Argentina-France: Excited Argentine fans win the match for the atmosphere in front of the stadium

If the final on the lawn is supposed to be a copy of what happens on the forecourt of the Lusail stadium, you can immediately give the cup to Lionel Messi. The meager handful of blue fans who came on their own rather than with an official group pale in comparison to the mass of hinch, their Argentinean counterparts. Already on the red metro line, the one that leads to the stadium, the trains were packed full of sky and whiteness. And chants to the glory of Messi and Maradona were the only sound of the trip.

In front of the metro, a continuous line of fans is moving smoothly towards the stadium. Everything is well organized. And besides, the device, now well lubricated by the flow of the crowd, gives a full measure. In the middle, the French admiringly contemplate the hordes of Argentines passing in front of them without the slightest aggressiveness. Just a few “Messi, Messi” sing a little louder when they see French T-shirts. “Honestly, it’s nice to see that,” snorts Francis, a pensioner from Bordeaux. I was in Moscow four years ago and I hope that the end will be the same. But there we feel such excitement among the Argentines. It’s impressive. »

Further, other French people are amazed by the architecture of the Lusail stadium. “This has nothing to do with what we saw on TV,” smiles Isabelle, a liberal nurse who arrived with her husband and a couple of other friends from Poitiers. This is a birthday present for my husband. For his fiftieth birthday, we wanted something exceptional. When we bought tickets, we hoped that France would reach the final, but we weren’t sure. »

Messi’s tattoos are everywhere

Another fifty meters in a circle around the fence of the final and the first fanatics appear. They are easy to recognize because they are all disguised as Gauls. “Of course, at the beginning of the match we won’t hear much,” notes Manu, a teacher from Yvelines. But, if all goes well, we will hear less from the Argentines. “. However, he is also quite amazed by the Argentine fervor. “It’s not a legend that this story is about Messi being their god,” he insists. What’s most impressive is the number of people who have Messi’s name or head tattooed on their arms.”

Argentinean drums can be heard in the distance. As you approach Hinchas, the atmosphere nevertheless relaxes despite the “we don’t speak French” started with a big smile. “This may be the best day of my life,” Gabriella, a blond woman in her thirties, fires up. We must win. Lionel Messi can’t help but lift the trophy. I’m sorry, but that’s just not possible because…” The rest of his sentence is lost in the howls of his compatriots “Messi, Messi…”