Forgotten the fake coffin of the "Kita Circus" paraded by the ultras in the fight against their president Waldemar Kita, it is the Charles-Simon Cup that the Yellows will walk through the streets of Nantes for the parade, Sunday from 5:00 p.m.

Even if it is "too small", laughs Randal Kolo-Muani, the most restless striker in the Saint-Denis final against Nice (1-0), the Cup is good for the "Canaries", who had disappeared from the honor rolls.

"We come from nowhere", recalls Antoine Kombouaré.

The coach arrived last year to save the club, and who had snatched the maintenance in Ligue 1 after a confrontation in the dam against Toulouse (2-1, 0-1).

The last 10 winners of the French Football Cup Paul DEFOSSEUX AFP

"We could die and finish in Ligue 2 last year. There, we will play the Europa League and soon the Champions Trophy. You can imagine the gap, it's hard to believe it. It's something exceptional, unique, almost miraculous for us", adds the technician.

Kombouaré "pays his debt"

Landed at the age of 20 from New Caledonia at the La Jonelière training center in 1983, the Kanak had the impression of "paying (s)a debt" to the FCN, on behalf of "all the guys from the Pacific who have gone through this club, Christian Karembeu, Marama Vahirua" he quoted in particular.

Nantes coach Antoine Kombouaré congratulates his players after victory in the Coupe de France final on May 7, 2022 at the Stade de France FRANCK FIFE AFP

Thanks to the work of Kombouaré, 21 years after its eighth and last title of champion of France, 22 years after its third Coupe de France, the FCN, former stronghold of French football, finally finds gold and light.

The yellow house has meanwhile experienced Ligue 2 twice, in 2007-2008 then from 2009 to 2013.

Kita, owner for fifteen years, received a nice birthday present for her 69th birthday on Saturday with this first title.

This may not be enough to calm the anger of some of the ultras, who regularly sing "FC Kita we don't want it" and who have shown their hostility to the club president for years.

But the two sides will return to Europe together, for the first time since a brief appearance in the late Intertoto Cup in the summer of 2004.

"Finally a trophy!"

For the time being, the spirits are at the party of this title.

"I had never won anything, it's the first time, finally a trophy, it's magnificent", raves Nicolas Pallois, huge in defense to contain the Nice.

He even left his nose, blue and bloody, in the battle.

"I think it's broken, but it'll be fine," he says.

Captain for the Coupe de France (it's Alban Lafont in L1), Ludovic Blas has eyes that shine: "The cup on the podium, I dreamed of it, it's a huge pleasure. It's beautiful, we enters the history of FC Nantes, this legendary club."

The future will be with another team, Randal Kolo-Muani has already signed, free, at Eintracht Frankfurt, finalist in the Europa League against Glasgow Rangers and therefore in contention for the Champions League next season if the German club wins.

"I can leave in peace," said the club-trained striker.

"Ludo" Blas may be gone too.

"Joker!", He brandishes about his future.

But the relief is already on the way, like Quentin Merlin, who caused the penalty.

"It's wonderful to win with my training club, he says, I have known everything here, from the youth teams to the L1, and now the European Cup!"

Like in the good old days.

© 2022 AFP