The 2024 Olympic men's soccer final in Paris will go down in history as one of the most thrilling and dramatic matches in recent memory. Hosts France and Spain battled it out in a game that had fans on the edge of their seats until the final whistle blew.
After falling behind 3-1 at halftime, France showed incredible resilience and determination to mount a comeback and force extra-time. A penalty from Jean-Philippe Mateta in the 93rd minute pulled France level, setting the stage for an intense battle for the gold medal.
However, it was Spain who ultimately emerged victorious, with Sergio Camello delivering a heroic performance with two goals in extra-time to secure the gold medal for his team. Despite a valiant effort from France, it was Spain's night to shine as they added Olympic glory to their Euro 2024 title.
The match was filled with standout performances, including a brace from Fermin Lopez and a brilliant showing from Spain goalkeeper Arnau Tenas, who made crucial saves and even assisted in setting up the final goal with a remarkable throw that launched the ball nearly to the halfway line.
For France, the silver medal was a bitter disappointment, but they can be proud of their efforts throughout the tournament, led by the goal-scoring prowess of Mateta and Michael Olise.
In the end, it was Spain who emerged as the deserving champions, claiming their first Olympic men's soccer gold since 1992. The match was a true display of skill, determination, and passion for the beautiful game, and will surely be remembered as a classic in Olympic soccer history, Here are some video highlights from the Olympics football finals:
Congratulations to Spain on their well-deserved victory, and commiserations to France for a hard-fought battle. The 2024 Olympic men's soccer final will go down as a match for the ages, showcasing the best of what the sport has to offer.
Score Goal scorers:
France 3 Millot (12'),
Akliouche (79'),
Mateta (90+3')
Spain 5 F. Lopez (18', 25'),
Baena (28'),
Camello, (101', 120+1)
Kickoff: 6 p.m. local (12 p.m. ET / 9 a.m. PT)
Location: Parc des Princes (Paris, France)
Referee: Ramon Abatti (BRZ)
Starting lineups:
France (4-3-1-2, right to left): 16. Restes (GK) — 5. Sildillia (Cherki, 111'), 4. Bade, 2. Lukeba, 3. Truffert (Locko, 91') — 12. Millot (Doue, 78'), 6. Kone (Magassa, 106'), 13. Chotard (Akilouche, 52') — 7. Olise — 10. Lacazette (Kalimuendo-Muinga, 52'), 14. Mateta.
Spain (4-2-3-1, right to left): 1. Tenas (GK) — 2. Pubill (Juanlu, 73'), 4. E. Garcia, 5. Cubarsi, 3. Miranda (M. Gutierrez, 98') — 6. Barrios, 10. Baena (Turrientes, 83') — 14. Oroz, 11. F. Lopez (Bernabe, 73'), 17. S. Gomez — 9. A. Ruiz (Camello, 83').
France vs. Spain live updates, highlights from Olympic men's final
FULLTIME: France 3-5 Spain
SPAIN WIN THE GOLD MEDAL! They knock off France thanks to an extra-time brace from Sergio Camello! Spain completes this summer's men's soccer double by winning both Euro 2024 and the Olympic gold medal!
120+1 min: GOAL! SPAIN! WHAT SCENES! IT'S A GOALKEEPER THROW ASSIST TO SEAL THE GOLD MEDAL FOR SPAIN!
An absolute cannon from goalkeeper Arnau Tenas launches the ball nearly to the mid line for Sergio Camello. The ball falls perfectly into the bucket, far enough to lead Camello on the run but not too far that it reaches the opposing goalkeeper! Camillo does the rest with yet another chip of Guillerme Restes, and the gold is in hand!
117th min: Desire Doue takes aim from an extremely tight angle, but can't come close to hitting the target, rifling miles into the stands.
114th min: Chance, Spain! The leaders aren't totally in a shell, and only great emergency defending by the France back line keeps them from finding the goal which seals the gold medal!
