ESTRELLA FRANCESA DECIDE HABLAR DE LOS PERUANOS ANTES DE FRANCIA VS MARRUECOS

FRENCH STAR DECIDES TO SPEAK ABOUT PERUVIANS BEFORE FRANCE VS. MOROCCO There are acknowledgments worth more than any trophy. And for Peru, hearing two of the biggest stars in French football speak with admiration of its fans is one of them. After Kylian Mbappé, it was now Antoine Griezmann's turn, the 2018 World Cup champion, to acknowledge the support of the Peruvian fans. And he did so without being prompted, with a naturalness that moved everyone. A Peruvian in the press room The scene took place during Griezmann's presentation conference as the new player for Orlando City, the MLS club he joins after his time in Europe. Amidst the questions, Peruvian journalist César Vivar took the floor and took "The Little Prince" back to Russia 2018, to that Peru vs. France match that they both remember for very different reasons. Griezmann didn't hesitate, and what he said made headlines in several media outlets. "It's true, in that match against Peru we felt like we were in Peru, because the entire stadium was filled with Peruvians when we went out to warm up. It was incredible to see," the striker confessed. But he went further, touching a nerve: he acknowledged the enormous sacrifice of the Peruvian fans. "I saw that many Peruvian fans had sold a lot of things to buy tickets for that match, and that's when you realize the joy and excitement the players had given their people," the Frenchman explained, appreciating the dedication that led thousands of Peruvians to travel the world for their national team. Wilder Cartagena, "the joy of the locker room" Griezmann's connection with Peru, however, didn't end there. Today he has a very familiar Peruvian face: that of Wilder Cartagena, his teammate at Orlando City, who was also part of that 2018 national team. When asked about his new teammate, the 'Little Prince' was full of praise. "Wilder is the life of the locker room. I've been here a week and he's a joy. He's always dancing, making jokes, whether in Spanish or English, always looking for his teammates," he said, laughing. He also highlighted his footballing side: "Then on the field he works harder than anyone, he fights for every ball, every play." A Peruvian winning the heart of a world champion day in and day out. Another small example of that warmth that so captivates those who know our people. Mbappé's support: "I felt like a visitor like few times before." Griezmann's words reinforce what his former national teammate, Kylian Mbappé, had said days earlier. The Real Madrid striker surprised everyone by ranking that Peru vs. France match among the games with the most intimidating atmospheres of his entire career, placing the Peruvian fans' support second in his personal ranking, only behind the Santiago Bernabéu. It was one of the times I've felt most like a visiting player in my life. "It was like we were playing in Peru," the French captain acknowledged. Two world stars, in different weeks and without prior arrangement, agreed on the same thing: the Peruvian fans left an indelible mark on them. It's no coincidence. In that World Cup, more than 60,000 Peruvians traveled to Russia, making the 'Bicolor' one of the largest fan bases in the tournament. The British newspaper The Telegraph named them the best fans of the group stage, and at the end of the year, FIFA itself officially awarded them the title of best fans of the 2018 World Cup, not only for their passion, but also for their respect and joy inside and outside the stadiums. Griezmann's human side: from rejection to a dream fulfilled Beyond football, Griezmann has recently shown a profoundly human side that helps explain why he values ​​people's efforts so much. In a conversation with actor Jaime Lorente, the Frenchman recalled how difficult his childhood was, pursuing his dream of becoming a footballer. You begin the stage of the “From 10 to 18 years old, with that dream, you go to professional clubs, you live in a club residence… and there are many who never get that,” he recounted. He himself almost became one of them: he told how a club promised his father they would sign him, and even offered to pay for the train so the family could visit him every weekend, but a week later they called to say no. “It was very hard,” he admitted. His father drove him from club to club for trials, and time and again the answer was the same: no. That’s why today, already established, he gets emotional seeing his four-year-old son, Amaro, ask to go to training even if it’s raining and cold. “I see myself in him a little bit like that,” he said tenderly. A story that connects with that of so many Peruvians who, like those fans in 2018, give everything for a dream.