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French fans celebrate their team's entry into the final
Photo:
JULIEN DE ROSA v AFP
In Paris and other major French cities, football fans celebrate the Équipe Tricolore's entry into the final of the World Cup in Qatar.
Contrary to fears, things have remained peaceful so far.
In a TV link to the Champs-Élysées, ZDF reported that after the final whistle of the 2-0 semi-final win over Morocco, it didn't take long for the streets to fill up.
Both the French and the Moroccan flag can be seen there.
There are many people of Moroccan origin living in France, most of them in Paris.
In Paris alone, around 5,000 police officers are on duty, ZDF reported, and traffic in the city center is severely hampered.
Around 10,000 officials were ready nationwide, France's Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said on television.
That is about twice the effort as in previous World Cup games for the French team.
According to the Reuters news agency, the celebrations have so far been mostly peaceful, with Moroccan fans only colliding with the police in exceptional cases.
Morocco's sensational run to the last four, the first semi-final appearance by an African team in World Cup history, was not only celebrated in Morocco.
After the successes in the previous rounds, there were riots in Belgium, where many people of Moroccan origin also live, and in France.
Last Saturday there were 74 arrests in France.
mrk/Reuters
