The embarrassing breakdown of a Volkswagen at the foot of Kylian Mbappé

Volkswagen should have been thrilled with a nice PR stunt orchestrated at the opening of France Croatia match. But not everything went as planned!

The trend of small remote-controlled cars carrying match balls, like our little Volkswagen, originated thanks to Stade Français, the Parisian rugby team. The clever idea was to entrust a small vehicle with the kicker’s tee to accelerate the match tempo and avoid unnecessary delays. An innovative idea that has gained followers in stadiums worldwide, whether in football, rugby, or even athletics! At the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, remote-controlled Toyota bZ4X cars shined by retrieving javelins, discs, and weights after throws, all without mechanical issues. A real success!

But this Sunday, another story amused the spectators at the Stade de France. While the French team faced Croatia in the Nations League semi-final, a small remote-controlled Volkswagen, tasked with bringing the ball, misbehaved. After placing the ball in the center circle for the kick-off, it refused to leave, much to the surprise of French captain Kylian Mbappé.

The star forward, initially puzzled, tried to encourage the vehicle to leave the field with a wave of the hand and some cheers. But nothing worked; the car remained stuck there, immobile. Determined, Mbappé took matters into his own hands… literally! He picked up the small Volkswagen, took a few steps, and handed it over to an official who came to assist.

A humorous moment that didn’t prevent the French team from performing brilliantly. After losing 2-0 in Split, they turned the tide with a 2-0 return, eventually winning 5-4 on penalties. This “comeback” sent Didier Deschamps’ men to the UEFA Nations League Final Four.

As for the little remote-controlled car, who knows if it might become the official lucky charm of the French national soccer team. In the end, that suspended moment made it a worldwide star, gaining more airtime than probably expected. A Volkswagen coup? Who knows…