Paris: Thierry Henry's France are hoping a home crowd at the Parc des Princes can drive them on to win Olympic men's football gold but an impressive Spain side will attempt to deny them in Friday's final. Henry, a France legend as a player, has led his country to the brink of their second football gold medal, 40 years after they won the title in Los Angeles. That victory over Brazil came just a few weeks after the full French national team lifted their first major trophy by beating Spain on home soil in the final of Euro 84.
Just like then, the nations will meet at a packed Parc des Princes on Friday when a hostile home support will try to spur France on to victory. They have already effectively fulfilled their objective by being guaranteed a medal, with Henry succeeding in moulding together a cohesive team after initially being met by a series of rejections from clubs unwilling to release their players. Clubs have no obligation to let their players take part in the Olympics, where the men's tournament is reserved for those aged under 23 with the exception of three who are over-age.
Kylian Mbappe, the captain of the senior national side, wanted to come but was not allowed by his new club Real Madrid. Hopes of getting Antoine Griezmann onboard were quickly dashed. The new Juventus midfielder Khephren Thuram was initially in the squad before being obliged to return to his employer.
But Les Bleus have been expertly led by the experienced Alexandre Lacazette and his fellow forwar.