Les Bleus fly home to rapturous reception

France: Champs-Elysees remains a riot of noise and colour

France’s victorious World Cup team have returned home from Russia to a red carpet welcome ahead of a victory parade in Paris.

Goalkeeper and captain Hugo Lloris, brandishing the golden trophy, and coach Didier Deschamps led the team from the Air France plane to the tarmac at Charles de Gaulle Airport.

Airport personnel and French sports minister Laura Flessel, a former champion fencer, were the first to tell them “merci” on behalf of a grateful nation sorely in need of a boost.

‘Eternal Happiness’ read yesterday’s headline in French sports daily L’Equipe, summing up the mood of many who hope the euphoria will last for months – even years.

The team is expected to take a victory lap down the grand Champs-Elysees, the grand Paris avenue where hundreds of thousands thronged after France’s 4-2 victory on Sunday night over Croatia to capture the trophy for the second time.

For a third day in a row, the avenue was transformed into a boulevard of pride and happiness following a Bastille Day parade of French military might on Saturday that, in hindsight, was a preview for the elation of France’s World Cup win. The team’s appearance on the ChampsElysees will be followed by a reception at the presidential palace.

Hundreds of guests, including people from football clubs connected to the French players, were invited. A club in the poor suburb where 19-year-old star player Kylian Mbappe grew up is among them.

Several Paris Metro stations were temporarily adjusting their names to honour the team and its members, the transport authority tweeted.

The Champs-Elysees Clemenceau has become the Deschamps-Elysees Clemenceau to honour national team coach Didier Deschamps.

The Etoile station is, for now, On a 2 Etoiles (We have 2 stars), to denote France’s second World Cup.

BRAVO: The French football team pose with President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron