April 1997 – N°24 – Love for the game – ENGLISH

If proof is needed that football is indeed the most popular of all sports among young people, there is no need to look further than the part of the country where I grew up: the Alps. Once the ski season was over, we readily took to the football field. Amongst the kids in the Alps, football was the number one summer sport – not that we didn’t play football at school in the winter too. Inter-school tournaments were organised and because I was a fast runner and could shoot with both feet I played on the left wing for my school Saint-Jean de Maurienne.At the time, Reims football club was in its heyday.

It seems a long time ago now, in Sweden in 1958, when the French team of Kopa, Fontaine and Piantoni reached the semi-final. I remember being mesmerised on a school trip to Lyon when I saw the Brazilians play for the first time. For ninety minutes I sat with my school chums and marvelled at these magicians: Pele, Vava and someone called, I think, Pepe. It was the first time we had ever seen anyone “bend” a football.I remember when we got back to Val d’Isère we all tried to do the same. When I took up skiing competitively I obviously had less time for football. Nonetheless I continued to play regularly in games with other members of the French ski team. We had in our ranks at that time Léo Lacroix, a great player who could just as easily have made it as a footballer as a skier.

“Above all this World Cup should celebrate youth”

I must admit that I’m essentially a flag-waver for France, especially now. It’s my chauvinistic side coming out. I need to take sides in a football match, which is why at the beginning of each French season I always choose a particular team and stick with it throughout. Of course, because I was born in Alsace, the team dearest to my heart will always be RC Strasbourg. My other preferences, however, vary depending on the players, coaches and the overall image of a club.

I’m often asked why I chose Michel Platini to be the final Olympic torch carrier at the 1992 games in Albertville: we needed to attract the world’s attention. As we wanted a famous and well-respected French sports star and not somebody from the winter sports world, Michel Platini was the logical choice. My decision really paid off too, because aside from the praise we received for the opening ceremony itself, everybody was touched by Michel

Platini’s participation and his photo with the Olympic flame appeared in all the papers.

Football is by far and away the world’s number one sport. It’s also the preferred sport of young people around the world and Michel Platini is absolutely right to place the emphasis for this World Cup on youth. I believe that FRANCE 98 should show off to advantage France’s unique recipe, which mingles tradition with technological know-how and artistic creativity. I also believe, however, that if football is to remain a sport that dreams are made of, this

World Cup should celebrate youth. So that the dream continues, as it does for us, the not-so-young, who still get immense pleasure from harking back to the days of our footballing youth…