Hervé Mathoux launched the 16th season of Canal Football Club as a presenter of the Sunday show, he who was recruited by Michel Denisot in 1998, 26 years ago, to join the sports department of the encrypted channel. Before his career at Canal+, the 57-year-old sports journalist was one of TF1’s reporters on football matches. After graduating from his university in Clermont-Ferrand, his hometown, this football fan (goalkeeper) attended a journalism school in Paris (IPJ) and did internships at The MountainRadio France then TF1.
“I’m going on an internship during the World Cup to replace the journalists who did the 1990 World Cup in Italy. They did the World Cup, they’re going on vacation and so we need some young people to ensure the recovery, France isn’t doing the World Cup, so the championship starts right after”Mathoux explains to PodspaceThe duo Thierry Rolland-Jean-Michel Larqué already officiated on the first channel for this World Championship concluded with the victory of West Germany (coached by Franz Beckenbauer) against Argentina, on a penalty from Andreas Brehme in the 85th minute.
Hervé Mathoux sent to C1 matches
The young intern can’t believe it. “I’m living a dream, because from one day to the next, you’re sent every week to stadiums, names that make you dream like Abbé-Deschamps, Félix-Bollaert, Saint-Symphorien in Metz. All these magical names that you hear on the radio…”says Hervé Mathoux, who became a freelance journalist and then a “permanent” journalist at TF1, covering Euro 92, the 94 World Cup and the Barcelona Olympics in 1992, before commentating on matches with Guy Roux during the 98 World Cup in France.
And to conclude on his trips, particularly in the context of the Champions League broadcast by the first channel:
“Afterwards, it becomes the same thing but internationally. You go to San Siro, Old Trafford, Anfield. Wait, you’re 22 and your life is like that for five years, but it’s great! And you gain experience. So I did eight years at TF1, there are things where you have pressure, where it pisses you off and everything, but overall, you’re still happy to go to work and that’s priceless.”. Present the Canal Football Club and the
Canal Champions Club is however more peaceful than touring the stadiums of Europe.
