Since Wednesday, both sides have been dreading this reunion as much as they have been desiring it. Twice, the French team has triumphed over Belgium, in the Nations Cup (2021) but especially in the World Cup (2018), a match that brings back bad memories for fans of the Red Devils.
Kevin De Bruyne’s gang has a unique opportunity to make 11 million fans proud. On the other side of the border, people would like to verify the adage “never two without three” on Monday evening. The revenge of Saint Petersburg is on everyone’s mind. Including among the Belgian cities twinned with French municipalities and which have forged strong bonds of friendship over the years.
The Meslin twinning committee is the perfect example. It unites the villages of Meslin-l’Évêque and Meslin-Trégenestre (in the commune of Lamballe, in Brittany). “It has existed for 45 years. We know each other as much as we like each other and we see each other very regularly“, explains Eddy Viseur, the person in charge of the twinning on the Belgian side. The inhabitants of the two Meslins know each other so well that there are Belgians who live in Brittany and Bretons who live in Belgium.”We have even witnessed marriages between Bretons and Belgians.“, continues our interlocutor.
“Cheer up but with humor and without malice”
Friendship does not prevent teasing. Eddy Viseur is preparing for it.We haven’t yet talked about the match with our friends from Meslin“, he confides. Prohibited or taboo subject? No fear! “The ties between the two villages are so strong that the outcome of the match will have no impact on a friendship that is more than 40 years old.“The fact remains that the Meslin of Brittany does not deserve a response from… Normand! So, we expressly ask our interlocutor to give his prognosis.”2-1 for Belgium“, specifies Eddy who plans to go see the match with his entourage. And perhaps “to room“a bit like his Breton friends,”but with humor and without malice.“
Needless to say, 650 kilometers away, his twinning counterpart in Meslin-Trégenestre predicts another score. “1-0 for France“, ventures François Piton who tells us the same thing. “No matter the result, we will continue to be around each other and appreciate each other. The match won’t change anything. The bonds of friendship have lasted for almost half a century and concern several generations of Belgians and French people. We also see each other outside of formal events. We are simply friends.“The person in charge of twinning on the French side still says he wants to”spare the susceptibility“of his neighbors and”not to joke too much in case of victory, as was the case in 2018 after the semi-final.”
Apart from the glorious uncertainty of sport, we are betting that the warm atmosphere that reigns between the two villages will not change before, during or after the meeting.
No one knows the outcome of the match in advance. But in Meslin-l’Évêque as in Meslin-Trégenestre, we know that there remains an opportunity to bring the two countries into agreement: the inter-district games, which will take place in Brittany on Sunday July 7 and where a delegation from Athena participates every year. It’s up to Meslinois (born on the best side of the border) to show that the Belgians can also win!
In Mouscron and Fécamp, people are already throwing banderillas at each other
“Since Wednesday evening, we have been sending messages to the people of Fécamp“, admits Geoffrey Van Cauwenberghe, the head of twinning at the City of Mouscron. Football, cycling, tennis: between the city of Hurlus and the Normandy city, sport is an important driver of this friendship which has spanned the years. “Many projects are implemented through sport. In May, a delegation made up of people from Mouscron and Fécamp even linked the two towns by bike, covering 280 kilometres.“, recalls our interlocutor.
Some Normans also remember the heyday of Excel Mouscron. “They attended several matches at the Canonnier, including a match against Anderlecht which turned in our favour.“The football brought them together. On Monday, it will only separate them for 90 minutes.”There are a few small provocations, but it remains good-natured. After the match, nothing will change and the friendship will resume on the same basis“, confirms Geoffrey Van Cauwenberghe. Before hanging up, we still ask him for a little prediction. “1-0 for Belgium.“May the football gods prove him right…
