JOHANNESBURG The French national team returned to Paris last Thursday under heavy police protection after their farcical first-round exit from the Soccer World Cup. (Pictured: France coach Raymond Domenech refuses to shake the hand of South Africa coach Carlo
According to French media reports, a plane chartered by the French Federation to ferry the humiliated Les Bleus’ home landed at Le Bourget business airport, 20 km north of Paris, after a 15-hour flight from South Africa.??
Only a handful of supporters turned to welcome the fallen giants but the police were careful to keep even these away from the squad. Dozens of cameramen and journalists who were at the airport were also kept at a distance from the players, behind a wire fence as the police made sure nothing untoward happened to the former heroes who are now reviled across the country.
Two luxury coaches with darkened windows pitched to ferry the players away from the airport through a back entrance.??
According to the reports Olympique Lyon players and Bayern Munich midfilder, Franck Ribery, flew out on in two private planes without going through the terminal. ??
The 1998 Les Bleus’ World Cup campaign, marred by infighting and the boycott of a training session, ended with a humiliation last Tuesday with a 2-1 defeat by hosts South Africa that left them bottom of Group A without a win. ??
Their failure has turned into an affair of state.??President Nicholas Sarkozy last Wednesday called for a wholesale review of French soccer after chairing a government meeting.
Post published in: Football