Thanks ! That’s what we want to say to the French and Argentinians who gave us an incredible show. The teammates of Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi (5 goals between them in 120 minutes) were up to the challenge. We have come so close and so far at the same time. Abused for a good part of the match, the French knocked down almost everything but the winds were decidedly too bad, the play turned on its own for a long time before falling towards the Albiceleste. But we believed it! Tears of sadness were also tears of joy. This match will go down in the legend of the World Cup, of football, will be imprinted in our memories. In 5, 10, 15 years, we will still talk about it among ourselves, details that could have changed everything. The only consolation: Lionel Messi has lifted the only trophy he lacked – the only one that really matters for a player of his level – and he goes down in the history of his country for eternity.
Once the bitter taste of defeat has passed, let’s remember that France reached the World Cup final for the fourth time in 24 years (1998, 2006, 2018 and 2022). Imagine this Alpha generation (young people born after 2010) who have known almost nothing but successes, to the point that tonight’s failure would become unacceptable. Our parents or grandparents had to wait a lifetime – or almost – to witness such a course. So let’s forget the disappointment for a few moments and enjoy the joy that this French team, this match, has given us. The joy of having had the right to tremble for more than 120 minutes to know whether or not we would bring the cup home. Because in the end, you need a winner, and it’s pointless.
So yes, this World Cup does not look like its illustrious ancestors. It was rightly decried for the lack of respect for human rights in Qatar and its delirious climate impact; it was organized in winter for the first time without giant screens or organized gatherings… And as if by magic, despite the vagaries, injuries, packages, business, the French saw, wrapped up in their plaids or shivering at their desks, the victories of our Blues are linked. Gradually, tirelessly, the murmur became more pressing. We still didn’t dare to say it out loud but the mechanics were launched. What if we won?
The right to hope
Eighths, quarters, semi-finals, the laps followed one another, doubt and hope won France. The boycott of this competition, a time mentioned or even desired by some, quickly evaporated as our Blues piled up the victories. Nearly 21 million French people were in front of their television during the semi-final, how many were there this evening for the final meeting? Despite the justified criticism, France, united behind the Blues, vibrated as a single being this Sunday evening.
We can already hear the grumpy refrain: yes, a victory would not have solved the problems of the moment… and a defeat even less. Yes, it’s only football. Certainly, but for one evening, the worries were somewhat forgotten, the tensions eased, the French gathered, their arms entwined. It is the power of the round ball, but also its limit. Because the festivities and hugs rarely last. Monday morning, we will find the worries of everyday life and the parenthesis of the World Cup will be behind us. We will not be entitled to the parade with the cup on the Champs-Elysées. On Monday, we will always have two stars on the shirt.
“May my joy remain” wrote Jean Giono. May it last as long as it lasts. But let’s enjoy this moment, let’s enjoy! Let’s hope that the France team still brings us together in 4, 8, 12 years and still climbs to the final. So, there again, we can hope before we are once happy or sad. But it’s already beautiful to hope, isn’t it? Can’t wait for the next one!