111th min: One last change for France as Rayan Cherki comes on for the final 10 minutes hoping to force penalties, replacing Kilian Sildilla.
2nd half extra-time kickoff: Thierry Henry makes another change for the final 15 minutes as Manu Kone is brought off, replaced by Soungoutou Magassa.
HALFTIME OF EXTRA-TIME: France 3-4 Spain
Spain are 15 minutes from an Olympic gold medal, but they were here in regulation too and couldn't hold on. They'll be under fire the whole second half, so there's a long way still to go against a strong attacking opponent.
101st min: GOAL! SPAIN! SERGIO CAMELLO PUTS SPAIN IN LINE FOR THE GOLD MEDAL! It comes off a glorious vertical pass right up the gut by Adrian Bernabe, and Camello chips the charging goalkeeper to take the lead!
Parc des Princes is once again silenced as the hosts need another comeback to pull back level!
98th min: As far as extra-time goes, this has been a relatively lively start to the added time. Both sides have shown strong attacking intent and the game has gone end-to-end.
Spain will make another change, with the booked Juan Miranda replaced by Miguel Gutierrez, who made La Liga's official team of the season last club campaign with Girona.
93rd min: Spain substitute Jon Pacheco is booked for a hard foul on Michael Olise.
Extra-time kickoff: They're under way for another half-hour of play in Paris, with a gold medal on the line. France make a change as left-back Adrien Truffert is withdrawn and replaced by Bradley Locko.
Spain are now without many of their more experienced players, with both goal scorers Fermin Lopez and Alex Baena withdrawn as they looked to protect their lead. There are three players on the pitch who are looking to navigate extra-time with a yellow card.
END OF REGULATION: France 3-3 Spain
What a comeback for France! Down two goals, they've managed to draw level and force extra-time. We'll have 30 more minutes of this before a potential penalty shootout!
90+5 min: Chance, Spain! WHAT A SAVE BY GUILLAUME RESTES! He gets his fingertips to a Benat Turrientes shot and tips it up off the crossbar! It was the chance to win it in regular time!
89th min: PENALTY, FRANCE! Five minutes of added time are shown, and there's LATE DRAMA AT THE PARC DES PRINCES! France have a late chance to equalize after a VAR review! A corner sails over everyone's heads, but the VAR spots a foul at the far post as Juan Miranda bear-hugs Arnaud Kalimuendo to the ground!
Stepping up is Jean-Philippe Mateta...GOAL! FRANCE! THE COMEBACK IS COMPLETE AND WE'RE LEVEL!
83rd min: Fresh legs are needed for Spain, who are under siege and using as much time-wasting tactics as possible. Alex Baena and Abel Ruiz are withdrawn, as Sergio Camello and Benat Turrientes enter the match looking to protect the one-goal lead.
79th min: GOAL! FRANCE! A STROKE OF FORTUNE FOR FRANCE WHO ARE BACK WITHIN ONE!
A free-kick by Michael Olise from outside the top-right corner of the penalty area strikes the foot of Maghnes Akliouche on its way through and nestles into the inside of the side netting! It looked like Akliouche was simply trying to jump out of the way of the delivery, but he makes the necessary contact to get it by Arnau Tenas!
It's extremely soft, as there's definitely contact, but who initiated it is the question, and the corner wasn't reachable as it was blasted over the pack of players. Miranda is booked for the foul he's adjudged to have committed.
HALFTIME: France 1-3 Spain
A scintillating first half that saw hosts France score early while Spain then roared back into a commanding lead. Fermin Lopez, who has been exceptional all tournament, has a pair of goals, while Alex Baena scored a third with a free-kick.
Don't count Thierry Henry and France out just yet, however, as Les Bleus looked dangerous in first-half stoppage time and could be good for a comeback of their own if allowed the time and space on the ball in the second half.
