The stadium’s bars will shut five minutes before kick-off to encourage fans to observe tributes that will include a minute’s silence, the laying of flowers by team captains Wayne Rooney and Hugo Lloris and the singing of “La Marseillaise”.
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Wembley’s giant arch was bathed in the blue, white and red of the Tricolore, the flag itself was stretched out across the turf while a giant mosaic in France’s national colours decorated one end of the stadium.
“The match tomorrow is going to have massive global significance”, said Martin Glenn, chief executive of England’s Football Association, on Monday. I’m sure this will get shown round the world and show the togetherness and unity in ourselves and France and in football. But at least we showed what real life is like: “being united despite differences in nationality, differences in religion”.
France striker Olivier Giroud said it was an emotionally charged occasion, “illustrated by the minute’s silence and ‘La Marseillaise (France’s national anthem)'”.
“And then we had to go and play a game of football with a very young team and I have to say I was more than satisfied with our performance”.
France’s players – with 13 in the squad who are playing or have played in the Premier League – were given a warm ovation as they came out to warm up, returning the gesture by gathering in the centre circle to acknowledge the applause.
“Loyalty is an important quality and one should never dismiss the value of loyalty from player to coach and coach to player”, Hodgson said. We weren’t really brought up to speed with what had happened until after the match, when it came to light the bad, disastrous events that had taken place outside the ground and in central Paris. “His presence with us was something very, very strong”. The Belgian FA said it regretted the move, but added: “In view of these exceptional circumstances, we can not, however, take any risk in security matters for our players and supporters”.
France’s players were caught up in the attacks that ripped through Paris in several locations on Friday. The Stade de France was packed with 79,000 fans when three attackers blew themselves up outside the venue, killing a bystander. The teams spent the night in the stadium as carnage struck elsewhere.
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Marseille’s worldwide midfielder Lassana Diarra was another top flight player touched by the atrocities as his cousin Asta Diakite was also killed in the massacre at one of Paris’ most popular music venues. Romania have not lost since June 2014 and, despite going 2-1 behind when substitute Manolo Gabbiadini scored his first Italy goal with a close-range header in the 65th, they extended their unbeaten run when Florin Andone equalized in the 88th minute after an error from goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu. The result of the game was basically irrelevant to many, but the deeper symbolism of a very public show of solidarity between the World War Allies was plain to see.
