This evening, World Cup runners-up France will make their Euro 2024 debut by facing Austria in Düsseldorf. The French media, having recorded the politically motivated outings of the footballers, asked themselves: what if this endorsement anti-Rassemblement National proved decisive? A first invitation, in this sense, was made by Ousmane Dembelé. Who, however, limited himself to asking citizens to go and vote. Thuram, perhaps inspired by his father’s speeches against racism, kicked a penalty, as Blick put it. Against the party of Jordan Bardella and Marine Le Pen. Mbappé did the same thing yesterday. Does this mean that Les Bleus are, in a certain sense, all Macron’s children? Not exactly. It is true, on the other hand, that Macron has “used” the power of this team and, in particular, that of Mbappé several times for so-called soft power. Just as it is true that, already in the past, France as a national football team has had no problem intervening in the political debate. In other words: Thuram and Mbappé’s arrival on the pitch is surprising to a certain extent, although it has never been formulated with similar strength and impact. The appeal, or rather the double appeal, seemed addressed, in particular, to the younger generations. And the reason is easy to say: as Blick writes, according to polls, 34% of Under 30s in France are aligned with Bardella while 20% intend to vote for La France Insoumise, a radical left-wing party with (often) positions sovereignists and eurosceptics. However, there are also 35% of young French people who described themselves as anxious and worried. And it is here, probably, that Thuram and Mbappé could have made the difference.
