Thierry Henry’s France have their sights set on a place in the gold medal match in the Olympic men’s football as they face Egypt in the semi-finals on Monday, while Spain take on an impressive Morocco.
France are dreaming of a second men’s football gold — 40 years after their first — on home soil and will be overwhelming favourites against the Egyptians in Lyon.
Henry’s team have not conceded a goal on their way to the semis, having eased through the group stage with three wins from three before edging out two-time Olympic champions Argentina 1-0 on Friday.
That match in Bordeaux was marred by clashes between rival players and staff at full-time, but before that Jean-Philippe Mateta netted the decisive goal early on.
Henry later likened his side to the celebrated French men’s handball team of the 1990s that notably won an Olympic bronze medal and a world title, and were nicknamed “The Nutters”.
“I call my players the crazy guys, in a good way,” said Henry, an all-time France great who won the World Cup and a European Championship as a player.
“I have had the opportunity to play in a lot of competitions. I am not saying I haven’t enjoyed what I have done, but the Olympics are different.”
France were unable to secure the services of superstar forward Kylian Mbappe but they have a strong side at the Games, where men’s football is reserved for under-23s, with the exception of three overage players.
Every member of their starting line-up against Argentina, including captain Alexandre Lacazette and new Bayern Munich signing Michael Olise, played regularly in one of Europe’s big five leagues last season.
Henry has plenty of options and will need to find a replacement against Egypt for Enzo Millot, after the Stuttgart midfielder was shown a red card at the end of the quarter-final.
Fellow midfielder Manu Kone is also suspended as France target a place in the final at the Parc des Princes in Paris next Friday.
African chance for glory?
Egypt are targeting a first Olympic football medal after surprisingly topping their group ahead of Spain and then eliminating Paraguay in the last eight.
Coached by Brazilian Rogerio Micale — who led his home country to gold at Rio 2016 — Egypt are captained by the former Arsenal midfielder Mohamed Elneny.
The winner of men’s football gold will come from outside Latin America for the first time since 2000, and there is the possibility of an all North African final.
Morocco have been outstanding in reaching the semis, topping their group ahead of Argentina and hammering the United States 4-0.
They may fancy their chances in Marseille against Spain, who are hoping to follow their senior national team’s triumph at Euro 2024 by winning football gold for the second time, 32 years on from victory at the Barcelona Games.
Spain’s star in the comfortable quarter-final win over Japan was Barcelona’s Fermin Lopez, with the midfielder who was part of the campaign at the Euros scoring a brace.
Morocco have quality throughout and are also familiar with Spain — captain Achraf Hakimi and exciting winger Ilias Akhomach were born and brought up there, while Abde Ezzalzouli moved to the country as a child and now plays in La Liga for Betis.
“We deserve to be in the semi-finals and if we keep playing like this we will deserve to be in the final,” said Akhomach, the 20-year-old Villarreal starlet.
“France and Spain are better sounding names given what they have done before. Morocco have not won anything.
“It is true that other countries might be talked about more than us but we know what we want. We came here to win.”
