Wembley heightened security in response to Friday’s events, with sniffer dogs around the stadium from early on Tuesday, helicopters circling overhead hours before kick-off and armed police in evidence as supporters, including 1,400 following France, arrived at the stadium. You have to praise them for the way they handled themselves and the way they performed was fantastic.
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Many England fans were seen holding French flags and wearing T-shirts with messages of support, while the iconic Wembley arch was lit up in red, white and blue, with France’s national motto “Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite” displayed across the entrance.
“This will be shown round the world and will show unity”, said England captain Wayne Rooney, one of the team’s goal-scorers. “Football is a global game and.it is not about religion or race”. We lived together. The sense of respect out there was incredible.
“We wanted to play this match for all the people who have stayed in Paris, to pay homage and to honor the victims and their families”, Giroud said. “Everyone who played the match is a professional player”.
Alli has started the last eight games for Tottenham and the team hasn’t lost, helping it climb to fifth in the standings ahead of Sunday’s home match against West Ham.
“When the coaches and Prince William laid the flowers on the turf, it was…well frankly, I don’t have the words”.
Members of the German government including Chancellor Angela Merkel were not at the stadium, but had arrived in Hannover to attend the match to send a signal that Germany wouldn’t bow to terrorism in the wake of the deadly Paris attacks on Friday. The bombers sought unsuccessfully to enter the stadium.
French footballer, Christian Karembeu, felt the out pouring of love and said the evening was “powerful”.
Lassana Diarra and Antoine Griezmann were both given warm receptions when they came on as substitutes in the second half.
Hodgson said: “I think it was a very poignant occasion – it was everything I expected it to be and I thought the way the FA and the French FA set it up was very well done”.
Fans from both countries shared warm embraces outside the stadium, and a few broke into a rendition of “La Marseillaise” as they walked up to the stadium.
And then both teams’ match day squads joined a symbolic line-up together before an immaculately observed minute’s silence.
Mathieu De Bruyne, an engineer from Dunkerque, said he had brief doubts about coming to London for the game.
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“They are two players who maybe haven’t had a lot of publicity in terms of their chances up to now but I think they are going to get a lot of publicity for their chances going forward”.
