Football World Cup: In France Without A Ticket

Nicholas Harling's daily quest to see a World Cup match: Day 20

The entrepreneurial spirit displayed by the two delightful English girls on the Toulouse-bound train from Paris was in stark contrast to that of their compatriots, a couple of mean-looking Cockney wide boys who greeted us on arrival. The girls were making an innocent living painting flags on supporters' faces. The blokes were, of course, flogging off tickets around 1,500 francs a time to any gullible Dutch fan not street- wise enough to delay his purchase to when prices would drop drastically at kick-off time. They did too, to around cost price, although I had paid slightly more: 650 francs for a 500 franc seat four days previously outside the Parc des Princes. It doesn't always pay to shop in advance.

Total games: 20. Total cost price: 7,530fr. Total paid: 8,095fr. Two failures to get in.