This is no normal football match. After the travesty on Friday night, this is a show of solidarity, a unity against terrorism, all forms, not just the disaster in Paris, but also to pay respects to those who perished in the horrifying events in Beirut which saw over 40 people die, and also the ongoing conflict in Syria, as well as everywhere else in the world thats has been on the receiving end of this barbarism. Yes, Wembley will be sporting the French colours and the motto "Liberté Egalité Fraternité", but the message is not uniquely in support of Paris, but for every nation that has suffered at the hands of terrorists.
Of course, we hope for a good game, but that is not the focus of the event today. This is more than a football match, this is a statement. La Marseillaise will ring around Wembley in memory of the French, but we will hold all of those affected by ghastly events worldwide in our thoughts. This very kind and noble gesture will no doubt be criticised, in many respects with reason, for not being inclusive of the other countries that have been suffering from terrorism and achieved much higher death tolls, but in a match that is against the French national team, there is no harm in welcoming them and sharing the message that we are with them. If we were to play Lebanon for example in the light of the terrorism there, I would hope and expect we would extend the same message. That is unlikely due to the way the media covers terrorism that doesn't directly affect Europeans, but maybe now we can open our eyes and see that this disaster in Paris is a regular occurrence all over the planet, and they have to face these tragedies much more regularly than we do.
This is our chance to stand united against terrorism, united with the French, the Lebanese, the Nigerians... everyone. The fact that we have extended this warm greeting of solidarity and unity to the French means we must do the same to all countries globally, and that togetherness will help us overcome terrorism.
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