The French blind football team retained their European championship title on Sunday after beating England 1-0 in the final in Strasbourg.
French captain Frédéric Villeroux, who finished as the tournament's top scorer with six goals, secured the victory by scoring the match's only goal ten minutes into the first half.
The Paralympic champion French squad defended their early advantage during a hard-fought contest, limiting England to few chances while forcing the opposing goalkeeper into several key saves in front of an enthusiastic crowd of over 1,000 spectators.
Post-match reactions and television audience
Speaking to broadcaster France TV after the final, Villeroux said there was tremendous emotion following the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. He noted that playing before more than 1,000 fans represented a massive moment for blind football, explaining that matches typically draw only around 30 spectators.
Villeroux expressed hope that public interest in parasport would continue to grow and that media coverage would expand beyond major tournaments. He added that people with disabilities deserve greater consideration in everyday society, emphasizing that disabled athletes can achieve high performance.
French President Emmanuel Macron praised the squad in a message published on X. Macron wrote that the team demonstrated outstanding talent, courage, and collective spirit, adding that their success made the entire nation proud.
Blind football rules and Strasbourg pitch
Blind football, also known as cécifoot, is a five-a-side adaptation of association football designed for visually impaired athletes. Field players wear eye masks to ensure equal competition and locate the ball using audible bells placed inside it, guided vocally by an assistant positioned behind the opponent's goal. The goalkeeper is the sole sighted player on the pitch.
The European tournament took place in Strasbourg, the capital of France's Alsace region in eastern France and the official seat of the European Parliament. Organizers constructed a temporary pitch the size of a handball court directly at the foot of the European Parliament building for the event.
World Championship and 2028 Paralympic qualification
The victory marks France's second consecutive European crown and fourth European title overall, maintaining their position with the second-best tournament record in European blind football history behind Spain.
The top three teams from the tournament earned direct qualification for the 2027 World Championship, scheduled to take place in Brazil in November next year. The top five finishing nations, France, England, Italy, Turkey, and Germany, secured spots at the 2027 European Parasport Championships in Geneva, Switzerland. Both upcoming competitions will offer qualification tickets for the 2028 Paralympic Games in Los Angeles.
