sport
Share icon

Share

WATCH: Antoine Griezmann’s classy gesture to bereaved France fan

Published 11:37 30 Jun 2016 BST

Patrick McCarry
WATCH: Antoine Griezmann’s classy gesture to bereaved France fan

Homesport

Antoine Griezmann saved his best for Ireland but still found time for a young French supporter after the final whistle.

It was not known to many at the time but France had a very special guest of honour during their 2-1 win over Ireland. The son of slain police officer Jean-Baptiste Salvaing was at Stade Olympique Lyonnais at the bequest of the French Football Federation. Salvaing and his girlfriend were murdered in the early hours of June 13 in a suspected act of terrorism. The murders left the couple's children, Hugo and Mathieu, orphans. Knowing that Hugo was a keen football fan, the federation reached out to the Police Nationale [French police force] with an invite and some tickets. The game was drifting away from France when Griezmann stepped up and scored a brace. It shattered Ireland's Euro 2016 hopes but had the French fans in raptures. Following the game, Griezmann met up with Hugo to present him with the match ball and pose for a photograph. Police Nationale also shared a touching letter, sent on behalf of Salvaing's family, that thanked everyone for rallying around them and the two boys after the murders. https://twitter.com/PoliceNationale/status/748387541582254080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Fair play to Griezmann, the FFF, police force and all involved. A brief ray of sunshine at a dark, dark time.