Tie at Champs-Élysées / Mondial 2022 / Semi / France-Morocco (2-0) / SOFOOT.com

22:15 Paris. “For us, the evening begins now. Tomorrow we posed for a day, quiet, it was impossible not to celebrate with friends. » Jérémy, 46, speaks loudly from one car to another to make himself heard amid the countless horns that liven up the world’s most beautiful avenue. “The plan there is to join a colleague who has finished a little higher up the Champs-Elysées towards the Belgian Embassy.the father of the family continues. Then we will pop champagne together. » We will be back to know the profession of Jérémy and his colleagues. “Actually, we are the only two people who shot RTT. Others hesitated depending on the bill, and finally, the smell of a sick note tomorrow morning. So there is no respect for the boss who feels very lonely tomorrow, we will avoid talking about it. , forty laughs. After a few minutes of discussion and a small drink offered from one Opel Corsa to another – completely stopped in the most famous circuit of France, because the crowd was too excited to stay on the pavements – , the traffic starts and the fun continues.

CRS, Montblanc and naval combat

“Everything is going well. It could have been more complicated, and apart from two or three misdirected fireworks there, we’re quiet. Hopefully it will continue like this. » One of the policemen confirms the calmness of the party with a big smile, as if to say that he is not disappointed to wear a costume tonight. On this occasion, the Minister of the Interior, Gerald Darmanin, presented an enhanced device earlier in the week. It mobilized 10,000 police officers in France, half of them in Paris alone. They are all there. Between the Disney store and Fnac, 5,000 agents parked on the west side of the avenue patiently monitor the French supporters. A little further up this corridor, they are already well mobilized. “You’ll have to go back and equip yourself for defense at Alpha 1, C7” , waving one of them. In order to better organize and move around this huge space, CRS probably squared the ground and is located on the set of a naval battle. “We have incidents in front of Montblanc. »

A few steps away from the Arc de Triomphe, the window of the famous stationery store became the target of supporters and fireworks exploded through the doors of the store. “Actually, it really makes me laugh, 19-year-old Anas, an Atlas Lions fan, explains. We see happy people, flags everywhere, little fireworks. If the worst part of the night is the fireworks in the pens, that’s fine…” He picks up neither one nor two Moroccan brothers, stops at the Charles de Gaulle – Etoile bus stop, lines 31 and 341, opposite Montblanc, and leaves to find other friends a little further on. “We are going out with our heads held highnot wanting to dwell on what his friends just experienced, he launches one of them. “We are the worst supporters in the world. As soon as we lose, we like to spit on everyone and make a mess. But we can only be proud there, it’s the first time we welcome defeat” laughs “On the other hand, DD and I need to talk about the cat” Anas, who has not yet digested the removal of the evening before, continues.

France, Morocco and Algeria victory

22:54 Exactly an hour has passed since the Blues confirmed their ticket for Lusail and the Champs-Élysées avenue is completely packed. Impossible to circulate, the least urban furniture and vehicles, starting with vehicles, become an improvised perch from which the most daring launch songs are sung by feverish supporters. A smoke bomb here, another one there. between a Marseillaise and Free from desire, a group of Algerians stand out in front of a Bulgari jewelry store. They rear Fennecs form to discuss six or seven, almost virulently. “You have no business here! » turns on a teenager and a Moroccan supporter. “Booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo again again again for you to score from Kolo Muani! » , make fun of others. And a few seconds later, Zachary, who is in his thirties, with a tricolor cap on his head, with blue, white and red makeup on his cheeks, comes and calms people down: “Everybody won tonight! You, you and me! » With a slightly tipsy but infectious laugh, Zachary whistles at the end of the discussion.

For more than two hours, the party is in full swing, and everyone is smiling. An atmosphere of fraternity reigns everywhere around the monument: on two wheels, at a double junction or on the sidewalks. The passenger can be seen holding out a red flag as the driver raises his hand with a small French flag. Many get out of convertibles decked out in red and often equipped with rooster tunics to sing and laugh with others. And the couple, completely blocked in the roundabout, gets angry. “My dear, you saw how beautiful the Eiffel Tower is, it shines! » It shows a young woman sitting on the passenger side window sill of a Fiat Panda. “What a curse we give to the Eiffel Tower! He’s in the World Cup final, right? I do not think so! » A reply that made the two lovers laugh a few seconds later. Midnight. Time to go home for some fun so they can be in shape at work tomorrow. For others, it’s a matter of following Jeremy, who’s no doubt breaking out a new bottle of champagne somewhere down the avenue.

Matthieu Darbas with Opel Corsa at the Champs