the French blind football team won the first gold medal in its history – Libération

2024-09-07 20:14:49

This Saturday, September 7, the Blues win on penalties against Argentina at the foot of the Eiffel Tower. They awarded the 19th gold medal to French representatives.

Sign up to get free our Libélympic newsletter every morning during the Paralympic Games.

It was sold to us as a competition between David and Goliath. In the role of David, they, the players of the French blind football team, were outside at the end of this Paralympic Games as they were from the beginning of the competition. And in the case of Goliath, Argentina and its professional team, four times on the podium of the game in five directions, reigning world champion and defeating the great Brazil in the semi-finals. So much for the book. And then you are actually on the ground. This Saturday evening, under the Eiffel Tower, we don’t see David or Goliath, but a close game between two teams on the same level. And in the end, it was the French team that won on penalties (3-2).

Before taking our seats in the stands, obviously, with soccer on the menu and France-Argentina, we have assumed a rough, bitter, difficult game. And surprisingly too. If there is tension in the beginning, there are bad gestures and deception in the locker room. The speaker assured that the Paralympic spirit is still in the stands. To the chauvinistic spectators who were tempted to whistle a little more strongly or whistle in the direction of the blue and white sky, the man on the microphone said: “No, no, no. Here we are not against, if we are for it. We encouraged France, we did well until the end of the game. “

Maradona got up

For the show, we have to wait around ten minutes of the game Then, it blows up twice. It was first Frédéric Villeroux who lit the fuse. The captain of the Blues offers a Maradonaesque return, from his penalty area to the opposing goal. A hook to the right, then to the left, to eliminate the defenders, the left strike is off balance and low to the ground, and the French team leads 1-0. The Argentines, ultra-serene in defense, have not conceded a goal since the start of the tournament, which is a surprising surprise. The second firecracker arrived seven seconds later. Argentina did it with a big change – a technique that was used and abused throughout the game. The ball was drawn in front of Alessandro Bartolomucci, the Blues keeper. An Argentine foot passes and we are back at the starting point (1-1).

What follows is more unbalanced. Toussaint Akpweh’s men spent more time behind than up front, holding off against repeated attacks from the Argentines. Imperial on his line as from the beginning of the competition, Alessandro Bartolomucci saved his team more than once. The match went to penalties. The final between France and Argentina which played on penalties, like a feeling of déjà vu.

A bit of the Eiffel Tower around his neck

Having arrived there, we have some data for the equation with one unknown: that of the final winner. On the other hand, as we said before, the Blues have the best defender, who plays up to 3 countries (fifth division) among the strongest – it is very useful. On the other hand, Argentina is stable in practice: it has already won on penalties against Brazil. He also beat the French team on penalties in May at the Schiltigheim Grand Prix.

Full center, low right net, back stick, first four shooters all missed. The third Argentinian lights on the right, right in the hands of Bartolomucci who has anticipated everything. After all, it is Villeroux, 41 years old, who has carried these Blues a lot since the beginning of the competition and showed himself six meters. In dead silence, he took two small steps forward. And tap with the inside of your foot with finesse, at ground level, on the left side. The Argentinian keeper is too short, the stadium explodes, the stands tremble: the Blues are Olympic champions at the foot of the Eiffel Tower. The big lady watched them for a whole week. On this Saturday evening, they left with a piece of gold around their neck.