France vs Spain: Preview, predictions, team news

Thierry Henry’s unbeaten France take on Spain at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, and the winner will walk away with the gold medal in men’s soccer.

Ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics, the two favorites to win gold were France and Spain, and now, the two sides will finally meet in the men’s soccer final. The host nation advanced to the gold medal match thanks to Jean-Philippe’s late-game brace against Egypt in the semi-finals, extending Les Bleus’ winning streak under Thierry Henry to five games.

Spain also needed a goal in the dying minutes of their semi-final match against Morocco to punch their ticket to Paris, and Juanlu Sanchez delivered the winner to secure the 1-2 victory. A gold medal for La Roja just one month after the senior national team won Euro 2024 would complete a storybook summer for Spain. First, though, they will have to defeat Spain, something no other side has done at the 2024 Olympics.

Here’s 90min’s guide to France vs Spain at the Parc des Princes.

Current form (all competitions)

France’s midfield will get a huge boost with the return of Enzo Millot and Kouadio Kone. Against Egypt, Millot served his one-game suspension after being sent off in the quarter-finals, and Kone served his one-game suspension for yellow card accumulation. Expect both players to return to the starting XI in the gold medal match.

Otherwise, Thierry Henry will likely keep his lineup unchanged at the back and up top after their great success in the prior five matches.

France predicted lineup vs Spain ( 4-3-1-2 ): Restes; Sildillia, Bade, Lukeba, Truffert; Millot, Kone, Chotard; Olise; Mateta, Lacazette

Despite their small blunder to Egypt in the group stage, Spain have been one of the most consistent sides at the 2024 Paris Olympics thanks to their U23 stars. Fermin Lopez has scored four goals in five…