A rollercoaster night ends in heartbreak for Les Bleus fans in Puducherry

The French Consulate collaborated with the administration, to organise a screening of the final on a large monitor at the public square in Gandhi Thidal. Football fans in the city with a substantial French population, thronged venues where special screenings were held on big screens or watched with groups of friends

A thrilling night of twists and turns ended in a heartbreak for the scores of French fans when the Les Bleus were edged on penalties by Argentina in an epic final of the FIFA football world cup in Qatar on Sunday.

Hoping for history to repeat itself a third time, and for France to defend its title four years after being crowned world champions in 2018 in Russia, scores of football fans in this city with a substantial French population, thronged venues where special screenings were held on mounted big screens or watched with groups of friends.

In the spirit of the momentous occasion, the French Consulate collaborated with the administration, to organise a screening of the final on a large monitor at the public square in Gandhi Thidal. Urging all supporters of the French football team to show up, French Consul General Lise Talbot Barre said: “I am waiting for you, in the colours of the France team”.

Though the big screen at the beach glitched for a while streaming only audio, and France were trailing 0-2 as the first half ended, no one dared to leave as they waited for some magic from their hero Kylian Mbappe. And, when Mbappe scored a brace in the second half to pull France level, fans went berserk. Over at The Spot, the quiet recreational space of Alliance Francaise, the feeling after the first half was that Argentine had put on a clinic.

“With four young substitutes, pressed in by the tactically brilliant coach Didier Deschamps, the French managed to equalise and take the final to extra time,” said Paquiry Segiyane Sylvain, managing director of Villa Shanti boutique hotel, who watched the game with friends and family.

Again, Argentina would forge ahead in extra time only for, guess who, Mbappe to score his third, this time a penalty in the dying moments of extra time, for France to draw level once more and take the final to penalties.