The Paris 2024 Olympics men’s football tournament has set the stage for an intriguing quarterfinal round, with Argentina set to face France on Friday, August 2, at 16:00 (Argentine time) at the Matmut Atlantique Stadium in Bordeaux. This high-profile matchup comes more than 18 months after their senior teams clashed in the 2022 World Cup final, adding an extra layer of tension to the encounter.Both teams secured their spots in the knockout phase with strong performances in the group stage. France topped Group A with a perfect record, winning all three matches and conceding no goals. Their final group match saw them defeat New Zealand 3-0. Argentina, coached by Javier Mascherano, finished second in Group B despite tying with Morocco on points and goals, due to their loss against Morocco in the first round.The match carries additional significance due to recent controversies. The French Football Association filed a legal complaint over a chant mocking France’s origins by Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez, leading to FIFA announcing an investigation. This incident has resulted in athletes and teams from Argentina being booed by the home crowd at the Paris Olympics.Other quarterfinal matchups include Egypt facing Paraguay, Morocco taking on the United States, and Japan playing against Spain. Egypt’s qualification is particularly noteworthy, as they topped their group for the first time in their 12 Olympic appearances, securing a crucial 2-1 win over Spain in their final group match.As the teams prepare for these crucial matches, the focus remains on the field despite the off-field tensions. Argentina’s coach, Javier Mascherano, expressed confidence in his team’s abilities, stating, ‘If it’s France, it’s France. We have our own weapons to believe in’. The winner of the Argentina-France match will face the victor of the Egypt-Paraguay game in the semifinals.
Key points
- Argentina will face France in the Olympic football quarterfinals on August 2 in Bordeaux.
- The match is surrounded by controversy due to recent racist chants by Argentine players.
- Other quarterfinal matchups include Egypt vs Paraguay, Morocco vs USA, and Japan vs Spain.
- Egypt topped their group for the first time in 12 Olympic appearances.
