Theresa May to watch on as England and France plan to stand united in Paris

12 June 2017 17:09

Prime Minister Theresa May is planning to watch England's friendly in France, where a rendition of Oasis' Don't Look Back In Anger will be among the tributes to the victims of the Manchester and London terror attacks.

Just days after the General Election, Mrs May will meet French President Emmanuel Macron over dinner at the Elysee Palace for talks that are set to centre on counter-terrorism.

The pair are expected to go the Stade de France afterwards to watch the friendly between France and England, where tributes will be paid to the victims of the recent atrocities.

A minute's silence will be held at the stadium, where the players will be welcomed by fans holding up red and white placards to form the England flag as Don't Look Back in Anger is played by the Republican Guard.

The Oasis song was sung by mourners as they gathered in the wake of the Manchester attacks and was then played again at Ariana Grande's tribute concert at Old Trafford.

In a change to the usual schedule the French national anthem will go before God Save the Queen, with the lyrics of the two hymns to be shown on the screens. Both sets of players will have a photo together to show solidarity and togetherness.

England manager Gareth Southgate said: "We are very grateful to the French for offering this tribute to England as a country.

"It's nice that the history between us doesn't come between us at those moments."

It is a reversal of the tributes seen at Wembley in November 2015 as the sides met just days after the terror attacks in Paris, one of which was outside the Stade de France.

France midfielder Lassana Diarra's cousin Asta Diakite was among those killed, while Antoine Griezmann's sister managed to escape a mass killing at the Bataclan theatre.

Both players started on the bench at Wembley, where the words to La Marseillaise were shown on the big screen, allowing home supporters to join in a touching rendition of the French national anthem.

The players posed shoulder-to-shoulder for a photo, before standing together around the centre circle during a minute of silence.

Source: PA