2023-07-19 22:39:39
The Algerian team wins the 4th edition of the Nogent-sur-Marne Nations Tournament. Le Figaro
REPORTAGE – Every year for four years, the municipality of Île-de-France has organized a futsal tournament for its young binational inhabitants.
Professional football can sometimes divide, where the amateur often unites. Regularly imaged as a practice that makes millionaires run behind a ball, football also knows how to get back to basics and create union and sharing around a passion. It was at the Christian Maudry Stadium, in almost stifling heat that exceeded 30°C in the middle of July, that the Nogent-sur-Marne Nations Tournament celebrated its fourth edition. Twelve teams competed for the title in a two-day futsal competition.
Each player, resident of the municipality (criterion n°1), came to defend the colors of his origins to try to succeed Cape Verde, winner of the competition in 2022. At the origin of all this, Théophile, 24, student but above all passionate about sport and especially football. Originally from the town in the east of Paris (94), his first wish was to create an event around football, in order to bring together as many people as possible and thus highlight the diversity and origins of each.
Organizing tournaments, a habit that dates back to primary school
«The idea came to us with a group of friends, we decided to organize a football tournament with several teams divided into groups, then with final phases, says Théophile. It’s something we used to do when we were younger, in primary school in particular, we were already organizing football tournaments in the playground.” No sooner said than done, the Town Hall of Nogent-sur-Marne joined the project to try to develop this idea, within a city “which does not move much for young peoplefor the young organizer.
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This time, it was Algeria who emerged victorious for their second final thanks to their victory against Côte d’Ivoire. Undoubtedly the two teams in the best shape during the event, due to the fluidity of the game offered and the avalanche of goals scored. The Fennecs deserved their victory, finishing the tournament with the best scorer, best passer and best young player in the competition. The atmosphere rose to a crescendo like the game, more gripping during the final stages than in the pools. The teams were able to offer the young public of the game, beautiful actions and beautiful goals. All the stakes of such a competition.
A threatened tournament
If the tournament took place in a superb atmosphere and brought together 200 spectators in the stands added to the 96 players, the news almost decided otherwise. The beginning of July being marked by the death of the young Nahel in Nanterre, shot dead by a policeman and the episodes of protest in the country very nearly got the better of the sporting event. The riots pushed the town hall of the commune to put the organization of the tournament on hold in view of the “burnt trash cansamong others near the tournament venues. Before finally deciding to give way to the game.
Strong in his motivation, Théophile undertook to contact the Town Hall (in particular the deputy mayor) for the rental of the gymnasium. “A very beautiful enclosure which put us in the best conditionshe pointed out. Before setting a date, then setting up the rules, doing a draw and creating maximum excitement on social networks. The event has grown with the presence of official referees to supervise the players, a step which the Nogentais welcomes which will certainly lead the project to develop over the years.
The success of the event was total for the organizers, but also the participants. “It exceeded our expectations and almost everyone in town continued to talk about the tournament in the days that followed.The meeting has now become unmissable and will be back in the summer of 2024 for a fifth edition, a few days before the start of the Olympic Games which will take place close to the city.
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