TNT Sports
Spain claim men's football gold at Paris 2024 Olympics after beating hosts France in eight-goal thriller
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Updated 09/08/2024 at 23:51 GMT+1
Spain men's football team are Olympic champions after beating hosts France 5-3 after extra time to claim gold in Paris. The Spaniards turned a one-goal deficit into a 3-1 half-time lead but a determined France forced extra time after two late goals including a last-minute penalty. However, Spain rallied to score twice again in extra time for the win.
Watch as Spain's 'super sub' Camello nets extra time goal to sink France in final
Video credit: TNT Sports
Spain are the men's Olympic football champions for the second time in their history, after a dramatic extra-time 5-3 victory over France at the Parc des Princes.
Substitute Sergio Camello was the hero in the additional period, with two adroit finishes over Guillaume Restes to win a chaotic and engrossing match.
Spain initially looked to have won this final after 10 exceptional first-half minutes, in which Fermin Lopez scored twice before Alex Baena floated a free kick into the net to put them in charge.
Eric Millot had put France ahead after just 12 minutes, when his shot went through the hands of Arnau Tenas and in at the far post.
France mounted a stirring comeback in the dying minutes of the second half, with a goal from Maghnes Akliouche with 10 minutes to play and an injury-time penalty from Jean-Philippe Mateta pulling Les Bleus level at 3-3.
This victory gives Spain gold in the men’s football competition for the first time since 1992, when they triumphed in front of their home crowd in Barcelona.
TALKING POINT - Olympic football matters
There are three certainties in life – death, taxes and people complaining about football being included in the Olympic Games. After this final, hopefully some of the noise on that tired old argument will be turned down.
Spain and France produced a final that would have adorned any international tournament. It had style, drama, twists of fortune and moments of pure brilliance, in short anything you would ever want from an Olympic event.
Football has been virtually ever present in the modern Olympics, with a heritage that means it should never leave. True greats like Ferenc Puskas and Lionel Messi have got their hands on this title, and the gold medals have proved to be landmark gongs in Nigeria, Poland, Brazil, Spain and beyond. Argue about the format, sure; never question the worthiness.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH – Baena (Spain)
Villarreal’s playmaker looked to have put Spain out of sight in this final, after orchestrating the opening goal for Fermino Lopez and curling in a stunning free kick. He was taken off before the match moved to its stunning denouement in extra time, but left an indelible imprint on this final nonetheless.
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Spain celebrate as they go 3-1 up in the gold medal match. Image credit: Getty Images.
Image credit: Getty Images
PLAYER RATINGS
France: Restes 6; Truffert 6, Lukeba 7, Bade 7, Sildillia 6; Chotard 6, Kone 7, Millot 7; Olise 8; Lacazette 5, Mateta 7
SUBS: Akliouche 7, Cherki 6, Doue 7, Kalimuendo 6, Locko 6, Magassa 7
Spain: Tenas 7; Miranda 7, Cubarsi 6, Eric Garcia 8, Pubill 6; Baena 8, Barrios 6; Gomez 7, Fermino Lopez 7, Oroz 7; Ruiz 6
SUBS: Bernabe 7, Camello 7, Gutierrez 6, Pacheco 5, Sanchez 6, Turrientes 5
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
11' GOAL! France 1-0 Spain Out of nothing, France lead! Pubill makes a hash of a clearance in his own box, which falls to Millot near the edge Millot booms the ball back at goal, which is straight at Tenas...and the shot goes through the hands of Tenas and sneaks in just inside the far post!
18' GOAL! France 1-1 Spain From their first real attack Spain are level, and it's that man Fermin Lopez again! Baena gets the ball in the inside right channel and reverses a lovely pass into the area, where Fermin Lopez has wandered into space and is completely unmarked. Fermin Lopez shoots first time with his right, guiding the ball past Restes from 15 yards out.
25' GOAL! France 1-2 Spain It's two for Spain, and it's him again! From wide on the left Miranda fires a superb low cross into the six yard box. Ruiz shoots from point blank range, Restes parries it, and Fermin Lopez is on hand to guide the loose ball in to an empty net!
28' GOAL! France 1-3 Spain Oh my days, it's three! Baena takes the free kick, and whips it up and over the wall and into the net, with Restes rooted to the spot! France have been blitzed here with three goals going past them in ten minutes. Wow!
79' GOAL! France 2-3 Spain Game on! Olise whips the free kick in to the near post. The ball goes through the legs of Akliouche, and I think catches a slight nick before flying in at the far post! They've given it to Akliouche, but the bigger news is that France are right back in this match, and don't the crowd in Paris know it!
90' France 2-3 Spain Dramarama! There's going to be a penalty check on VAR as Kalimuendo is hauled down at the back post by Turrientes, who wasn't even looking at the ball. Surely that's a penalty?
It's checked and yes, yes it is! And Miranda is booked for his protests, not that anyone in the Parc des Princes notices!
90+3' GOAL! France 3-3 Spain After an age of a delay Mateta steps up...and sends Tenas the wrong way to level up the final! What a match this is, and it looks like we'll have half an hour more of it!
100' GOAL! France 3-4 Spain This is brilliant from Spain. They've composed themselves, and are back in front. Bernabe dances into space in the hole, and slips a gorgeous pass to Camello in the area, who is clean through. Camello draws Restes out and then dinks a smart finish over him to put Spain ahead once more!
120+1' GOAL! France 3-5 Spain Camello has finally settled this wild and wonderful final. Tenas gathers a loose ball in the area, and projects the ball upfield with France stretched. Camello races past Lukeba and he's through; once again he takes his time before dinking his finish over Restes for his second. That's a superb finish.
KEY STAT
Eight goals is the most that have been scored in a men’s Olympic football final.
discovery+ is the streaming home of the Olympic Games, and the only place you can watch every moment of Paris 2024 this summer.
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