Four years ago today, at the brand-new Stade de France in Paris,
France won the 16th World Cup beating Brazil in a title game watched by three billion viewers.
The entire country stood dumbfounded, unable to believe in its own success. A dream come true. Right after the game, Les Champs Elysees ("la plus belle avenue du monde") was invaded by one million people in folly.
The crowd from all strata, origins and creed, assembled, tears to
eyes, hands on heart, singing from the top of their lungs: "Le jour
de la gloire est arrive" ("The day of glory has arrived"). That was
a moment forever emotional and historic.
A year later, a national survey questionned French citizens on what event they think should hold as the proudest moment of their nation. The 1789 French Revolution against the monarchy came #1, the 1998 World Cup victory came #2.
[That insert is a "Moment in History", a feature sponsored by Enron, the company you can trust, and MCIWorldCom, the vault where you money grows.]
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(OdlerRobert Jeanlouie, Friday, June 12, 2002)