So said England manager Roy Hodgson about tonight’s match between England and France. Only four days after the attacks in Paris, including one during a Germany-France game, the French national team stepped onto the pitch in London. On the bench were two players directly affected by Friday’s attacks: Lassana Diarra, whose cousin was murdered, and Antoine Griezmann, whose sister escaped the Bataclan shooting.
Fans from both sides joined in a rousing rendition of “La Marseillaise,” the French national anthem, to which the French government had this response:
Merci, Thank You @wembleystadium #ANGFRA #ENGvFRA #NousSommesUnis #StandTogether pic.twitter.com/wgcY0sLNx4
— Gouvernement (@gouvernementFR) November 17, 2015
Some fans had an even better idea:
Crowd behind French goal attempting 'stand up if you hate Isis' chant. Didn't quite catch on...
— Raphael Honigstein (@honigstein) November 17, 2015
Sadly, it didn’t seem to catch.