BRAZIL: FOOTBALL/SOCCER: WORLD CUP 2014: France fans celebrate World Cup win over Nigeria
Record ID:
236823
BRAZIL: FOOTBALL/SOCCER: WORLD CUP 2014: France fans celebrate World Cup win over Nigeria
- Title: BRAZIL: FOOTBALL/SOCCER: WORLD CUP 2014: France fans celebrate World Cup win over Nigeria
- Date: 30th June 2014
- Summary: BRASILIA, BRAZIL (JUNE 30, 2014) (REUTERS) FANS WALKING OUT OF BRAZIL'S NATIONAL STADIUM FRANCE FANS WAVING NATIONAL FLAG FRANCE FANS WALKING OUT FAN FROM SOUTHWEST FRANCE, ARNOLD PORTON, AND OTHER FANS CHANTING 'GO THE BLUES' IN FRONT OF NATIONAL FLAG FRANCE SUPPORTER WITH PAINTED FACE FRANCE FANS WALKING CHANTING 'GO THE BLUES' (SOUNDBITE) (French) FAN FROM SOUTHWEST FRANCE, ARNOLD PORTON, SAYING: "I'm happy, I happy with the match in the end. We found ourselves, everyone took part in the game and we got there. The group is a good group, I like the group." FANS WALKING OUT FRENCH MAN HOLDING FRANCE SCARF FRENCH MEN CHANTING 'GO THE BLUES' FANS WALKING OUT PAST POLICE OFFICERS FRANCE FAN WAVING FLAG SHOUTING FRENCH FANS SHOUTING 'GO THE BLUES' AND JUMPING (SOUNDBITE) (French) FAN FROM PARIS, ANESTIS ARNOPOULOS, SAYING: "We suffered. It was very hard, but we got through it, we stood firm, but we got through and we will go further than I anticipated, I think. France will go pretty far. Well done, well done to the young people. They are very good, congratulations. In spite of their struggle, they did well." FRANCE AND NIGERIA FANS POSING FOR PHOTO NIGERIA FANS STANDING FRANCE FANS SEATED ON GROUND FRANCE FANS JUMPING AND SHOUTING (SOUNDBITE) (English) NIGERIA FAN FROM LAGOS, JAMES YEMISI, SAYING: "We feel very bad, we're not happy about the game. It's not that our players didn't try, but it didn't go our way, so we are not happy. But we have no choice. That is the spirit in football, you understand. One person have to lose while one person have to win, so that is the spirit of the game." NIGERIANS POSING WITH OTHER FANS CROSS READING 'MAKE PEACE YOUR GOAL' NIGERIAN FANS FROM ABUJA, EMANUEL ABONYI AND IFENYI HUMPHREY, SPEAKING TO REPORTER (SOUNDBITE) (French) NIGERIAN FAN FROM ABUJA, EMANUEL ABONYI, SAYING: "It's a growing team, they're building up a new team, so by next match, by next tournament, we're going to do better. The coach is doing well, he's going to bring more, inject more players and grow up the ones he has and we'll go far in the next tournament" (SOUNDBITE) (French) NIGERIAN FAN FROM ABUJA, IFENYI HUMPHREY, SAYING: "Same opinion. My next tournament we're going to come up stronger and stronger and believe you me, we take the next World Cup back to Africa, Nigeria. We're going to break the record. I said so, OK?" ABONYI AND HUMPHREY WITH SHOUTING FANS
- Embargoed: 15th July 2014 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Brazil
- Country: Brazil
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVAE686WS2VZI3RJZSM9DTBTNSVE
- Story Text: French fans celebrated their win over Nigeria in Brazil's National Stadium on Monday (June 30), allowing them to advance to the World Cup quarter finals.
Fans poured out of Brasilia's 68,000-seat National Stadium waving flags and chanting 'Go the Blues' after beating the African side 2-0.
Seeking to make up for their humiliating early exit four years ago, the French left it late on Monday to break down a hard-working Nigeria team, scoring twice in the last 11 minutes.
"I'm happy, I happy with the match in the end. We found ourselves, everyone took part in the game and we got there. The group is a good group, I like the group," said Arnold Porton from France's southwest.
"We suffered. It was very hard, but we got through it, we stood firm, but we got through and we will go further than I anticipated, I think. France will go pretty far. Well done, well done to the young people. They are very good, congratulations. In spite of their struggle, they did well," said Anestis Arnopoulos from Paris.
Fans of Nigeria, who are African champions but have never progressed beyond the last 16 of the World Cup, were disappointed but philosophical.
"We feel very bad, we're not happy about the game. It's not that our players didn't try, but it didn't go our way, so we are not happy. But we have no choice. That is the spirit in football, you understand. One person have to lose while one person have to win, so that is the spirit of the game," said James Yemisi, from Lagos.
Some were also optimistic for the future.
"It's a growing team, they're building up a new team, so by next match, by next tournament, we're going to do better. The coach is doing well, he's going to bring more, inject more players and grow up the ones he has and we'll go far in the next tournament," said Emanuel Abonyi from Abuja, dressed as a green priest.
"Same opinion. My next tournament we're going to come up stronger and stronger and believe you me, we take the next World Cup back to Africa, Nigeria. We're going to break the record. I said so, OK?" said his friend Ifenyi Humphrey.
Nigeria's exit from the cup leave Algeria as the only African side still in the cup.
The two French goals took the tally for the tournament to 147, surpassing the 145 scored in the entire 2010 World Cup. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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