de la Concorde to support the losing finalists. The support was more than welcome. This was despite the fact that media across the world suggested that the World Cup triumph meant a whole lot more to Argentina, than what it would for the french.
“We had not yet had the chance to thank the supporters,” Hugo Lloris said at TF1. “The recognition of the supporters is important to us. This makes us feel better again. Of course we would have loved to bring the cup to France, but it is nice to see so many people on a Monday evening. We can be proud that we have continued to fight. We have shown strength. I think that appeals to many French people.”
Deschamps was happy that his selection gave him the opportunity to thank the fans for the support. “We must not forget what we have achieved, even if the end was bitter. We were all able to share wonderful emotions,” said the national coach.
The man who led Les Bleus to the world title in 2018 hopes that the performance of the national team will ultimately mean a lot for the future of French football. Deschamps said, “Results are important, but for the younger generations what these players radiated also counts. I think it’s good for the youth to have a group that radiates so much strength, unity and solidarity.”
The players stepped onto the balcony of Hotel de Crillon on Monday evening to greet and thank the supporters.
