French President Emmanuel Macron reacts during the final match between France and Croatia at the 2018 soccer World Cup in Moscow, Russia. Photos / AP
French President Emmanuel Macron reacts during the final match between France and Croatia at the 2018 soccer World Cup in Moscow, Russia. Photos / AP
Emmanuel Macron celebrated France's victory over Croatia in the World Cup final with his own animated display of patriotism.
The French President was seen wildly gesticulating from the VIP area in the stands next to a more subdued Vladimir Putin, the Russian leader, and Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, Croatia's President.
Before embracingthe players after the final whistle - and opting to kiss 19-year-old goalscorer Kylian Mbappé on the head - Macron was pictured pumping his fists in the air as he looked down on the packed Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.
As his team collected the cup on the pitch he joined Putin and Grabar-Kitarović in handing out the winners and runners-up medals, the Daily Telegraph reports.
Before the game Putin said he told France's leader at a bilateral meeting that it's about time for Russia and France to "get over" the difficulties straining their relations.
Macron's office said he wanted to make Europe's voice heard after last week's contentious Nato summit and before Putin's summit with US President Donald Trump.
In the run-up to his election in 2017, Macron accused the Kremlin of election meddling, saying that servers belonging to his campaign were hacked by a group likely to be associated with Russia.
Macron gives impassioned locker room speech to the French World Cup team. “You are now an example for so many young people and you will be one for all your lives. [...] You will never be the same again.” pic.twitter.com/rlyjMZSIzu
