Spain’s summer of success in soccer continued with a stunning 5-3 extra-time victory over France in the Olympic men’s final on Friday. This win came less than a month after Spain triumphed in the European Championship.
The match, held at Parc des Princes, saw Sergio Camello stepping up as a national hero, scoring two critical goals after coming on as a substitute in the 83rd minute. Spain initially trailed after Enzo Millot of France scored first, but swiftly responded with three goals within ten minutes, featuring two from Barcelona’s Fermin Lopez and a third from Alex Baena, putting them ahead 3-1.
France showed resilience, reducing the deficit when Maghnes Akliouche scored in the 79th minute. They equalized in dramatic fashion with a penalty from Jean-Philippe Mateta in the 93rd minute, pushing the game into extra time. However, Camello’s brilliance returned the advantage to Spain, scoring in the 100th minute and again in the final moments of added time.
With this victory, Spain made history by becoming the first European nation to win the Olympic gold in men’s soccer since their own triumph in 1992 during the Barcelona Games. This win concludes a long wait, as Spain hadn’t added an Olympic gold to its collection during its successful era from 2008 to 2012.
Baena expressed his joy, stating, “What a summer. And I hope this summer never ends so we can continue winning.” This victory not only added to the Spanish men’s soccer accolades but also echoed a successful month for Spanish soccer, which included a win in the under-19 European Championship against France.
On the other hand, for France, it was another heartbreaking final after their World Cup loss to Argentina in 2022. Despite their disappointment, coach Thierry Henry acknowledged the support from fans, saying, “France is beautiful when we are all together, when we unite.”
Spain’s gold marks the end of a streak in which Latin American countries had dominated the Olympic men’s soccer event for five tournaments, a wait that included victories by Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico. Meanwhile, Spain’s women’s soccer team fell short in their bid for medals, losing 1-0 to Germany in the bronze medal match earlier that day.