France captain Kylian Mbappe and the team will commemorate the 2015 Paris terror attacks, which killed 130 people, during their World Cup qualifier against Ukraine on Thursday.
France will take on Ukraine in a World Cup qualifier on Thursday, exactly 10 years after the November 13th, 2015, Paris terror attacks that shook the nation. The team, led by captain Kylian Mbappe, wants to remember those affected by the tragedy, which killed 130 people.
Mbappe expressed his desire to pay tribute to the victims and their families, saying, “Tomorrow will be a special day. We wanted to have a thought for those affected. We know it won’t be a joyful day, but we want to make people understand that commemorating this day is one of the important things.”
The attacks occurred during a friendly match between France and Germany at the Stade de France, where a suicide bomber detonated an explosive belt, killing one passerby. Mbappe, who was not playing for the national team at the time, feared for his parents, who lived in the suburbs of Paris.
Coach Didier Deschamps, who was on the France bench that night, said, “I find it hard to talk about it – it’s more a matter of restraint. There’s a duty of remembrance, of support and compassion.”
Only a few staff members who were present at the Stade de France on that day will be part of the team on Thursday, including full-back Lucas Digne. The game will be played at the Parc des Princes in Paris, and France will qualify for next year’s World Cup if they win.
The team is expected to make a gesture of remembrance during the match, which will be a poignant moment for the players, staff, and fans. Mbappe said, “Playing 10 years later is special – we’ll try to pay tribute to the people affected by that tragic event.”
