France won the 2018 World Cup with a resounding 4-2 victory over Croatia on July 15.
You could say they were pretty excited about it.
Photo by Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images.
Congratulations poured in from across the globe, including from President Donald Trump.
Trump — who at the time was in Europe for a NATO summit, a visit with U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May, and a trip to Helsinki, Finland, to discuss ... something with Russian President Vladimir Putin — praised the French for their big win.
Congratulations to France, who played extraordinary soccer, on winning the 2018 World Cup. Additionally, congratula… https://t.co/4QbYxVZ2wo— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump)1531674183.0
There's a helluva lotta irony packed into his tweet though. Because just two days before, Trump had warned European leaders that immigration is "changing the culture" of their countries. And not in a good way.
"I know it is politically not necessarily correct to say that, but I'll say it, and I'll say it loud," Trump told reporters during a press conference.
"I think [immigration has] been very bad for Europe. ... I just think it's changing the culture. It's a very negative thing for Europe."
This is ugly. Trump says that immigration is not "good for our country" because it is "changing the culture." https://t.co/7zTXE9Miyh— Judd Legum (@Judd Legum)1531488101.0
France's soccer team, however, epitomizes the very cultural shift Trump warned about.
Its players have roots stemming from nearby Germany, Portugal, and Italy as well as Guinea, Mali, and Algeria. No fewer than 15 athletes have lineages tied to Africa, and about two-thirds of the team members boast immigrant backgrounds.
Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images.
"There may be players who come from different origins," player Antoine Griezmann said after his team's big win, "but we do have the same state of mind."
"For our country, we give everything we have. As soon as you wear the jersey, we do everything for each other."
Photo by Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images.
Immigrants get the job done — in more ways than one.
Yes, they win championships, but they're also the lifeblood of many Western nations — including (and especially) the U.S.
Immigrants are our teachers, our business owners, our doctors, our friends. They've launched our most successful companies, starred in our most beloved TV shows, and written our most patriotic songs. Immigrants are as American as apple pie, and they have been since the beginning.
The 2018 World Cup may have marked a big victory for France. But it's also a victory for immigrants everywhere. Let's not forget it.
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