The gold medal will be won in the Paris 2024 Olympics men’s football competition on Friday afternoon with the host nation one of the two sides in contention as France go up against Spain in a tasty looking final.
Both these teams have looked the standout sides in the tournament and are guaranteed at least a silver medal coming into the final but neither will have turned up content with that colour and both will be eager for gold which should make for a decent final.
France
You would have expected the host nation to be one of the strongest teams in the tournament in a sport which they very much take seriously and that is exactly how it has played out. They were given a favourable draw in the group phase but they made the most of it and then when they took out Argentina in the quarter final they set themselves up nicely to push on and contend for this gold medal and go into the final as the favourites to win it.
They did take longer than many would have expected to get rid of Egypt in the semi-finals, where they conceded the only goal they have let in all tournament before getting the better of the Africans in extra time. In Michael Olise, France probably have the standout player of the tournament while Jean-Philippe Mateta is leading the line brilliantly and given the quality that they have shown in defence it isn’t hard to see why France are fancied.
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Spain
What a summer it has been for Spanish football already! After Real Madrid won the Champions League their senior team went and won Euro 2024 and now the next age group down are a game away from winning the Olympic gold medal. If they can win this final it would complete the perfect summer and based on what we have seen from them so far in this tournament they certainly shouldn’t be ruled out of doing that.
Spain have made it through the draw with the only defeat they suffered coming in the match against Egypt in the final group game where they rested their key players having already secured qualification for the knockout stages. We didn’t see the best of the Spanish in the group stage of the tournament but they have moved through the gears in the knockout phase and if they can continue that improvement then they are going to be strong challengers here.
Betting
I think we’re in for an excellent final in Paris and one where I think both sides will look to go and win the gold medal rather than sit back and contain in the hope of getting something on a counterattack or a set play. That hasn’t really been the plan for either of these coaches in the tournament to date and with a medal guaranteed I don’t see why that would change now. I actually fancy Spain to win the gold medal here because there is way less pressure on them to deliver but I think the better bet lies elsewhere.
There is a lot of attacking talent on this pitch for this final and while both teams have a decent enough defensive record, although Spain have conceded in most of the matches they have played in, they haven’t been tested like they are going to be here. You could argue that France had a solid test against Argentina but that side flattered to deceive throughout the tournament so I think this will be a bigger test. You can get even money on both teams to score in this final and that looks good to me.
Tips
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