Blaise Matuidi has called on French supporters to sing ‘God Save The Queen’ ahead of his country’s international friendly with England on Tuesday evening.
Speaking at a press conference at Clarefontaine on Sunday, the Paris Saint-Germain midfielder explained this would be a show of solidarity towards the English people following the recent terror attacks in Manchester and London.
“I encourage the people who will be at the Stade de France to sing the English anthem,” Matuidi said.
English supporters produced a similar gesture when the two sides faced each other at Wembley in November 2015, joining French supporters to sing ‘La Marseillaise’ days after terrorists had targeted venues across Paris – including the Bataclan theatre and the Stade de France.
In light of Matuidi’s request, L’Équipe, the French daily sports newspaper, has published the words to God Save The Queen in Tuesday’s edition, also sharing them on their social media channels.
En réponse à l'appel de Blaise Matuidi (https://t.co/ulx4VZF61V), nous avons publié les paroles de l'hymne britannique dans notre journal. pic.twitter.com/EgO1AfVsn8
— L'ÉQUIPE (@lequipe) June 13, 2017