SHARE
COPY LINK

FOOTBALL

French fans urged to sing God Save the Queen in tribute to terror victims

French football fans will be encouraged to sing along to God Save the Queen when their country meets England in a friendly match in Paris on Tuesday as a way of honouring those killed in the recent London and Manchester terror attacks.

French fans urged to sing God Save the Queen in tribute to terror victims
Photo: AFP

A minute's silence will be held prior to France's home friendly with England on Tuesday as a tribute to the victims of
recent terror attacks in England, the French Football Federation (FFF) confirmed on Monday.

Meanwhile, French president Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Theresa May are both expected to attend the match at the Stade de France, according to Macron's own diary.

May is due in the French capital earlier in the day on business ahead of the start of Brexit negotiations next week.

In addition to the minute's silence, the English national anthem will be played after that of France, in a reversal of the usual protocol.

The English Football Association had paid a similar tribute prior to the team's last meeting, a friendly at Wembley in November 2015 that was played just days after a wave of terror attacks in Paris that left 130 dead.

Eight people were killed in an attack in London earlier this month, including three French nationals, while a suicide bombing in Manchester on May 22 left 22 people dead after an Ariana Grande concert.

The FFF source also revealed in a statement that the teams will run out to the song by Manchester band Oasis 'Don't Look Back in Anger', which will be played by the musicians and choir of France's Republican Guard.

The words of the English anthem 'God Save the Queen' will be displayed on the big screens of the Stade de France to encourage home supporters to sing along — just as English fans joined in with 'La Marseillaise' on an emotional night in London in November 2015.

The French anthem was also played before English Premier League games the following weekend.

“I encourage those who will be at the stadium — if the English anthem is sung, everyone should join in,” France's Blaise Matuidi said at a press conference on Sunday.

Before the minute's silence on Tuesday evening, the two sets of players will mix together in a sign of unity, rather than face each other in their opposing line-ups.

France has been on a heightened security alert following a wave of attacks across the country over the last couple of years and the level of alert in the United Kingdom was raised in the wake of the recent terrorist outrages.

On Monday there was a large security presence as the England team trained in the plush Parisian suburb of Croissy-sur-Seine.

As well as a large police presence, journalists attending manager Gareth Southgate's press conference were frisked and bags were searched on entry.

The venue is where the Russian team trained during Euro 2016 last year.

RACISM

VIDEO: Spain’s La Liga reviews video of boy racially abusing Vinicius

Spain's La Liga on Monday said it was reviewing a video of a child making racist insults towards Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior during the 2-2 draw with Valencia at the weekend.

VIDEO: Spain's La Liga reviews video of boy racially abusing Vinicius

“We’re in the process of studying and analysing the facts from a legal standpoint to see what we can and should do,” La Liga sources said.

In a video published by a journalist for ESPN Brasil, and picked up by Spanish media, a boy sitting in a woman’s lap can be heard calling Vinicius a “monkey”.

The Brazilian scored twice for Madrid as his team recovered from two goals down at Mestalla on Saturday.

Vinicius raised his fist in a “Black Power” salute after the first of his two goals at a ground where he was racially abused last season. Valencia subsequently banned three people from the stadium for life.

The 23-year-old has become a symbol of the fight against discrimination in Spanish football after suffering racist abuse on many occasions, and he was jeered repeatedly by home supporters on Saturday.

Jude Bellingham was sent off after the final whistle against Valencia for protesting after the referee blew the final whistle right before the England midfielder headed home what he thought was the winning goal.

READ ALSO: Football star Vinicius highlights racist behaviour from Spanish fans

SHOW COMMENTS