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16th Jul 2018

Two France fans die during World Cup celebration chaos

Celebrations turned violent in the early hours of Monday morning

Reuben Pinder

France fans

France won the 2018 World Cup yesterday.

Two French football fans have died after France’s World Cup final celebrations took a violent turn, descending into riots.

In the city of Aneccy, a 50-year-old fan from broke his neck after jumping into a canal as the referee’s final whistle confirmed France’s 4-2 victory over Croatia.

Meanhwhile in Saint-Felix, another fan in his thirties died as his car crashed into a tree as he celebrated the win.

In Frouard, near Nancy, three children were also seriously injured after being hit by a motorbike which then fled the scene.

The rioting and looting began after large crowds refused to dispere after midnight. The CRS riot police were called upon to keep crowds in check.

Thousands of police were preemptively deployed across Paris in the case of France winning their first World Cup in 20 years.

Fans clashed with the riot police, leading them to shut down all public transport links in the city and local trains.

Violence was also prominent in Lyon, where hundreds of young fans reportedly attacked cars and set fire to wheelie bins.

Photographs from the streets of Paris show several clashes between fans and police.

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