Aude – World Cup: a local boy in the middle of the final
Narbonnais John Ferreira will be the field man of IN Sports for the World Cup final between France and Argentina, this Sunday at 4 pm The journalist who followed the competition of Spain, Brazil, and now Argentina, will go to the end of the competition . We took his temperature from Qatar, where he was, this Saturday, “between 27 and 28 degrees”.
John, with all that said about Qatar, what do you actually see there?
The atmosphere is exceptional. I know we have many negative things in France. A bit like what we see in every World Cup. Brazil is great. Russia, too. In organizational terms, FIFA does not pretend. The country welcomed supporters, journalists and tourists. For a World Cup, it is very open, with no restrictions, except for alcohol, which you will not find anywhere. This is the only thing lacking in those who love to drink, but they are satisfied in hotels (laughs). The organization is perfect. And to have all the stadiums in one and the same city, to experience other World Cups, it changes your life. For journalists because you don’t have to get on a plane after your match or the next day, also for players. In terms of recovery, they were fifteen minutes from their hotel after a match. This is extraordinary!
It’s too much if the competition is organized in Aude (laughs)…
Exactly (laughs). Between Cassayet and the Sports Park, it’s quite like that!
Regarding the final, is Messi’s passion stronger than the love of the blue jersey?
No, passion is not stronger than reason as far as I am concerned. I’m for the French team 1000% but people will be divided if the Blues lose. They will all think that we will witness a rare event, Lionel Messi will be crowned world champion for the first time in his career. It ends there. Finally he entered the legend. Many say that. But we will push behind the Blues because, there too, it will be historic.
There, for this final, we were 70, between the technicians, the animators, the presenters, the consultants, the journalists. It’s a big device
This is your third World Cup with, possibly, a third star. You are living a dream, aren’t you?
(He blew). That’s crazy. I don’t know if we know, really, what the Blues are realizing. I think we minimize things a lot in France, it’s becoming commonplace. What they are doing is no small feat, and we must tip our hats to Didier Deschamps, he is the man for the job. I have the impression that he gives confidence to players who are at the bottom of their clubs. I’m thinking of Antoine Griezmann who is having a hard time at Atlético. He reminds me of Paul Pogba in 2018, too. Griezmann is the best Blues player, he does improbable, unthinkable things.
As a referent journalist for beIN Sports in immersing the Argentines, how do you feel about them?
Very motivated, as always. They have an addition this year, I was talking about it with Omar da Fonseca. He told me that all the planets are aligned for Lionel Messi and Argentina. Something has happened around coach Lionel Scaloni since they won the Copa América, with an even younger squad. Dybala and Lautaro Martinez are on the bench for example. As for the Blues, there is a new generation taking responsibility.
This Sunday will be a very special day for you. How will it unfold?
We have a special Blues device. I will go to the Argentinian hotel to raise the mayonnaise where 80,000 supporters are expected in the colors of Argentina. When I’m in the stadium, I’m on the side of the grass. We share the position with Clément Grèzes who follows the French team. I will receive guests, including Gabriel Batistuta, Juan Pablo Sorin. We have four hours live, with replays, magnet of great moments from France-Argentina, the closing ceremony…
In the World Cup final, with France, how many people did beIN Sports mobilize?
There were 110 of us in the beginning. There, for this final, we were 70, between the technicians, the animators, the presenters, the consultants, the journalists. It’s a big device.
A prognosis?
2-1 for France with goals from Giroud, Mbappé and Messi. Go Blues!
Duplex at Saint-Joseph school in Narbonne
A former student of Saint-Joseph primary school in Narbonne, who will be moving elsewhere in 2023, John Ferreira took advantage of his presence in Qatar to build a wonderful relationship with the children of CE2, CM1 and CM2: “I made videos for them based on where I was, the teams I followed and they taught them geography, capitals, football, countries… It was fun and wonderful”. “A transmission that deeply touches us 30 years later”said the Saint-Joseph school.
