France supporter turns to lucky charm before victory

Before the opening whistle, a diehard France supporter in Denham Town made one unusual request to the fans gathered outside a business establishment to watch Thursday’s World Cup quarter-final clash against Morocco — sprinkle water around the television set mounted outside.

“Wet up di place. Dem a hold wi dung so wi haffi run di bad spirit and bad energy,” he declared, directing a teenager to splash water around the area where the screen was positioned as part of what he believed was a lucky ritual.

The supporter, who this newspaper calls ‘Frenchie’, appeared to understand that even the strongest teams sometimes need fortune on their side. Like many football fans following the tournament, he had watched as traditional powerhouses stumbled — Germany’s early group-stage exit, Brazil’s narrow escape into the Round of 16 before being eliminated by Norway, and Argentina struggled on two consecutive occasions, barely getting over the line and into the quarterfinals.

Yet despite his unwavering faith in France, there was little outward evidence that he was backing Kylian Mbappé and his teammates. Frenchie wore no jersey, displayed no flag and carried no sign of support. His confidence alone revealed where his loyalty stood.

“France a di best team inna di World Cup,” he declared. “Dem earn every win dem get.”

France, two-time World Cup champions in 1998 and 2018, entered the tournament looking to reclaim the title after losing the 2022 final to Argentina. Frenchie was convinced this would be the year France turned the tables on Lionel Messi’s team.

“FIFA rigged World Cup fi Argentina, but not even that can save dem. France nuh need help from no ref. Dem have di quality and dem a guh show everybody why dem deserve fi carry home di title.”

Across much of the Corporate Area on Thursday, there were no blaring horns or massive crowds gathered around television sets. The usual World Cup scenes of packed bars, corner shops and betting establishments had faded as the quarterfinals got under way, leaving only pockets of passionate supporters to carry the excitement.

For the France fans who remained visible, confidence was high. One of the biggest moments came at half-time when 42-year-old Oshane O’Connor boldly predicted that France would secure victory, with Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé scoring the goals. His forecast proved accurate, giving him bragging rights among those watching.

“Unnu call Messi the magician, but a me dat,” he boasted.

When asked how he managed to correctly predict the result, O’Connor said his confidence came from instinct.

“The same way mi can tell yuh seh France ago send home Argentina, mi just know.”

He was so convinced that he was willing to back his belief financially.

“Mi mek sure a guh bet fi finals, so unno will see and memba seh me did seh so,” O’Connor said.

While some supporters approached the match with absolute confidence, others were overwhelmed by nerves as the pressure of the knockout stage intensified.

At Usain Bolt’s Tracks and Records in St Andrew, France supporter Reesha Gordon admitted she was anxious before kick-off, knowing one mistake could end France’s title hopes.

“My heart very weak and mi very nervous right now,” she said.

Despite the tension, the atmosphere surrounding the World Cup has continued to highlight the passion of Jamaican football fans, whether they are supporting global giants or less popular teams.

“While some may think football supporters take the sport too seriously, the dedication shown by Jamaicans backing their favourite World Cup teams makes the tournament more exciting,” Gordon said. “Me love the passionate support and the banter.”

Richard, another France supporter watching the match at The Summit in New Kingston, argued that France fans in Jamaica may not be as easy to spot but their commitment is just as strong.

“Jamaicans do have France supporters here and there. Maybe not a big following like Brazil and Argentina. But most of those people only watch football during World Cup. Mi watch all di leagues. La Liga and Champions League, plus mi used to play football. Mi always did a strong France supporter.”