French footballers celebrate election results

Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words. Footballer Dembele’s smiling face immediately after the French election results were known, in a photo uploaded as an Instagram story, says enough in the current context: the Paris Saint-Germain player was celebrating a victory for the left, or a defeat for the far right, depending on how you look at it. In case there was any doubt, Dembele later uploaded an image with the first results of the legislative elections.

Marcus Thuram also responded on his Instagram stories with precisely the image of his teammate: a smiling Dembele, a screenshot of the election results and a clear message. “Congratulations to those who have responded to the danger looming over our beautiful country. Long live diversity, long live the Republic, long live France. The fight continues,” Thuram wrote in white on a black background.

Player Jules Koundé was much more forthright: “The relief is comparable to the anxiety of the last few weeks, it is enormous,” he wrote on his X account. “Congratulations to all the French who mobilized to do this beautifully. The country is not governed by the far right,” Koundé said.

Defender Ibrahima Konate was laconic, but his message was well understood. Just two repeated emojis: the French flag and a barrier. Closed, of course:

Aurélien Tshouaméni, now a Real Madrid player, joined his compatriots on social media and celebrated the “victory of the people.” Of course, their responses were full of far-right messages, but also gratitude for the support and commitment of French athletes to the fight against the far right.

Real Madrid forward and France star Kylian Mbappe has already spoken out ahead of the election, calling for a stop to the far right at the polls as a “real necessity”. Former French footballer Eric Cantona, for his part, has chosen to commemorate his grandfather, a Spanish Republican who fought fascism, to “warm up” election day: “They will not pass. I would rather die standing than live on my knees,” he wrote on Instagram.

Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words. Footballer Dembele’s smiling face immediately after the French election results were known, in a photo uploaded as an Instagram story, says enough in the current context: the Paris Saint-Germain player was celebrating a victory for the left, or a defeat for the far right, depending on how you look at it. In case there was any doubt, Dembele later uploaded an image with the first results of the legislative elections.

Marcus Thuram also responded on his Instagram stories with precisely the image of his teammate: a smiling Dembele, a screenshot of the election results and a clear message. “Congratulations to those who have responded to the danger looming over our beautiful country. Long live diversity, long live the Republic, long live France. The fight continues,” Thuram wrote in white on a black background.