In-form Spain are determined to prevent France from winning gold in the Olympic football final at the Parc des Princes on Friday 9 August, as they look forward to donning the blue, white and red.
After the senior team’s victory at the European Championship in Germany, La Roja are aiming to frustrate Les Bleus, led by the legendary Thierry Henry, at the PSG stadium in Paris.
It was in this same 48,000-capacity stadium that Les Bleus won their first major triumph: under Michel Platini, they beat the Spain of José Antonio Camacho and Luis Miguel Arconada 2-0 in the final of Euro 1984.
A few weeks later, the French Olympic team won gold at the Los Angeles Games, beating Dunga’s Brazil 2-0.
Today, the Spaniards are still celebrating their victory in Germany and hoping that La Rojita will put an end to 32 years without an Olympic gold medal, a feat that was only achieved in Barcelona in 1992.
Under Santi Denia, Spain’s star performer is midfielder Fermín López, who shone at the last European Championship. Fermín, 21, continued his fine form at Barcelona and in the Olympic competition, scoring 11 goals in 43 matches.