Beyond the sporting aspect and the rivalry, France – England, it was also a very moving meeting after the attacks.
The atmosphere was heavy on November 17, 2015 when the English received the French team in a friendly match, four days after the most dramatic attacks in the history of France. That day, the rivalry and even the ancestral animosity between the French and the English no longer existed, giving way to union, support and homage. A moment that could be in the minds during England – France tonight.
Before the match, which was lost on the field with the score of 2-0, Wembley lit up with the colors of the blue-white-red flag while displaying the words “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity” at the entrance. A tricolor tifo was deployed in the stands while Prince William, accompanied by coaches Roy Hodgson and Didier Deschamps, lay wreaths on the lawn before the hymns.
If the protocol was turned upside down and God save the Queen was sung first, it was to pay a vibrant tribute by performing “La Marseillaise” in unison with the lyrics broadcast on the giant screens of the stadium. The British press even printed the lyrics at the time to encourage viewers to do so. Two years later, the Stade de France unfortunately paid the same tribute following the death of 22 people in the Islamist terrorist suicide attack during an Ariana Grande concert.