The FIFA World Cup 2018 was the all the way a delight for France as the European nation put an end to its 20-year long wait. And who could have been more elated than the French President himself! Emmanuel Macron’s undying love for football and his team was evident from the way he cheered the French team Sunday night while the high-octane match was in full swing. Macron was pictured pumping his fist from the stands at Luzhniki Stadium. The 40-year-old President leapt to his feet to celebrate France’s goals as he attended the game in Moscow along with Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Croatian counterpart Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic.

After the final whistle, Macron was on the pitch at the Stadium without an umbrella during a fierce downpour that started during the trophy presentation. “MERCI” he wrote in a one-word tweet after the match, which gave France its second World Cup victory and sparked euphoric street parties across the country.

French defender Benjamin Mendy shared a video on Twitter that showed Macron and star midfielder Paul Pogba in the changing room attempting to “dab”; a craze thought to have been started by Atlanta rappers. “Mr President, what’s the new move nowadays?” Mendy says to Macron, “The dab!” he adds, as Macron obliges with two attempts at the movement popularised by American football player Cam Newton.

Meanwhile, the French President will hold a reception ceremony on Monday for the national football team at his Elysee Palace official residence to celebrate their victory against Croatia. The world cup champions, also known among fans as “Les Bleus”, will arrive at Charles de Gaulle Airport at around 3.30 p.m. The group will then move along the Champs-Elysees on a bus before meeting Macron at the Elysee Palace. Families of the players will be invited to the ceremony along with more than 1,000 children, 300 athletes and members of the football clubs for which the teammates play.

France on Sunday won its second FIFA World Cup title after defeating Croatia 4-2 in a high-octane final. In a tournament filled with dramatic ups and downs, France stood tall in the end, keeping cool at all times despite not being in its sublime form in the group stage.