France opened their Euro 2026 blind football campaign with a 4-1 victory over England in Strasbourg on Monday, driven by a four-goal performance from Frédéric Villeroux.
Villeroux scored every goal for the defending European champions in their group-stage opener, capping his display with a remarkable individual goal late in the match.
Villeroux completed his four-goal performance by slalom-dribbling past almost the entire English defense with speed and agility before sending a low shot past the goalkeeper, a finish compared to the legendary solos of Diego Maradona.
Touchline protest and yellow card
Seconds before the fourth goal, tempers flared along the touchline as members of the English coaching staff complained to the referee regarding the securing of eye patches on the Montpellier player.
After responding on the field with his goal, Villeroux walked over to engage in a firm exchange with the English bench, leading the referee to show him a yellow card.
Despite the brief confrontation, the victory secured an ideal start for France at Euro 2026, which is taking place in Strasbourg, in eastern France, from August 17 to August 23.
Paralympic champions defend title
The match marked a victorious return to major tournament play for the French blind football team, two years after their gold medal win at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
During the Paris Games, France won the hearts of the home nation by defeating Argentina in the final at the temporary stadium constructed at the foot of the Eiffel Tower.
Blind football, known as cecifoot in France, is played on an enclosed pitch with sideboards to keep the ball in play. Outfield players wear eye patches and blindfolds to equalize visual impairment, while competing with a specialized ball that contains internal sound devices.
Villeroux, often nicknamed the Zidane or Mozart of French blind football, remains the focal point for Les Bleus as they pursue another European championship.
