SPORT Tuesday 17 July 2018 PAGE | 17 PAGE | 18 French President Qatar’s Abdulla Macron basks in renews contract World Cup glory with Nissan French stars receive heroes’ welcome AFP Supporters gather on the Champs-Elysees avenue PARIS: The World Cup-winning near the Arch of Triumph French team returned home to a (Arc de Triomphe) in Paris heroes’ welcome yesterday as yesterday, as they wait for hundreds of thousands packed the the arrival of the French Champs Elysees for their victory national football team. parade ahead of a Presidential reception in the evening. France overcame a determined Croatia team to win 4-2 in Sunday’s final, with teenager Kylian Mbappe applying the coup de grace and cementing his place as a new global superstar at the age of just 19. Millions of fans in France cele- brated into the night, honking car horns and flying the tricolour flag while the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe were lit up in the national colours of blue, white and red. Crowds began converging early Monday on the Champs Elysees, the gathering point for all national cele- brations, for a parade by the team atop an electric bus expected to start in the early evening. The players arrived to a raucous welcome at Charles De Gaulle airport northeast of Paris, including a “water salute” by the fire brigade which sprayed arcs of water over the Air France jet as it taxied to the gate. Captain Hugo Lloris, flanked by coach Didier Deschamps, was the first to emerge from the aircraft, raising the famed golden trophy before heading down the stairs and onto a freshly laid red carpet. Commentators have focused on the outpouring of patriotism and sense of national unity created by the multiethnic French team, many of whose stars including Mbappe and Paul Pogba hail from deprived and often overlooked suburbs of Paris. Laurent Joffrin, editor of the leftwing Liberation newspaper, said they had lived up to the ideal of “the republic that we love: united and diverse, patriotic and open, national without being nationalist”. After the parade France’s newest idols will be welcomed at the Elysee Palace by Emmanuel Macron, whose office has already promised the Legion of Honour for the victors’ “exceptional services” to the country. In Paris, the metro system tem- porarily renamed six of its stations in honour of the key players, with the Victor Hugo stop -- named after the famed 19th-century writer -- becoming Victor Hugo Lloris after the team’s goalkeeper. Two stations were rebaptised in tribute to Deschamps, who captained the national side to its first World Cup victory, won on home soil in 1998. Alongside Mario Zagallo and Franz Beckenbauer, he has become only the third man to win the World Cup both French goalkeeper Hugo Lloris holds the trophy as he celebrates with team-mates and icials upon their as a player and coach. arrival at the Roissy-Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris yesterday, after winning the FIFA 2018 World Cup final. Mbappe’s France have quality to emulate Pele’s boys REUTERS years after their first triumph. the way Pele and his team mates tournament with intelligence and The 19-year-old Mbappe for at least two more years. Pele did it at the age of 17 in 1958, did from the late 50s through to fortitude gives even greater cause became only the second He has a contract until the MOSCOW: When teenager sparking a period of dominance 1970. for optimism for the future. teenager after Pele to end of the 2020 European Cham- Kylian Mbappe netted France’s as Brazil won three World Cups Alongside Antoine France were efficient, calcu- score in a World Cup final pionship but with such enormous fourth goal in the World Cup in a 12-year period culminating Griezmann, voted man of the lating, clever and in command in potential to build on he will surely final, thoughts turned to the in a one-sided final victory over match in Sunday’s final in most of their matches without as a talent-laden French be tempted to extend his reign. possibility that the French could Italy in 1970. Moscow, in attack, with Paul showing a huge amount of enter- side overcame resilient “Today there were imperfec- go on to emulate the dominant While there are growing Pogba in the midfield engine taining flair. Croatia 4-2 to win the tions, we did not do everything Brazilian teams led by their great comparisons between Mbappe room and the powerful Samuel In all seven games they sport’s top prize for the right but we had those mental striker Pele. and Pele, the Parisian still has a Umtiti and Raphael Varane in played in Russia they had an second time, 20 years and