Argentina vs France in the Olympic Men’s Football Quarter-Finals

Two-time gold medalists Argentina will play against hosts France in the quarter-finals of the Olympic men’s football at Paris 2024.

France secured their spot in the knockout stages as group winners with a 3-0 victory over New Zealand on Tuesday, winning all three of their group matches.

Earlier that day, Argentina’s 2-0 win against Ukraine ensured they finished second in Group B. Morocco topped the group based on their head-to-head record after defeating Iraq 3-0.

France’s goals against New Zealand came from Jean-Philippe Mateta, Desire Doue, and Arnaud Kalimuendo. Argentina’s win over Ukraine was thanks to goals from Thiago Almada and Claudio Echeverri.

The two teams will face each other at the Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux on Friday.

Argentina and Morocco were tied in Group B on points, goal difference, and goals scored. Morocco’s 2-1 victory over Argentina in their opening match—called a “circus” by Argentina’s head coach, Javier Mascherano—ended up determining the final standings. Argentina thought they had equalized in stoppage time after coming back from 2-0 down, but the goal was disallowed for offside. Almost two hours after it appeared the game was over, the last minutes were played in an empty stadium.

Argentina vs. France: A Storied Rivalry in International Football

Two of the most successful countries in international football are France and Argentina. Argentina won the 2022 World Cup final against France in a penalty shootout. Before the match, some Argentine fans sang a racist chant, referring to the African heritage and immigrant status of many French players.

This chant has resurfaced as a topic of controversy following Argentina’s Copa America victory. Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez posted footage on Instagram showing him and some teammates singing the chant, though the other players were not identifiable.

The “unacceptable, racist, and discriminatory” shout was met with an announcement by the French Football Federation (FFF) that they would be filing a legal complaint against it. Some Argentinian politicians defended the chant, but Fernandez later apologized.

The Olympics are mainly an under-23 tournament, allowing only three overage players per team. This means only a few players from the 2022 World Cup final and the 2024 Copa America are participating.

For Argentina, Julian Alvarez, Nicolas Otamendi, Geronimo Rulli, and Thiago Almada are all 2022 World Cup winners. Alvarez, Otamendi, and Rulli were also part of this summer’s Copa America-winning squad. None of France’s 2022 World Cup players are at the Olympics.

Argentina won Olympic gold in 2004 and 2008, while France last won in 1984. This is the first time France has advanced past the group stages since 1996.

The United States versus Morocco, Egypt versus Paraguay, and Japan versus Spain are the remaining quarterfinal matchups.