45+6 min: Loic Bade is shown a yellow card for a foul on Juan Miranda, becoming the second French player booked after arriving late and stomping on the foot of the Spain defender.
45+4 min: Chance, France! Finally, Spain can breathe after a long spell of threatening possession as Michael Olise fires a shot agonizingly wide left. The Olympic hosts came so close on two occasions here to close the half!
45+2 min: Chance, France! WHAT A SAVE BY ARNAU TENAS! Early in seven minutes of stoppage time, France have their best attacking move of the match, and the ball is floated across the face of goal from right to left. Eventually, it falls to the head of Jean-Philippe Mateta who delivers a powerful effort on goal, but Tenas makes a sensational stop to tip the ball over the crossbar with his fingertips while leaning backwards!
41st min: Chance, Spain! A strong kick-save by Guillerme Restes to keep out a tight-angle shot by Juan Miranda! The Spain left-back had got around Kilian Sildillia on the left wing and cut inside towards net.
36th min: The first yellow card of the match is shown to Manu Kone for sending Aimar Oroz flying through the air with a late step. France look incredibly defeated, they will need to hang onto this scoreline until halftime where Thierry Henry can lift his team's spirits.
28th min: GOAL! SPAIN! Alex Baena bags a lovely free-kick and Spain are suddenly 3-1 up! France look shell-shocked! He delivers it beautifully over the wall and into the top-left corner, and you can hear a pin drop in Parc des Princes!
25th min: GOAL! SPAIN! FERMIN LOPEZ HAS ANOTHER! We're not even a half-hour in, and Spain have come from behind to go 2-1 in front!
The chance comes on a cross from the left meets the chest of Abel Ruiz right on the goal mouth. His redirection is very well saved by the reflexes of Guillaume Restes, but he parries it right into the path of a charging Lopez who crashes the ball in from just a yard out, getting there just moments before Restes recovers, charging at a full sprint into the net.
23rd min: There's a nasty coming-together between Jean-Philippe Mateta and Eric Garcia just outside the top of the penalty area, which leaves both players in pain. The referee stops the match for the injury potential of the play, but no foul was given, which is surprising since Eric Garcia quite clearly blocked Mateta off.
Both players got up and will continue, but it's a big let-off for Spain after a nervy moment which could have potentially been a dangerous free-kick, or worse, a red card for denying a goal scoring opportunity. VAR lets them play on.
21st min: It's truly incredible that this match is 1-1 already, since it's largely been dull. There have only been two shots so far, one by each side, and both have found the back of the net. The two goalkeepers will expect themselves to have done better, as there has been very little attacking impetus aside from the two moves that resulted in goals.
18th min: GOAL! SPAIN! WE'RE RIGHT BACK LEVEL ALMOST IMMEDIATELY! It's Fermin Lopez who gets on the end of his fifth goal this summer, having been played in with a cross while totally unmarked on the penalty spot. He scuffs the shot with his first-time shot, surprised to have so much time, but it still manages to squeak past Guillaume Restes for the equalizer!
12th min: GOAL! FRANCE! The hosts are in front after an error from the Spain goalkeeper! Enzo Millot puts France 1-0 up with a speculative tight-angle shot that sees Arnau Tenas jump in the wrong direction. Even so, he gets both hands on the ball, but it ends up in the net anyways!
7th min: While France haven't exactly dominated possession, the game has to this point largely been played in Spain's half of the pitch. France are managing to keep the ball in the attacking half, either on the ball or defending Spain's low-tempo possession.
2nd min: Alexandre Lacazette is spoken to by the referee for his dissent after a challenge down near the end line, as the Brazilian official did not appreciate his reaction.
There's an early concern here for Spain as Fermin Lopez is down in midfield after he collided hard with an opponent and appears to be in great pain, having received a hefty blow to his midsection. He's eventually up and waves away the stretcher, set to continue.
Kickoff: They're under way at Parc des Prince, where either the host nation or the defending Euro champions will win an Olympic gold medal!