The atmosphere in the PARIS metro on Wednesday 8 July

00h45, the last train between Nation and Charles de Gaulle Etoile. All is calm until 5 revellers hop aboard at the Edgard Quinet station. Shouts of joy and songs ensue “champions, champions, champions!” Five other late night passengers brandish their colours, they are from Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, waving a Brazilian flag. Suddenly it’s party time as the two sets of supporters start the Final celebrations early. It’s all good natured fun as the French supporters tease their Brazilian counterparts by singing “On va les bouffer, on va les boufer” (literally meaning “we’re going to eat you up”). The Brazilians take it all with good humour and the two sets of fans disembark together to continue their revelries on the Champs-Elysées.

Three hours earlier, at 21h45, the FRANCE vs CROATIA game has kicked off but the metro is still chock-a-block: business people just getting out of a meeting look at their watches and raise their eyes heavenwards; and others, students swotting for exams, those who have no interest in football, and tourists, in Paris not for the football but for the sights. But the World Cup is never far away. Charles and Henry, two economics students are listening to the game on their radio. Their shouts and the mixture of anguish or delight on their faces is a reminder to the other passengers that FRANCE is attempting to win its place in the World Cup Final.