A new competition begins. First in Group A with three victories in three matches, the French Olympic team faces Argentina this Friday in Bordeaux in the quarter-finals of the Olympic Games. A meeting as difficult as it was explosive.
Argentina is the arch-favorite of the competition. Difficult because the Albiceleste, led by Javier Mascherano, are the arch-favorites in the competition. It counts in its ranks four World champions, namely the attacker Julián Álvarez, the defender Nicolás Otamendi, the future Lyonnais Thiago Almada and the ex-Montpellier Geronimo Rulli. And it (also) has several young talents, such as midfielder Ezequiel Fernández, attacking midfielder Claudio Echeverri and center forward Giuliano Simeone, son of Diego. But the Tricolores are not impressed. “ I think we are facing one of the favorites in this competition. But we also have our strengths so it's going to be a big match , said midfielder Andy Diouf. We can't wait to get started.
If the “Blueberries” are eager to do battle, it is perhaps (also) because there will inevitably be a little scent of revenge this Friday evening at Matmut Atlantique. The French will (certainly) all have in mind the final of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar lost by the Blues against the Albiceleste...on penalties (3-3, 4-2 after tab). And they will (certainly) be keen to forget - if possible - this cruel defeat. In any case, this “trauma” should not affect Thierry Henry’s men. This is what Alexandre Lacazette assured: “ No, that cannot play a role. None of us were at the 2022 World Cup, no one experienced the pressure there was there ,” said the French captain.
To reach the final four, the French Olympic team will certainly be able to count, in the stadium, on the support of thousands of excited French supporters, as on all the Olympic sites since last Saturday. And there will also be millions behind their screens to support them. Significant (national) support, which could have an impact on the meeting. “ The Olympic Games really bring a whole country together. I'm watching sports right now that I'm not used to watching. Because they are French, we support them. It makes you want. And when we go to the stadium and see that the whole public supports us, obviously we want to do the same!” , indicated Alexandre Lacazette, referring in particular to the audience at Paris La Défense Arena, on fire, for Léon Marchand's finals.
But if this match promises to be explosive, it is also (and above all) because the context between the two selections has worsened in recent weeks. Let us remember, after Argentina's coronation at the Copa America, Enzo Fernández posted a video on his social networks in which he covered, with some of his teammates, a song with racist lyrics targeting some of the French players. This logically provoked strong reactions and the Chelsea FC midfielder, who rubs shoulders with several Tricolores among the Blues, was forced to apologize.
Questioned on the subject, the members of the French Olympic team kicked aside, preferring to refocus the debate on the meeting. “ There is a match to prepare for as a coach. There, I will only talk about that ,” replied Thierry Henry to journalists. “ A real rival? I don't know. There are many extra-sporting things that take over. The most important thing is to stay focused, not to let yourself be overwhelmed by emotions and to take the match like another quarter-final ,” said Castello Lukeba. “ It’s going to be a match against a good nation, but there will be no animosity. It will be a simple football match ,” Andy Diouf insisted. No animosity? See you this Friday evening, from 9 p.m., to be sure.
They have been waiting for months for the rematch. More precisely since December 18, 2022. That historic save by Emiliano Martínez against Randal Kolo Muani still hurts in France. Also the goals by Lionel Messi , the penalties converted by Paulo Dybala, Leandro Paredes and Gonzalo Montiel, and the Dibu dances. The Gauls took out the magnifying glass and analyzed the Olympic football fixture in detail. They set their sights on Argentina , of course, and dreamed of the dispute for the gold medal on August 9 in the Parque de los Príncipes.
But the National Team led by Javier Mascherano could not finish first in its group despite beating Ukraine 2-0 and the morbid final was brought forward: it will be played next Friday in the city of Bordeaux, for the quarterfinals of the competition. It is not difficult to imagine that the Bordeaux Stadium will be a cauldron and that it will be whistled loudly when the verses of the Argentine national anthem sound. The Marseillaise will be sung with passion.
In short, the U-23 will experience something that Los Pumas 7's already went through when they fell to the locals in a packed and euphoric Stade de France. Because, it must be said, Argentina is not a friendly word for the French at this moment, beyond the fact that in day-to-day life on the street there is not much enmity. But the pike is much more enhanced after the song that went viral by Enzo Fernández during the winning of the Copa América in the United States.
The hostility of the locals towards the Argentines, which was stronger in the first days of the Games, caught - and still catches - the attention of journalists from different countries around the world. In Clarín , for example, an article was published in which New York Times columnists explain why Argentina became the favorite villain for the French.
The issue of the fight escalated so much that even President Javier Milei spoke with his counterpart Emmanuel Macron in the bilateral meeting they held on July 25 in Paris. Days before, the Secretary General of the Presidency, Karina Milei , visited urgently to offer her apologies to the French ambassador, Romain Nadal , and also to reduce diplomatic tension that could escalate after the critical statements of Vice President Victoria Villarruel on social networks.
It seems like it was a long time ago, but this whole matter between France and Argentina took over Julio Garro from the Undersecretariat of Sports of the Nation, hours before the start of the Games. "Surely the fans will play their role in the game. But after Morocco I said that we were going to focus on playing football, which is what we can control. Everything else does not depend on us. We have to rest after this hustle and bustle. six days playing in the afternoon. This is inhuman, crazy," said Javier Mascherano after the victory against Ukraine . And he mischievously launched: "France played all its games at night."
We think about our relatives who are going to see us. Let's hope that what happened in the first game against Morocco doesn't happen. We are prepared for any environment," added Ezequiel Fernández.
But the one against France will not be a complex duel only because of the atmosphere that will be experienced, but also because the team led by Thierry Henry won the three games it played. They scored 7 goals and did not score.
Charging... "There were three different games. In the first game we felt a little stress, I think that's normal. Then we faced Guinea who played a great game for us. And against New Zealand we had a little more control. The good thing is that we were able to rotate and maintain the same pace. Now another tournament begins. We will try to enjoy, recover and prepare for this match against Argentina. We will have to stay focused if we want to win," said the former Arsenal and Barcelona attacker, among others.
Argentina and France will then meet in Bordeaux in the match that everyone expected in these Olympic Games. It will be the duel of morbidity and hostility. Also that of revenge for the French. For Argentines, on the other hand, a great opportunity to continue writing the great history of our football.
