July 10, 2016. Stade de France. Euro final between French and Portuguese. The scoreboard remains blocked at 0-0 and the Blues of Didier Deschamps are on the attack while there are only a few seconds to play before the start of overtime. Moment chosen by André-Pierre Gignac, returned less than 20 minutes before the end of regular time in place of Olivier Giroud, to illustrate. But the strike of the French striker ... fails on the post of a beaten Rui Patricio. The 1-0, almost synonymous with winning and a title of European champion, file under the nose of the main interested. In overtime, Eder will crucify LLoris and the Blues. Four years later, " APG " is still thinking about it.
Gignac reappearing from the post.
It still makes me sad today pic.twitter.com/cq6ZBkGod9
Confined to Mexico due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the 34-year-old Tigers striker took advantage of his free time to discuss the subject with his former OM colleague Benjamin Mendy during a discussion on Instagram at 3 a.m., French time. He notably revealed the images that remain in his mind. “I was going to run (in case of a winning goal) to the top of the podium. And from above I throw myself on people , he admits, tinged with nostalgia and full of emotion. Ah, I only wanted that, just to see the joy of the teammates… Damn. ” A pole for eternity in a way. But André-Pierre Gignac resumes: " I have no regrets, that's life, it's like that. We can't go back . ”
However, four years later, the wound remains wide open. For Gignac, but also all the other members of the Blues present that evening. Often asked about this, the former idol of the Velodrome had returned in September 2016 for our colleagues from Telefoot about this painful episode that would have forever changed the course of his career. " I have nightmares about it, this post will haunt me all my life ." Now in Mexico, Gignac has drawn a line on his career in Blue, he who has never worn the jersey of the selection since October 2016. And was not sacred in Russia two years ago.
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