Gael Andonian (left) during a soccer game (Photo: Agence France-Presse)
YEREVAN (FIFA)—The Yerevan Airport is usually a pretty quiet place to be past midnight. But when Gael Andonian touched down there late one evening in June 2015, and set foot on Armenian soil for the very first time, he was greeted by such a large crowd that he had to rub his eyes to make sure he had flown to the right place.
He could have been forgiven for asking what all those people were doing there, holding up banners, shouting, screaming and taking photos as he emerged into the arrivals hall. The answer became evident as soon as he saw what was written on the banners: welcome messages in French. Just to remove all doubt, the autograph and selfie-hunters that converged on him made it clear that he was very much the center of attention.
“It was all very surprising,â€
