French national anthem booed in Belgium: France supporters call for respect of anthems

France’s 1-0 victory in Belgium, sealed by a Michael Olise goal, was marred by whistles that greeted La Marseillaise during the anthem ceremony. The incident sparked reactions on both sides of the border and prompted the leading French supporters’ group to speak out.

Les Irrésistibles Français published a call for calm on social media ahead of two home Nations League matches: France-Italy and France-Belgium at the Stade de France. “On the occasion of France – Italy on Friday and France – Belgium on Monday, we wish to remind everyone of the importance of respecting national anthems,” they wrote.

The group highlighted a worrying trend: “Whistles during the opposing anthem unfortunately seem to be becoming commonplace in the stands. This must not become a habit!” Their message was clear: “Let us respect our opponents’ anthem as we wish La Marseillaise to be respected everywhere the Blues play. Rivalry during the match, respect above all.”

This is not the first time France has faced this type of incident during this Nations League edition. La Marseillaise was already booed during the trip to Turkey, France’s opening match in the competition. The repetition of the phenomenon, this time in Belgium, apparently convinced Les Irrésistibles Français that a public stance was necessary before facing their own supporters.