Losing to Argentina wasn't the end they hoped for. Still, for dismayed French fans, the World Cup final was an emotional roller-coaster they'll never forget, with an outcome both bitter and sweet. (More Football News)
Fans of Les Bleus overcome the tears and the agony of Sunday's epic win by Argentina in a penalty shootout as the match had ended in a thrilling 3-3 after Extra-time.
Losing to Argentina wasn't the end they hoped for. Still, for dismayed French fans, the World Cup final was an emotional roller-coaster they'll never forget, with an outcome both bitter and sweet. (More Football News)
Because if France had to lose, then Lionel Messi winning was a decent second-best.
The knowledge that they'd been treated to one of the greatest finals of all time helped fans of Les Bleus overcome the tears and the agony of Sunday's epic win by Argentina in a penalty shootout.
"It was the best match of my life 바카라 ever,바카라 said 29-year-old Abdoul Toure, who watched the match in Paris bar.
As French President Emmanuel Macron consoled France forward Kylian Mbappé at Lusail Stadium in Qatar, fans back home looked on the bright side, saying their team had done them proud.
바카라They make us dream until the very end,바카라 said Loïc Aubret, a 32-year-old engineer. 바카라They were strong mentally. They can be proud of themselves since we didn't bet a dime on them at first.바카라
Losing to Messi made defeat more bearable for some French fans. As much as it stung to see Les Bleus come so close to victory, some said they were happy that Messi had finally got his hands on the only major trophy to elude him.
바카라That Messi won, that lessens the pain a bit,바카라 said Ulysse Zaoui, 24. 바카라I'm sad but it was a beautiful match.바카라
Mark Davis, a 35-year-old soccer coach from Salt Lake City who watched the match with friends in Paris, agreed.
바카라Wow, unbelievable," he said.
Davis got what he wanted: A victory for Messi. But watching the match in Paris blurred the lines.
바카라My heart was completely torn in half,바카라 he said.
Paris police sealed off the French capital's most famous boulevard 바카라 the Champs-Elysées 바카라 to traffic in anticipation of it flooding with celebrating crowds. People did gather and there were fireworks fired into the sky when France twice equalized to level the final score at 3-3.
But the end was full of French sorrow as Argentina triumphed 4-2 in the penalty shootout.
바카라I'm completely heart-broken,바카라 18-year-old Oscar Schuman said, adding 바카라I'm more proud than anything else.
바카라It was a battle of the gods. This game, I went through every emotion.바카라
Fans had painted blue, white and red stripes on their faces and squeezed into national jerseys as they gathered to watch the match. They had been hoping that Les Bleus would defend the title they won in 2018 and become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to win consecutive World Cups.
Biting cold drove fans indoors, to bars and homes. Those who couldn't get spots inside wrapped up warm as they watched outside bars on sidewalks. For fans in France and elsewhere in the northern hemisphere, cold weather has been an unusual feature of this year's World Cup, moved to November-December from its usual June-July spot.
바카라People are less excited, they have less chance to meet and celebrate together,바카라 said Ombeline De Pomerole, a 27-year-old economist who managed to shoehorn herself into a crowded bar in Paris.
Like some other fans, she had initially boycotted the World Cup in Qatar, purposefully ignoring the competition because of her concerns for migrant workers in the Gulf state. But France's success eventually changed her mind and she said she started tuning in after Les Bleus beat England in the quarterfinals.
Pharmacist Benoit Labouret, 28, also said the World Cup appeared to have generated less fervor than in 2018 바카라because it's winter and in Qatar.바카라
바카라Some don't agree with the conditions, the workers' (deaths)," he said. 바카라I'm not committed enough to boycott.바카라
World Cup fever was particularly strong in the Paris suburb where Mbappé honed his silky skills, among kids at his boyhood club who dream of following in the superstar's footsteps.
In Paris, the Metro operator marked the momentous occasion by temporarily renaming one of its stations, changing the stop 바카라Argentina바카라 to 바카라Argentina-France, let's go les Bleus!바카라
Players past and present had sent messages of support.
바카라Playing a World Cup final is a childhood dream. Let's go and get this third star! Allez les Bleus!바카라 Zinedine Zidane posted on Instagram.
It wasn't to be.