In spite of the atrocities caused in Paris on Friday night, every member of the French national team is said to have been willing to participate in the friendly against England on Tuesday, at London’s Wembley stadium.
In fact, all the members of the French squad were reportedly given a choice to opt out of the England friendly, after the horrifying events in Paris on Friday. Astonishingly however, all of them unanimously decided to travel to London for Tuesday’s match.
The Paris attacks were carried out in the French capital by a number of gunmen, who were also wearing suicide vests. One of these gunmen had also tried to enter the Stade de France, where the international friendly between France and Germany was taking place. Although security prevented him from entering the stadium, the suicide bomber reportedly detonated the bomb near the stadium, and the explosion was heard during the game.
According to the Daily Mirror, the French squad for the England friendly also consists of the likes of Lassana Diarra (whose cousin died in the attacks) and Antoine Griezmann (whose sister escaped the massacre at the Bataclan theatre).
FA to show support for Paris attacks victims
The FA reportedly offered the French Football Federation (FFF) the option of cancelling the friendly in light of the Paris attacks. However, as the FFF decided to go on with the match, the FA now plans a show of moving tribute to the people of France before and during the friendly at the Wembley stadium.
The famous Wembley arch will be lit up in the French tricolour, as it has been since the Paris attacks took place on Friday night. Other than this, the screens outside the stadium would also display the French motto a Liberte, Egalite, Fraternitea (Liberty, Equality, Fraternity). Also, the words of the French national anthem La Marseillaise will be on display inside the stadium ahead of the match, so that England fans can also join in to show their compassion for France.
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The atmosphere at the England-France friendly is set to be an extremely emotional one, as it is just a few days after the horrendous incidents in Paris.