Heaps of emotions must have crossed his mind when, at the very end of extra time, Randal Kolo Muani saw Emiliano Martinez's left leg deprive him of the winning goal.
There are actions that haunt you, mark you for life.
Perhaps he will have nightmares tonight, and even more so after the defeat of the Blues on penalties in the World Cup final against Argentina.
Launched in depth by a clearance from Axel Disasi, the Frankfurt striker took over without control, in the 123rd minute, and chose to light up at the near post, without crossing his shot, but the Argentinian goalkeeper united to stop him and bring Argentina, in great pain, to a penalty shootout from which they will emerge as winners.
He almost became a nation's hero
There is no crueler scenario, no harder image to rewatch.
On one step, Kolo Muani, for whom it was the first World Cup final, could have seen his career switch to the unreal, madness, the ultimate dream.
By scoring this goal, he would certainly have become the hero of a nation, this player who would be remembered for eternity for having brought back the third star to French football in the wake of a great Kylian Mbappé, author of a triple.
But the football gods had decided otherwise.
Cruel for the former Nantes, scorer in the penalty shootout, and who before that had pierced the Argentine defense with an insolence that bodes very well for the future.
Read alsoFrance beaten in the final by Argentina: the notes of the Blues
Qatar may not have raised him to the roof of the world, but Randal Kolo Muani revealed himself over the course of the competition until he became the surprise guest of the France team.
The revelation.
In the semi-finals, the Bondynois had already distinguished himself without anyone really expecting him by scoring the second goal for the Blues, against Morocco (2-0), on his first ball.
Today, her carefree attitude is her greatest strength.
He doesn't ask himself any questions and proved it again this Sunday, by making a very remarkable entry in place of Ousmane Dembélé, who went completely through his final.
VIDEO.
Who is "the surprise striker of the Blues" Randal Kolo Muani?
Launched into the bath by Didier Deschamps before half-time (41st), on a right wing that he dynamited, "Kolo" gave color to the Blues who needed it.
He tried, hit, provoked to restart the match by obtaining the penalty of 2-1.
And to think that it was not planned in the initial list!
Called to compensate for Christopher Nkunku's package just before the big departure, he proved the staff right by becoming more than a substitute: a luxury joker.
A wonderful story that could have been memorable.
