The upcoming quarter-final clash between France and Argentina in the men’s Olympic football tournament promises to be a fiery encounter, fueled by recent tensions between the two nations. The last-eight showdown will be the first meeting since Argentina players were recorded singing racist chants about their French counterparts after winning the Copa America. FIFA is investigating the incident, which has sparked diplomatic tensions.
The match will also be the first between the sides since the epic 2022 World Cup final, which Argentina won on penalties. However, the Olympic tournament is an under-23 competition, with only two members of Argentina’s squad (Nicolas Otamendi and Julian Alvarez) having played in the World Cup final.
Despite the absence of some key players, the match is expected to be a fascinating contest. Argentina, chasing a third Olympic gold, will be led by Manchester City’s Alvarez, while France, aiming for gold on home soil, will be captained by Alexandre Lacazette and feature Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise.
Both teams boast legendary coaches: France’s Thierry Henry, a 1998 World Cup winner, and Argentina’s Javier Mascherano, an Olympic gold medalist as a player. The winner will face either Egypt or Paraguay in the semi-finals.
The quarter-finals will also feature Morocco vs. the United States in Paris and Spain vs. Japan in Lyon. Spain, fresh from winning Euro 2024, will be aiming for their second Olympic gold after 1992. Japan, despite fielding a young squad, has impressed by winning all three group games.
