Saint-Etienne Coupe De La Ligue Win Brings Life Full Circle for This … – Bleacher Report
The 32-year wait for additional silverware ended for Saint-Etienne fans. Over the weekend, ASSE defeated Rennes in the Coupe de la Ligue final to end the historic club’s major trophy drought.
Saint-Etienne got off to a tremendous start when Brandao scored in the 18th minute off of a Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang feed. The early goal added to Brandao’s reputation as a big game player and set the tone for the rest of the match.
With Brandao’s strike holding up for a 1-0 win, ASSE earned their first major title in three decades. Considering the history of ASSE, three decades is an eternity in the pursuit of silverware.
As a longtime Saint-Etienne supporter, I remember a newspaper picture of Michael Platini celebrating the title win in 1981. I was only six years old, but that picture is forever etched in my memory because of the stories shared with me about that team and those who had come before them.
It was the desire to don the green and replicate that accomplishment that drove me on the pitch for the remainder of my youth. I never came close to achieving that lofty goal, but that aspiration helped fuel a lifelong love for the club.
As the scenes at the Stade France unfolded, I could not help but think about all the memories supporting Saint-Etienne for the last 30 years has ingrained in my mind. Jean Castaneda standing tall between the posts, Laurant Blanc before he was “Le President”, and the magic in the feet of “Lubo” Moravcik are part of moments that provided me an escape from the everyday world.
As I watched this generation of players connect with the historical past I saw how the life of a fan truly comes full circle. There next to me asking the typical questions of curiosity, was my six year old son.
I was in the middle of one of those father-son bonding moments, the kind that create something only the two can share. This time I was sharing the stories of this team and those who came before. My role had been reversed.
Whether sharing this moment with my son will mean as much to him a few decades from now remains to be seen, but it made this moment all the more special to me.
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