On a Wednesday night in Paris in November, 2009, Thierry Henry deliberately handled the ball twice while passing it to William Gallas, who scored against the Republic of Ireland.
The Republic's players went ballistic, as well they should. They had seen the handball. The referee didn't. Their pleading got them nowhere. The goal counted. It was a playoff match to decide whether France or Ireland would go to South Africa to play in the 2010 World Cup. France qualified and that was that.
Except it wasn't. Thierry Henry quickly admitted to illegal play, but said it was the referee's job to administer the game, not his. For a couple of days, it was the biggest story in the world. A terrible injustice had been done. The Irish soccer authority pleaded with FIFA to rethink the situation, suggesting the match be replayed or Ireland offered a place at the World Cup.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter, already in South Africa to talk up the tournament, revealed to an audience what the Irish had requested. He sneered. And he laughed. He literally guffawed at the nerve of the Irish.
A few days later, he apologized, sort-of, for his rudeness. Shortly after that, FIFA quietly wrote a cheque to the Irish soccer organization for €5-million. Hush money. This was only revealed in the investigations last year that illuminated the crazy money going into and out of the governing body of international soccer.
Where's Sepp Blatter now? Disgraced, removed from his job at FIFA and bleating about his innocence. Maybe he's banging fists on the pile of money he accumulated in his FIFA career. But who's sneering now?
For the first time since that infamous night in Paris, Ireland will face France. Sunday afternoon in Lyons, the two countries play in the second, knockout round of Euro 2016. The shadow of the notorious handball incident hangs over the game, making it a delicious revenge match. That's what the commentators will say on TV. There are pundits in newspapers who will say that too. There are Irish fans who will feel that way. There are French fans who worry the Irish will feel that way. A great grudge is held and the Irish want revenge.
Seven years is a long, long time in soccer. Professional players are trained, not only to kick the ball and play as a unit, but to forget the past. What happened before is gone, yesterday's news. It's the next encounter that matters. Prepare for that, forget the past.
In an Irish context, that is codswallop. Long memories, have the Irish. What happened three hundred years ago is a fresh wound, an outrage that calls for retribution. The Irish hold grievances, with a livid indignation longer that Canada has been a country. One hundred and fifty years is yesterday. Seven years is five minutes ago.
Republic of Ireland manager Martin O'Neill has been circumspect about the revenge-plot subtext of Sunday's game. "I think we have decided to forget about it. I think that it will be a talking point but I don't think it will concern us when we play the game," O'Neill said on Thursday at the Ireland training camp.
Well, he would say that. O'Neill is hardly going to reveal in advance that, in the dressing room, he will quietly tell his players that this is the chance to revenge a great injustice – knock France out of the tournament they're hosting. Make them ashamed, make them feel the sting of defeat, because they deserve it. No manager is going to reveal in advance his motivational talk.
Besides, many of his ragtag group of players – professionals, but nowhere near the level of France's superstars in talent and fame – were not playing for Ireland on that night of notoriety in 2009. They were simply fans, watching as part of an outraged nation. In 2009, Robbie Brady, who scored the goal that defeated Italy, was 17 years old and had just joined Manchester United's youth academy. A kid. In 2009, Seamus Coleman, who was captain of Ireland in the victory against Italy, was a bewildered 21-year-old who had landed in Liverpool to play for Everton, having spent his early career playing as a semi-professional for Sligo Rovers in Ireland. These men have long memories. They are Irish to the core. Professional short-term memory, be damned. There's a revenge to be exacted.
Interestingly, Thierry Henry, who is currently doing punditry on Euro 2016 for BBC TV, declined to speak about the handball incident as soon as Ireland was scheduled to play France. Not a word could be extracted from him on the topic. When told of this, O'Neill couldn't resist the wry reply, "Well, there's a surprise!"
As for the Irish and French media's buildup to the game, the handball incident isn't something they've decided to ignore. The populist newspaper 20 Minutes, declared: "Les Irlandais disent avoir oublié la main de Thierry Henry - mais ils n'en pensent pas un mot." Which translates as, "The Irish say they've forgotten the hand of Thierry Henry – but they've not forgotten a word." You can bet your blarney on it, boys and girls.
Of course, Ireland goes into the match as underdogs. The best you can get is 9/1 odds betting on them. They have had less rest time than France. The victory over Italy took a lot out of these honest, but in many cases ordinary, players. The climax of the Italy match is unlikely to be reached again. A once-in-a-generation thing.
But, you know, France is vulnerable. Dimitri Payet has saved games but he's just one player. The great midfielder Paul Pogba seemed to engage and disengage in the three games to date. The defence isn't solid – certainly less solid than Italy's – and vulnerable in set-piece situations.
And karma counts. France went to South Africa and imploded, exiting early, after bad results and embarrassing infighting. Karma could count again. At least, that's what The Republic of Ireland is hoping.