PARIS: Scores of French football fans queued on Friday to snap up the first of the national team’s new shirts carrying a second star to mark Les Bleus’ World Cup win in Russia.
The crowning of France as world champions unleashed a wave of euphoria across the country, helping foster a brief sense of national unity after years of tension and self-examination in the wake of attacks by militants since 2015.
“I’ll keep it all my life. It’s the second star! They made our dreams come true on the pitch,” said fan Brice Chevalier as he queued to enter the French Football Federation’s store in Paris.
France first won the World Cup, earning its first star, in 1998 with Zinedine Zidane its talisman and playmaker in an era when the team was referred to as Black-Blanc-Beur (Black-White-Arab), a reference to its diverse ethnic make up.
In Russia, they beat Croatia 4-2, with President Emmanuel Macron leaping for joy in the stands.
“I’m chuffed, I’ve been waiting a month for this moment,” said another life-long supporter, Jerome Cornec.
The Nike-branded strips are huge money-spinners. France’s official shirt costs €85 euros ($97).
French football fans queue for shirt carrying second star
French football fans queue for shirt carrying second star
- National team’s new shirts carry a second star to mark Les Bleus’ World Cup win in Russia
- The Nike-branded strips are huge money-spinners costing €85 euros each
Elysee Palace silver steward arrested for stealing thousands of euros’ worth of silverware
- The Sevres Manufactory — which supplied most of the furnishings — identified several of the missing items on online auction websites
- Investigators later found around 100 objects in the silver steward’s personal locker, his vehicle and their home
PARIS: Three men will stand trial next year after a silver steward employed at the official residence of the French president was arrested this week for the theft of items of silverware and table service worth thousands of euros, the Paris prosecutor’s office said.
The Elysee Palace’s head steward reported the disappearance, with the estimated loss ranging between 15,000 and 40,000 euros (($17,500-$47,000).
The Sevres Manufactory — which supplied most of the furnishings — identified several of the missing items on online auction websites. Questioning of Elysee staff led investigators to suspect one of the silver stewards, whose inventory records gave the impression he was planning future thefts.
Investigators established that the man was in a relationship with the manager of a company specializing in the online sale of objects, notably tableware. Investigators discovered on his Vinted account a plate stamped “French Air Force” and “Sevres Manufactory” ashtrays that are not available to the general public.
Around 100 objects were found in the silver steward’s personal locker, his vehicle and their home. Among the items recovered were copper saucepans, Sevres porcelain, a René Lalique statuette and Baccarat champagne coupes.
The two were arrested Tuesday. Investigators also identified a single receiver of the stolen goods. The recovered items were returned to the Elysee Palace.
The three suspects appeared in court Thursday on charges of jointly stealing movable property listed as part of the national heritage — an offense punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a 150,000-euro fine, as well as aggravated handling of stolen goods.
The trial was postponed to Feb. 26. The defendants were placed under judicial supervision, banned from contacting one another, prohibited from appearing at auction venues and barred from their professional activities.
