France shirts fly off shelves before World Cup final

A child looks at an official France team soccer jersey with the name of soccer plater Kylian Mbappe at NSH Foot Store in Paris, France, several days before the Soccer World Cup final, where France plays Croatia, July 12, 2018. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer

PARIS (Reuters) - Football fever has gripped the French capital and sales of the national team's soccer shirts are surging ahead of France's World Cup final against Croatia on Sunday.

Fans thronged stores on the Avenue des Champs-Elysees and the capital's Republique area to buy replica shirts bearing the names of the team's stars, such as teenage sensation Kylian Mbappe and N'Golo Kante.

"We've had loads of orders for shirts and we've practically sold them all already," said a manager at the NSH Football store in Paris. "There have been a lot of orders for Mbappe and Kante shirts."

A man wearing an official France team soccer jersey with the name of player Blaise Matuidi looks at jerseys at NSH Foot Store in Paris, France, several days before the Soccer World Cup final, where France plays Croatia, July 12, 2018. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer

Others found novel ways to mark the World Cup. Parisian baker Didier Lavry who runs the Petit Mitron boulangerie made a special "Tricolore" cake before France's showdown.

The dark-blue shirts of "Les Bleus" could be seen in the city's bars and cafes as Paris prepared for a bumper weekend with the July 14 Bastille Day holiday followed by the final, in which France is viewed as the favourite.

An employee prints the name of soccer plater Kylian Mbappe on an official France team soccer jersey at NSH Foot Store in Paris, France, several days before the Soccer World Cup final, where France plays Croatia, July 12, 2018. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer

(Reporting by Reuters Television in Paris; Editing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg)

Official France team soccer jerseys are displayed at NSH Foot Store in Paris, France, several days before the Soccer World Cup final, where France plays Croatia, July 12, 2018. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer

An official France team soccer jersey is displayed at NSH Foot Store in Paris, France, several days before the Soccer World Cup final, where France plays Croatia, July 12, 2018. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer

A man wearing an official France team soccer jersey with the name of player Blaise Matuidi looks at jerseys at NSH Foot Store in Paris, France, several days before the Soccer World Cup final, where France plays Croatia, July 12, 2018. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer

A woman displays official France team soccer jerseys at NSH Foot Store in Paris, France, several days before the Soccer World Cup final, where France plays Croatia, July 12, 2018. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer

A man wearing an official France team soccer jersey with the name of player Blaise Matuidi looks at jerseys at NSH Foot Store in Paris, France, several days before the Soccer World Cup final, where France plays Croatia, July 12, 2018. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer

Official France team soccer jerseys are displayed at NSH Foot Store in Paris, France, several days before the Soccer World Cup final, where France plays Croatia, July 12, 2018. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer

An employee displays an official France team soccer jersey at NSH Foot Store in Paris, France, several days before the Soccer World Cup final, where France plays Croatia, July 12, 2018. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer

Soccer balls are displayed at NSH Foot Store in Paris, France, several days before the Soccer World Cup final, where France plays Croatia, July 12, 2018. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer

An employee prints the name of soccer plater Kylian Mbappe on an official France team jersey at NSH Foot Store in Paris, France, several days before the Soccer World Cup final, where France plays Croatia, July 12, 2018. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer

A man looks at an official France team soccer jersey at NSH Foot Store in Paris, France, several days before the Soccer World Cup final, where France plays Croatia, July 12, 2018. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer