The French team received a warm welcome from more than one hundred thousand fans. Kylian Mbappe and other French players landed at Charles de Gaulle airport around 8:00pm local time as several fans welcomed them.
France did their best to clinch the World Championship, but Argentina beat them in a thrilling penalty shootout with the score 4-2. Even after Kylian Mbappe came back with just the second hat-trick in the final World Cup records.
But it was not the fault of Les Bleus. It was the astonishing performance of Argentine goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez that prevented France from grabbing the trophy by hand, blocking their penalty kicks in the shootout.
However, their fans accepted their efforts, and when they arrived at the airport, they were welcomed as heroes by their supporters. His Air France Jet was surrounded by photographers and journalists from all directions. France coach Didier Deschamps was the first to get off the plane followed by team captain Hugo Lloris.
Employees at the airport gave the team an honor guard as the France team boarded the team bus. The French tricolor flag fluttered outside the cockpit window as crew and personnel exited the plane. Two flight attendants stood holding the tricolor just outside the plane’s doors. Fans gathered at the Place de la Concorde in Paris to greet the players.
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The France coach talks about the team’s performance
France coach Didier Deschamps looked distraught as he boarded the team bus. However, he praised the efforts of his team and mentioned that he was proud of his team. On the contrary, he denied having spoken about himself and his future as team boss.
He went on to explain how the entire team dealt with all the tough scenarios up to that point. He felt that he may have had a psychological or physical impact on his players. But the coach adds that he was confident with the players who started the match.
Les Bleus only had four days after the last game they played before the final. But the coach did not want to use this as an excuse. Deschamps feels that they did not play with the same vigor as in the last game. This was what resulted in France not being in the game in the first hour. Deschamps believes that Argentina had a bit of luck before the match.
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However, he agrees that La Albiceleste fully deserved the title of World Champion. The coach was sad for the coaching staff and the team’s players.
The team and the future
Kylian Mbappé left the plane with Ousmane Dembele and the team. As Mbappe plays for Paris Saint-Germain, it is unknown when he will return to the team in Ligue 1 action.
Apparently Didier Deschamps is about to step down as head coach the following year, with Zinedine Zidane likely to be the next manager. Lloris and Deschamps were first seen on the balcony greeting the fans, and were eventually joined by the rest of the team.
Speculation also has it that Hugo Lloris could retire from the sport, handing over the captaincy to striker Kylian Mbappé.
