In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Marcus Thuram (27) explained why the French team felt it necessary to speak out against the National Rally ahead of the French elections in June and July.
Thuram, a staunch advocate in the fight against racism, appealed to voters in the run-up to the snap elections to reject the message of the National Rally (a far-right political party that represented President Emmanuel Macron's main opposition).
Thuram stated at the time: “The situation is very, very serious. I found out [the elections] after the game against Canada. We were all a bit shocked in the locker room. This is the sad reality of our society today. Every day messages are broadcast on television to help this party (National Rally) get elected […] As a citizen, whether it is you or me, we have to fight every day so that this does not happen again and that the National Rally does not come to power.”
The French team, especially Thuram and Kylian Mbappé (25), were strongly criticized by Marine Le Pen's party for their statements, but as Thuram explained to the Italian media: “It seemed obvious to Kylian and me. We are young, black, [and] it was good to understand what happened and talk about it.
Despite a strong performance in the first round of voting, the National Rally and their allies were held back by tactical voting in the second round. Marine Le Pen's coalition only became the third largest political force behind New Popular Front and Ensemble. However, no coalition achieved an absolute majority.
GFFN | Nick Hartland
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