the essential
A few days before the kick-off of Euro football, the winning schoolchildren of a national competition organized by the FFF spent 24 unforgettable hours in Clairefontaine, near the Mbappé gang.
It’s not two stars that shine, but thousands. For the Agentols of the Saint-Joseph school, this journey to Clairefontaine, where for 24 hours they lived in the very place where the “Blues” are preparing for the Euro football, will remain unforgettable. Taking the break with the friendly N’Golo Kanté, the smiling Eduardo Camavinga, just crowned with the Champions League with Real Madrid, and Dayot Upamecano, the very accessible Jonathan Klauss, greeting Kylian MBappé, even from afar, was the supreme moment of this day not far from the French team.
Having left by bus under the stars, after watching the France – Luxembourg match together at school, returning under a beautiful night more starry than ever two days later, the children were certainly tired from the trip, but so happy. Well, a bit like L’Équipe headlined this Monday after the match against Canada (0-0), Grizou, Pavard, Deschamps and company were a bit “invisible”.
“It’s not really the players’ fault, they always had someone next to them to tell them they didn’t have time”we whisper.
It’s a shame that there was this distance with these kids who nevertheless spared no effort to achieve this “blue” dream. And this, since the first day they started creating this “work” which allowed them to win the national competition organized by the FFF. An achievement which particularly interested former international Laura Georges, and current secretary general of the FFF. Even the superb gift made by the little Agentols, a painting representing football players and made from pebbles, could not be delivered by hand to the coach. The latter, through a security agent, nevertheless made it known that he had appreciated the gesture, offering in exchange two “Blues” jerseys autographed by the players.
The fact remains that among the little Agentols, this Monday morning, in front of the school gates, their eyes were still shining. And the memories rushed through their heads: the official photo, the opening ceremony, the match with the children from the Jeanne-d’Arc school in Landeronde, near La Roche-sur-Yon, another winner of this competition , the cart ride in Clairefontaine, the “fit football” session with Candy from the Aveyron District, present alongside the Agentols with the former Ruthenian footballer Jérémy Roumégous, the Clairefontaine museum with in particular the two world cups, attend training…
To all this, we must add this pleasant coincidence: that of meeting the goalkeeper of Rodez Aveyron football, Lionel Mpassi, currently in rehabilitation on the Blues site. He, for once, took the time to talk at length with his “neighbors” agents, to the great happiness of the children. And their teachers Caroline Vincent, the school director, and Adeline Creyssels who, with the support of the parents (who notably succeeded in the raffle and the big paella evening with the brasserie la Bohème), worked hard to be able to light all the stars. Even the bus driver did his part by shifting the departure time from Clairefontaine so that everyone could take full advantage of it.
In short, as the song “A la Claire Fontaine” says, “I will never forget you”! And on the Facebook page of the Saint-Joseph d’Agen d’Aveyron school, it was decided to extend the blue dream by publishing images of this stay throughout the week.
