The neighboring countries of Western Europe will face off in the final after overcoming Morocco and Egypt, respectively. Santi Denia's squad secured their spot by coming from behind to edge out Morocco 2-1 in a high-stakes match. Meanwhile, Les Bleus booked their place by overpowering Egypt 3-1, also mounting a comeback in extra time.

Without a doubt, the two strongest teams of the tournament, whose experience and flashes of brilliance from their 'seasoned' tridents, have led them to meet at the home of Paris Saint-Germain, the iconic Parc des Princes.

It is well-known that the rivalry between Spain and France is significant. Driven by the subtle animosity that often surrounds neighboring countries with intertwined histories spanning centuries, this is yet another chapter in their ongoing saga. Spain leads with four medals in the discipline.

The gold came on home soil in Barcelona 1992 when Kiko Narváez set Camp Nou ablaze, delivering the decisive blow to a brave Poland. The silver medals arrived in a notably varied manner. The first, over a century ago, was lost to Belgium. The last two, however, were post-millennium —against Cameroon in 2000 and Brazil in the most recent Tokyo Games just three years ago—.

France's experience in these tournaments has been different. They clinched a significant gold medal by defeating Brazil 2-0 on American soil during the Los Angeles 1984 Olympics. The silver medal, however, dates back over 120 years to 1900, when football was just beginning to establish itself among Olympic sports.

At that time, the competition featured non-professional teams from sports clubs or educational institutions. Nonetheless, it counted in the medal tally, with a painful home defeat in Paris against the United Kingdom, 4-0. Who knows if Spain aims to invoke the ghosts of that moment...

Spain has emerged victorious in four matches, losing only one, which was against Egypt. Nevertheless, their offensive firepower remains undiminished, with 11 goals scored in just 5 matches. However, if they aspire to sit on the Olympic throne, their defense will need improvement as they have conceded in 4 out of the 5 games played.

La Roja's main chance to claim gold hinges on maintaining the team spirit that has been their hallmark in crucial moments. If the spark is the team, then Fermín is the igniter: with 4 goals and 1 assist, the 21-year-old FC Barcelona prospect is a key player.

Alongside Fermín, other names are crucial: Abel Ruiz, Sergio Gómez, and Alex Baena. This magical trio, combined with the physical prowess of Samu Omorodion from the bench, poses a significant threat to the French defense.

France, on the other hand, is eager to recall the memorable final from Los Angeles 40 years ago, a beacon for Henry's squad. The legendary forward has relied on Alexandre Lacazette and Jean-Philippe Mateta as his two main stars. The more experienced players have been crucial in their pursuit of the coveted gold medal. As well as the artistic touches of youngster Michael Olise, the recent signing of Bayern Munich.

Yet, the veteran duo is not the only strength of the French team. In defense, things are serious: just 1 goal conceded in 5 matches. This is a daunting prospect for Spain, which will look to breach the formidable defense of the dynamic duo, Loïc Badé and Castello Lukeba.

A thrilling showdown is on the horizon, likely one of the most anticipated events since the Olympic Games kicked off twelve days ago. Santi Denia versus Henry; Fermín versus Lacazette; or, as the banners in the stands say, Crêpes versus Tortilla de Patata. Regardless, the show promises to be spectacular. Even Spain could boast about having knocked out France in the Euro semifinals just over a month ago. Naturally, the wound is still fresh.

Additionally, it is worth noting that the bronze medal match will see Morocco face Egypt on Thursday, 8 August, just one day before the final, in the vibrant city of Nantes. Morocco arrives with Sofian Rahimi, the tournament's top scorer with six goals, while Egypt relies on Ibrahim Adel as their main offensive threat. 

This will be the first time since the Rio 2016 Games that an African team has secured a medal in this category. In the Brazilian edition 8 years ago, the powerful Nigeria, led by the prolific Umar Sadiq, dashed Honduras’ hopes by winning bronze with a 3-2 victory.