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Party in Paris over World Cup Triumph (PHOTOS NEWS)

 

It has been party like celebration in France since the Country national team won the 2018 FIFA World Cup on Sunday.

The French supporters lined the Champs-Elysees on Monday afternoon as they received Les Bleus from Russia following their World Cup final win over Croatia. 

Fans numbering an estimated half a million spread across along the Champs-Elysees in Paris as they awaited their victorious national team’s return, waving tricolour flags amid a party atmosphere in the capital.

The national team had beat Croatia 4-2 in Sunday’s World Cup final at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow to win the tournament for a second time, 20 years on from their 1998 triumph on home soil.

France’s squad paraded on the fabled boulevard before a reception for the team at the Elysee, the official residence of President Emmanuel Macron as the celebrations continue.

The France squad had touched down at Charles de Gaulle Airport earlier on Monday afternoon and two water cannons were sprayed over the fuselage to create a victory arc for their World Cup winners.

The national team had beat Croatia 4-2 in Sunday’s World Cup final at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow to win the tournament for a second time, 20 years on from their 1998 triumph on home soil.

France’s squad paraded on the fabled boulevard before a reception for the team at the Elysee, the official residence of President Emmanuel Macron as the celebrations continue.

The France squad had touched down at Charles de Gaulle Airport earlier on Monday afternoon and two water cannons were sprayed over the fuselage to create a victory arc for their World Cup winners.

Captain Hugo Lloris departed the plane first alongside coach Didier Deschamps, proudly showing off the Jules Rimet trophy before leading his team along a red carpet laid out for them on the runway.

Air France employees helped welcome the Deschamps’ team back, lining the red carpet holding signs that read: ‘Paris Love You’ to show their appreciation for Les Bleus’ exploits in Russia.

Lloris lifted the World Cup next to his coach Deschamps (left) as France departed their flight at the Charles de Gaulle Airport

The French national team’s official Twitter account had showed a video of defender Benjamin Mendy boarding a bus, accompanied by the message: ‘We go back to France with the Cup and one more star’.

Sunday night following the final had seen members of the squad dancing on a table and serenading N’Golo Kante, who played a key role in their success in Russia.  

President Macron was at the Luzhniki Stadium on Sunday for the final and warmly embraced the players and coach Deschamps, who lifted the trophy as France caption 20 years ago.

France striker Antoine Griezmann, whose fourth goal of Russia 2018 came in the final, told FIFA: ‘We’re so happy. We feel so proud, and we just want one thing: to go and celebrate this with the people of France.’ 

Brazilian legend Pele joked following the final that he may be forced to return to playing after 19-year-old Kylian Mbappe joined him as only the second teenager to score in a World Cup final, netting France’s fourth.

Pele, now 77, wrote on Twitter: ‘If Kylian keeps equalling my records like this I may have to dust my boots off again.’ In a show of respect, Mbappe simply replied: ‘The king will always remain king.’ 

France went ahead in Sunday’s final in the 18th minute when Mario Mandzukic inadvertently diverted Griezmann’s free-kick into Croatia’s net, becoming the first-ever player to net an own goal in a World Cup final.

Ivan Perisic scored a brilliant equaliser 10 minutes later but France went back in front before half-time when they were awarded a controversial penalty via the video assistant referee, slotted home by Griezmann.

France stretched their lead in the second half with goals from Pogba and Mbappe before goalkeeper Lloris’ howler allowed Mandzukic to score a consolation for Croatia.

In the immediate celebrations that followed, Kante appeared too shy to ask to hold the trophy until his team-mate Steven N’Zonzi retrieved the Jules Rimet so the Chelsea midfielder could lift it himself.   

According to French publication Le Parisien, Kante had played at the Luzhniki Stadium with a stomach bug explaining his uncharacteristically quiet display in central midfield.

France join Brazil (five), Germany (four), Italy (four), Argentina (two) and Uruguay (two) as the only countries to have won multiple World Cups, two decades on from their maiden win.

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