A match in tribute to Christophe Gleizes beneath the Eiffel Tower

Beneath the Eiffel Tower, public figures paid tribute to Christophe Gleizes at a football match attended by 400 people. Colleagues, friends, family members and supporters from his committee came together for a game played in two 35-minute halves and refereed by Tony Chapron and Saïd Ennjimi.

The evening centred on a shared message: “Free Christophe Gleizes!” The Eiffel Tower glittered in the background of the Emile Anthoine synthetic pitch as the match kicked off between Rudi Garcia’s red team and Philippe Montanier’s black team.

Christophe Gleizes’s family spoke about the journalist’s situation and the significance of the tribute. His mother, Sylvie, sought to reassure people about his condition: “We regularly get updates on his physical and mental state; he is doing well.” His father, Francis, described his isolation: “He is cut off from everything.” Francis also defended the role of sports journalists, saying they should not be seen as “an intelligence agent” and calling for a signal beyond French-Algerian relations.

Christophe Gleizes is receiving messages of support, one of his relatives explained. He said the journalist had been told about the various initiatives, Thierry Henry’s words at the Ballon d’Or ceremony and the match held in his honour. He added that Gleizes was deeply moved by the creativity on display and grateful that people had not forgotten him.

Rudi Garcia said he had come to show that support was still there. “If we can help, it is important to be present,” he said, hoping the mobilisation could help bring what he called an injustice to an end. Nagui said he had learned that Christophe Gleizes had been imprisoned for 500 days and held in Algeria for 900 days. He sent him a message of trust and support. Robert Pirès also stressed the importance of being there.

The match brought together figures from different walks of life, including Julien Santini, Eric Carrière, Pierre Rabadan, Elise Lucet, Denis Brogniart, Kheiron, Yannick Noah and Emmanuel Grégoire. The mayor of Paris described the initiative as a symbolic and important gesture for the family. The evening ended with a penalty shootout won by the red team. Maxime, Christophe Gleizes’s brother, celebrated by showing the name on the back of his shirt.

The parents said the message would be passed on to Christophe Gleizes. Sylvie appealed to Algerian president Abdelmadjid Tebboune to release him. Francis called for an act of compassion and goodwill, referring to his mother’s distress and his wish to see Christophe return.