At 54, Régis Cucu has almost 50 years of football behind him. In his flea market in May, in the commune of Basses, where the flags are installed, he gave his analysis concerning the start of the Euro for Belgium and France, who will face each other this Monday evening for a place in the quarter-finals.
After starting in Solre-sur-Sambre, in his native Hainault, Régis played football at the highest Belgian regional level. Coming to spend holidays in Touraine, he settled in Beaumont-en-Véron (37), in 2006, then in Basses, in 2010. He coached Loudun, for five seasons, was an educator in Avoine, before taking over the reins of club from North Vienna, currently in 2e departmental division.
“We have to forget the 2018 match”
“Attack is the best defense. Both teams must put on a show. France and Belgium have shown that they have impenetrable defensive blocks, with exceptional goalkeepers. They don’t concede goals, but score few. To win, you have to score more than your opponent, it’s an open door! We must forget the match in 2018 and the killer goal, which came out of nowhere from Umtiti, when we had the match in hand. Mbappé, your star, despite his mask and De Bruyne, our brilliant distributor, must fully enter their competition and make people forget their very improvable beginnings. We start on an equal footing, after three rather sad matches. My heart remains in Belgium, we haven’t won anything yet,” notes the technician from across the Quiévrain.
He ventures a prediction: “We will have a full match, which could go to penalties. But I can see a 2-1 for the Red Devils!”
Régis Cucu will watch the match at the home of French friends, in Saint-Léger-de-Montbrillais. “We should eat mussels and fries after the match, accompanied, in moderation, by Belgian beer or Saumur wine. It’s the representative of the winning country who is toasting!”
