Paris 2024 Olympic Games: “We managed to free ourselves”, “we have the impression of singing with one voice”, the chills of Joris Chotard after the victory of the Bleuets

La joie de Joris Chotard (à droite) après l’ouverture du score du capitaine français, Alexandre Lacazette. MAXPPP – SPEICH Frederic

The Montpellier HSC midfielder, starter with the French Olympic team, savored the emotions and the success recorded against the United States, during the first match of the Olympics, Wednesday July 24 at the Vélodrome.

Thierry Henry said that in the first 20 or 30 minutes, you were overwhelmed by emotion. Did you feel it??

Not necessarily, perhaps unconsciously. We don't want to make mistakes, we want to be diligent and maybe we force a little less, try fewer things. We struggled during this period, in the game and the pressing. But as the match progressed, we managed to free ourselves, to put our pressure in place better, the Americans were no longer bringing out the balls. Overall, I think it's a good match.

We have a great goalkeeper today, we can count on him.

Does Alexandre Lacazette’s goal, in the 61st minute, free you ?

I think. We know very well that the match changes completely if we open the score. We were dealing with a team that was playing rather poorly. Scoring forced them to go out, we then saw that there were a lot more spaces. And we had it much easier.

You also needed a great Guillaume Remains in the goals, even if he is saved by his posts twice.

He made the necessary stops. A competition like this, if we want to go as far as possible, we need the best players in all positions. We have a great goalkeeper today, we can count on him.

Singing the Marseillaise with 60-65,000 people is huge

Do you have the impression that we are launched, that the Olympic Games can really start ?

You have to! We must build on what we have done well today. It’s easier with a victory, for confidence, everything else. It will be necessary to correct small errors and difficulties in the future.

What did you feel during the Marseillaise, wearing the blue jersey, in this stadium?

It’was incredible, singing the Marseillaise with 60-65 000 people, it’s huge. We have the impression of singing with one voice, even if it is not always coordinated (laughing). But it's full of thrills. We just want to start the match because we are full of juice, of desire.