France set to be greeted by fans in Paris upon return from World Cup final loss

Supporters will greet Les Bleus in central Paris on Monday evening after the heartbreaking loss to Argentina in the greatest ever World Cup final

Fans are set to welcome the France team in central Paris on Monday evening after their loss to Argentina in the greatest final in World Cup 2022 history.

Kylian Mbappe and his teammates, who left Qatar on Monday, are expected to go to Place de la Concorde in the evening to greet supporters, according to a statement from the French Football Federation.

In contrast with 2018, when France won the World Cup in Russia, the players will not have a parade on the Champs-Elysees avenue.

In his first message published on Instagram and Twitter following Sunday's defeat, Mbappe posted a photo of himself, head down, behind the World Cup trophy with the message: “We will be back."

More than 24 million people — eight out of 10 viewers — watched the final on French TF1 television, a record high.

France played its part in one of the most memorable finishes in World Cup history, even though the defending champions failed to retain the title. Mbappe’s hat-trick of goals helped give France a 3-3 draw with Argentina after extra time, leading to a penalty shootout.

Reporting by AP