France's World Cup heroes return to victory parade
July 16, 2018
Hundreds of thousands of supporters came out to Paris' Champs Elysees on Monday to welcome home their victorious national football team a day after they won the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
As the players made their way down the boulevard towards the Elysee Palace, fans roared in triumph and nine jets from the Patrouille de France performed a fly-over trailing red, white, and blue smoke.
The French team arrived to red carpet treatment earlier on Monday afternoon, with goalkeeper and team captain Hugo Lloris holding the trophy aloft as the team descended to meet Sports Minister Laura Flessel.
In honor of the returning heroes, several of Paris' metro stops have been temporarily renamed. For example, the Victor Hugo station has become Victor Hugo Lloris and the Champs-Elysees Clemenceau stop has been dubbed the Deschamps-Elysees Clemenceau after the coach Didier Deschamps.
Winners to get Legion of Honor
President Emmanuel Macron, who was on hand in Moscow to celebrate with the team immediately after their victory on Sunday, has also announced that the team will be award the Legion of Honor, the country's highest official distinction.
After the parade, a lavish reception has been planned for the world champions at the presidential palace. Hundreds are invited, including members of the local soccer club in the poor Paris suburb of Bondy, the childhood home of 19-year-old national star Kylian Mbappe.
es/rc (AP, AFP, dpa)