It all started with a game on the Coca-Cola app. I had played many times before without ever winning, but this time, on my first try, I won two tickets to the FIFA World Cup 26 Trophy Tour! That’s great, but what is it and where is it? In Paris, on February 10 at 7:00 p.m… Looking around, I found another reason to go to Paris that day, and here I am.
The weather isn’t very welcoming, but the setup around the entrance to the Adidas store on the Champs Elysées is! Coca-Cola FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour, you can’t miss it! You have to wait and register on the sidewalk and receive a wristband to present at the entrance. Most of the people there are young soccer fans, with few Pembertophiles. These young people are impatient, expecting to see celebrities, PSG players, Zidane? They think there will be a private party for the winners of the game afterwards.
It’s finally time to go in, facing a wall of soccer jerseys, probably from world champions. Another waiting line, time to register on a new site, to receive a QR code to show to the photographer. We descend to the basement where the decor meets our expectations: Coca-Cola posters everywhere, World Cup drawings, camera phones are out! No time to admire it, the organizers direct us behind screens, one takes our coats, the other our phones with the QR code, and it’s time to pose in front of the trophy. Barely enough time to get dressed again before security invites us to leave as quickly as possible, without taking any additional personal photos. The next groups are arriving, so we have to leave the space and the room. The photo will be sent to us later. At the exit, a charming hostess offers us a can of Coca-Cola Zero with a big smile, which allows us to leave on a positive note.
All in all, a great photo (if you ignore the guy next to it) of the trophy with the distinctive Coca-Cola sponsor logo. Certainly a source of great pride for any soccer fan, but a bit of a disappointment for a true Pemberton fan who traveled 650 km round trip: the organization was very efficient in allowing as many people as possible to see the trophy, but there was nothing exclusive for the winners of the game, just the chance to be among the first to see it. Nevertheless, it was a wonderful experience and the chance to say, “I was there!”