From beaches to the banlieue In Paris the Cup Dom-Tom

From now part of the Cup departments and overseas French territories. On the outskirts of the capital will challenge Guadeloupe and Martinique, Polynesia and New Caledonia. Testimonial Thuram, Karembeu and Bernard Lama

PARIS, Sept 24, 2008 - gray sky, sun in the field. From now part of the Cup departments and overseas French territories (Dom-Tom). Seven representative challenge far from paradisiacal beaches and tropical vegetation. Palazzone and ring roads around the banlieue of Paris.

PATRONAGE - A Cup strongly desired by the Federation to highlight, despite the winter day that oppresses the capital, the overseas football (78mila card at 12.5 million inhabitants) that both gave to the country. Therefore, competition is supported by former world champions such as Lilian Thuram, a native of Guadeloupe, Christian Karembeu (New Caledonia) and Bernard Lama (Guyana).

LEADS - And tonight, opens the tournament, which ends on October 4, precisely against Guadeloupe Martinique. Today up to that challenge Polynesia, New Caledonia, the only official representative (95 th in the Fifa ranking), but already eliminated from World Cup 2010. "The idea - to explain Karembeu Parisien - is to give visibility to new talent. Statistically the Dom-Tom are important for French football." So, no sun, but dreams of glory.

Alessandro Grandesso