by Arianna Ravelli, sent to Doha
The prediction in the interview with Le Parisien published in the hours before the game: guess the three goalscorers (Mbapp, Giroud, Lewandowski) and the final score
A prognosis for this round of 16 against Poland?.
Emmanuel Macron is a big football fan. And as president, he’s already seen the Blues win the 2018 World Cup against Croatia. But to answer a question like Le Parisien’s – in an interview devoted to something entirely different: from domestic politics to the war in Ukraine – was a risk. What could the critics have said if he was dead wrong?
However, the leader of the Elysée did not hold back. And – read now, after the final whistle of the round of 16 of the World Cup – his answer makes an impression.
I think we will win 3-1!” said the President. Lewandowski will mark one, like Mbapp or maybe Giroud, who wants to go down in history. I play the joker for France’s third goal.
For the record, France won 3-1. Lewandowski scored from the penalty spot for Poland. And for France, Giroud and Mbapp – who irresistibly scored two goals.
Ok, you say: predicting that Kylian Mbapp and Olivier Giroud can score in this France might not be a feat: we face the youngest (23 years and 349 days) to score five goals in the knockout stages Stage at the World Cup has scored since Pel in 1958 and at 36 years and 2 months, the oldest goalscorer since Roger Milla. Let’s face it, it would be enough for a national team to only have the first, France enjoys both, not to mention the tactically crucial role of the other two strikers Dembel and Griezmann.
Macron, on the other hand, played an important role in Mbapp’s life: in fact, I note that the President intervened directly to convince the Frenchman not to go to Spain, to Real Madrid, but to stay at PSG. At the court of Nasser Al-Khelaifi, the Qatari President who – now after reminding the squad that his family was poor too one day when his father was a pearl fisherman and whatever – enjoys all his jewels to score: yesterday Messi, today Mbapp, tomorrow who knows Neymar. But this is another story. Mbapp listened to his president and stayed in Paris. I understand my role and my importance in the country, Kylien said at the time. Who didn’t allow themselves less bombastic sentences today: I’m here to win the cup. Honestly, considering how he played against Poland, another Macron prediction might as well do it.
December 4, 2022 (change December 4, 2022 | 20:29)
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