Hervé Mathoux turns his back on football

Visibly won over by the French victories at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Hervé Mathoux, the Canal+ presenter, critiqued “today’s football”.

On Monday evening, while the all-French sabre final, won by Manon Apithy-Brunet ahead of Sara Balzer, in a sumptuous Grand Palais, offered a 5th gold medal (for a total of 16 medals) at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Hervé Mathoux launched an improbable debate on

X. The presenter of the Canal Football Club and

Canal Champions Cup suddenly made parallels between the disciplines of the Olympic Games and the magic they offer (especially in the case of a French podium) and football, the most followed sport in the world, which today has many flaws. In particular, players who quickly move on to something else even after a terrible elimination.

“Olympic sports reveal everything that is missing in today’s football, athletes who are not afraid of their emotions, who cry with joy, with distress, with uncontrolled speech, who do not put their hand over their mouth when they talk to each other, winners and losers who respect each other. A VAR that never intervenes when it is not requested (and makes its decisions in a few seconds)”launched the Canal+ journalist. And concluded: “Oh, I forgot. No fans who invade the playing area because they consider themselves more important than the players. Football should not avoid self-analysis and questioning, which have become urgent.”.

Hervé Mathoux challenged

Internet users did not fail to retort that it was the TV channels broadcasting major football matches, by focusing on the players’ reactions just after the match and especially during the game, that pushed footballers to cover their mouths while speaking. And concerning VAR, which has created far too much controversy in recent years, we have seen an almost constant (but rapid, admittedly) use of video refereeing at the Games, during judo and fencing matches, two disciplines widely covered by France Télévisions in recent days…

Cyril Linette, the former sports director of the Canal+ group, validated Hervé Mathoux’s criticism: “The Euro was dull despite the stadiums always being full. I add to your arguments a rather mechanical production, except on the subjects of refereeing which seem to be the only ones to still mobilize the producers / directors (who have forgotten their primary role of promoting the event for those who watch it).”