To
reach Saint-Denis was simplicity itself.
A direct Metro from Gaite to Saint-Denis. The walk to the stadium was a pleasant 10
minute stroll.
Through the first
security check (remembering Danny) and up the steps towards the Stade, next the second security check and the Stade comes into view.
and straight to the
ticket machine which turns GREEN! We’re
in. The ticket was genuine and we’ve got
our seat with the corporates.
We were in
the ground early and watched as it filled up.
The dj was working hard at his decks in front of us building the crowd
up ready for the introduction of the teams, France and Portugal. As this was going on I noticed that the seats
around me were empty apart from two French men sat next to me who must have
bought their tickets from a similar source.
Unnervingly two UEFA officials came and sat next to me, and then a third
who told me that I was in her seat. This
wasn’t the time for Danny and I to argue the toss so we moved along the
row. There was still time for a picture!
One of the French men decided to
move forward but as soon as he settled down he was tapped on the shoulder by
the UEFA official and told that those seats were reserved.
A military band appeared, the flags were
unfurled and the teams emerged with their child mascots (courtesy of
MacDonalds) to a crescendo of noise.
Still there were empty seats around us and about ten minutes into the
game they were filled by the arrival of the child mascots and their
parents. Danny and I had managed to buy
tickets in the MacDonalds corporate area.
The seats all filled and I was happy that I still had one for Danny and
I.
The
game after 90 minutes was 0-0 and how Danny and I wished that Wales had been
there, we would have been in with a real chance of lifting the trophy. Portugal overcame the early loss of Ronaldo,
who was carried off in tears to hold on although France nearly won it with the
final kick when Gignac turned and hit the inside of the post. Portugal were ahead however when Eder fired a
low, 25 metre drive past keeper Hugo Lloris after 108 minutes. Ronaldo collected the cup and this sparked
wild celebrations in front of their fans in the Stade.
Danny
and I stayed for the presentation but then it was a rush back to the Metro to
begin our reverse journey.
The game was
an 8.45pm kick off so that by the end of the presentation the time was
approaching midnight when the Metro was due to close, although it was
advertised a running until 1.00am because of the final. The abiding memory of the organisation of the
final was how smoothly the transport was integrated. One metro train later we were back in Gaite
for 12.15am, about the time we would have just been reaching the back of the
underground queue at Wembley!
Back
at Clairefontaine I had a few trophies of my own to lift to celebrate the end
of Euro 16 for UEFA and myself.
Following our arrival in 8 June we had been here longer than any of the
teams who did not make it to the final, and by the time we left French shores
would have been here longer than any competing player. After all that excitement it was time for
Danny and I to have a good night’s sleep.
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