psychological qualities which The 19-year-old Mbappe long way to go to even come defence, France have a firm foun- average of 48 percent possession, after their first triumph. were decisive for this World became only the second close to matching the achieve- dation to build on. doing the hard work off the ball. Cup,” Deschamps said after the teenager after Pele to score in a ments of the great Brazilian. Their World Cup squad had Tactically they were able to final. World Cup final as a talent-laden But the precocious Mbappe an average age of just over 26 and adapt throughout the tournament on a winning path are also With such qualities, there is French side overcame resilient could be one of the pillars of a they have an abundance of and show flexibility -- the increased by the fact coach Didier legitimate cause to believe there Croatia 4-2 to win the sport’s top French team with the potential world-class players but the way hallmark of a successful squad. Deschamps, very popular with will be more glory-filled days for prize for the second time, 20 to dominate the world game in the team negotiated the Their chances of continuing his players, is staying in the job French football. TUESDAY 17 JULY 2018 SPORT 17 President Macron basks in Cup glory AFP PARIS: For a President who has travelled the globe for a year telling audiences that “France is back” under his leadership, the country’s World Cup victory couldn’t come at a better time for Emmanuel Macron as he confronts growing challenges on multiple fronts. The 4-2 defeat of Croatia in Moscow on Sunday by the young French team starring Kylian Mbappe was celebrated by 40-year-old Macron in person, who jumped and pumped his fists with each goal. He even broke out a “dab” in the changing room -- a type of celebration imported from American football players and rappers -- as the jubilant squad French President Emmanuel savoured its success Macron centre pose for a afterwards. Beyond the sporting photograph with France’s triumph, it will also be cheered World Cup winning football in the presidential palace for team before a reception, at reinforcing a narrative Macron the Elysee Palace in Paris, has promoted abroad since his France, yersterday. election: of a young, dynamic France with a more prominent its leader,” Pascal Boniface, to have a magnifying effect on Before attending Sunday’s of growing tensions between the final, with France victorious global role. director of the Institute for Inter- France,” said Paul Dietschy, a final, Macron congratulated Rus- Moscow and the West. no less, may have created the “This victory will improve national and Strategic Relations, French historian specialising in sia’s President Vladimir Putin for “Sports are often just a opportunity for a different type France’s image for several years, a French think-tank said. football at the University of organising a contest that went pretext. Macron’s trips to Russia of dialogue with Putin,” Dietschy and almost automatically that of “This win is obviously going Franche-Comte. off without a hitch -- after years for the semi-finals and especially said. Croatian players shake hands with their French counterparts following the FIFA 2018 World Cup final on Sunday. Croatians hail returning ‘heroes’ AFP square to see the players, led by “This is how Croatia is loved,” due to our Vatreni (‘the Fiery Ones’ When the plane, accompanied captain and World Cup Golden Ball read one banner. Another said: “We in Croatian),” doctor Sanja Klajic by military jets and emblazoned ZAGREB: Tens of thousands of winner Luka Modric, parade through are few, but we believed and that is said. with the logo “Bravo Vatreni” flew Croatians gave a heroes’ welcome the streets on an open-top bus. enough”. Earlier noisy fans awaited their overhead the crowd cheered and to their team in Zagreb yesterday Cheering fans, many waving Many even skipped work to cel- side’s appearance by singing a chanted “Hands up, hands up!”. after the squad returned from Russia flags and wearing the famous red ebrate the team reaching their first popular song “Play on my Croatia, After landing at the city’s following their World Cup final and white shirt of Croatia, held up ever World Cup final. when I see you my heart is on fire!” airport around 3:25 pm (1325 defeat. banners celebrating the runners-up “I closed my office to welcome while watching the plane carrying GMT), the players emerged to A crowd estimated at more than after their gallant 4-2 defeat by our heroes. I put a sign up reading the team progress to the capital on shrieks from fans at the 100,000 thronged the capital’s main France.