Stéphane Mantey’s World Cup road diary across the United States | OneFootball

Stéphane Mantey, L'Équipe’s veteran photographer, opens a World Cup diary from the United States, blending behind-the-scenes craft with chance encounters. According to L'Équipe, this is the first leg from Houston to New York.

32 years separate USA 1994 and 2026. He will have covered seven World Cups, five for the paper, after an accident four days before Qatar 2022 cost him that tournament and the France-Argentina final. From film and airport couriers to instant filing, even calls, tickets and payments now run through a phone.

Texas set the tone, a Seabrook sports bar roaring through United States v Paraguay, then accreditation in Houston where Congolese volunteer Héritier handed over his pass. Mariachis prepared for heat breaks and remote cameras went behind the nets. Around Space Center and Galveston came portraits, from Sam, 22, who built his own chopper, to Howard, 66, a boatman.

On 16 June he joined Pierre Lahalle in New York to bolster France coverage, after fans had flooded Times Square. His image of Kylian Mbappé celebrating the opener led the paper’s front page, though he preferred the second celebration that made Mbappé France’s all-time leading scorer.

The itinerary barely paused, via Atlanta and Spain v Saudi Arabia on 21 June, then Philadelphia for France v Iraq, a 3-0 won under lightning rules, 30 minutes per strike within 13 km. Half-time hit two hours and almost four hours passed.

To be continued.

Source: L'Équipe