Several New Orleans Saints players got a front-row taste of European soccer on Tuesday night in Paris, with at least seven of them taking in the Champions League match between Paris St. Germain and Barcelona.
The trip came just days before the NFL’s first game in France, when the Saints face the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.
Two Saints veterans, defensive end Cam Jordan and running back Alvin Kamara, even showed up on CBS’ pregame coverage wearing PSG jerseys. When host Kate Scott asked how much they knew about “soccer,” Kamara jumped in with a line that drew a big reaction from the studio.
“You called it soccer,” Kamara quipped. “I thought it was football.”
That answer brought applause and cheers from Thierry Henry, Jamie Carragher, and Micah Richards.
Jordan then explained the visit from the Saints’ point of view.
“We all grew up playing soccer in America,” Jordan said. “They call it football in Europe.
American football is what we play. We’re here in Paris for the game, first ever in Paris, Saints vs.
Steelers. But just excited to be on the pitch; I didn’t think I’d ever get this close.”
Later, PSG posted photos showing more Saints players with team jerseys, including quarterback Tyler Shough, wide receiver Chris Olave, defensive end Chase Young, safety Justin Reid and center Erik McCoy.
PSG went on to beat Barcelona 4-2 in the group-stage match at Parc des Princes in central Paris. The Saints and Steelers will meet at Stade de France in St. Denis, the French national team’s stadium in the northern suburb of Paris.
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