Fan of the Day: The miracle of France

World Cup 2006 News

By Andres Burgo Jul 10, 2006, 12:32 GMT

Berlin - Perhaps because he works as an economic journalist, Claude is able to reduce a discussion on France's performances at the World Cup to four words. 'The miracle of football' is how he sums up Les Bleus success in reaching the final when few had given them much of a chance before and many were unsure of whether they had made the right choice in goal. 'They were wrong. We French believe in (Fabien) Barthez. We had wanted (Gregory) Coupet but we'll never forget the fact that we won the World Cup and European Championship with him,' said the excited Frenchman at the Brandenburg Gate. 'This World Cup has come at just the right time for France. All that's been in the news until recently has been stories of fires, urban immigrant groups setting cars alight, students rebelling, citizens refusing the European constitution and even London were given the Olympic Games of 2012 in front of Paris. 'Many people felt that Jacques Chirac and Dominique de Villepin could only breathe easy if France were successful at the World Cup. After the wins against Brazil and Portugal, things are much cooler in Paris. 'And the best thing about reaching the final is that it's made Jean-Marie Le Pen shut up,' Claude said of the right-wing politician who condemned the French team for playing too many black players. 'And that's why,' he adds. 'Football can create miracles.' © 2006 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur

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