Rouen: Red Cup: A run for the Coupe de France with the French Red Devils

Words: Marc Hustin

Images: Edouard Solvet

« Red » fans forming a harmonic horde from the heavens. Red shirts over winter jackets. Red phrygian caps on.

Braving the bitter cold and the slippery cobble-stones. From the old town to the stadium.

Old Trafford is miles away from France but the fan’s fervour for their team is as deep as the one felt overseas.

Head to the sky, some fans are praying before their imposing cathedral for a miracle.

Welcome to Rouen. The little Paris of Normandy, so close to the landing beaches, so rich in history. »

©Edouard Solvet/ Terrace Edition. FC Rouen 1899 vs Toulouse FC.

Sunday, 21th January : Today is a special day. It’s the round of 16 in the « Coupe de France » and it’s Rouen’s 100th participation in this competition.

The « Diables Rouges », the french « Red Devils », are hosting Toulouse, « les Pitchounes», the « little kids » in provincial French.

Toulouse, 4-0 winners in the final of the last « Coupe de France » against Nantes, is not an easy draw for Rouen.

Thanks to that trophy win, Toulouse has been playing this season in the Europa league. They surprisingly defeated the Reds of Liverpool so they shouldn’t be afraid of the « Diables Rouges » for this match.

Rouen plays two leagues below, in National 1, the third french football league.

At the doors of the Robert-Diochon stadium, old-style tickets office with small windows curve in wooden boards. An old staff member scrutinises, producing a flow of memories.

Nostalgia at its highest point.

Two grandstands. 6000 fans. The cup music resonates in the whole stadium. Goosebumps before the kick-off.

Toulouse fans are behind a net, with the « cup winners 2023 » purple scarves around necks, the « Occifans » tarp on the fence and confidence in the eyes after their long trip.

The game is very tight. 2-2 at half-time. Each team scores a penalty. Rouen notch a free kick in the 67th minute and think they are flying to the next round but in extra-time, Toulouse send the ball under the crossbar. 3-3.

Penalty shootout.

A veil of clouds widens the dark-blue sky. You can feel the pressure in the air but no one moves an inch.

The atmosphere is incredibly breathtaking. Every heart is bumping in this volcanic calmness.

Tensed looks, crossed hands, bitten lips.

It’s all about intimidation and self-control. Which team and fans have the stronger nerves ? Would you look your enemy deeply in the eyes or avoid eye-contact to surprise him?

In both cases, each player scored properly. No one missed his shot, not even the number two Bouzamoucha, who registered after shooting in a really unexpected und unwilling way. He couldn’t believe himself he scored.

The same fate for the number three Kabongo, who after his goalkeeper scored the 10th penalty, hit home the 11th one with a severe torn Achilles tendon.

He dared taunt Toulouse’s fans by putting his index in front of his lips like Thuram did in the 1998 World Cup semi-final.

21 penalties were scored in a row. Big performance. Suddenly, the whole stadium started to sing to put pressure on the next Toulouse player. He shot. The ball was off target.

Finally, the 12th player scored for Rouen to deliver his club from this unworkable suspense. He ran around the field like a kid, teammates trying to catch him.

David brought Goliath down. Jeann d’Arc rose from her ashes. Rouen took up arms and made a new revolution in this French Cup.

They did it. They wrote a new page of history.