After losing their semifinal games, Morocco and Egypt faced off at the third place play-off for a chance at winning the bronze medal at the 2024 Olympics’ football tournament this 8 August at the Stade de la Beaujoire in Nantes, France.  

With both teams looking to reach the podium for the first time ever, today’s game promised to be a thrilling and intense encounter and it lived up to expectations. 

Before participating at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, the Under-23 Morocco side had never even made it out of the football group stages before but here in Europe, they broke new ground and rewrote the history books.

While their quest for gold was stunted in a semi-final defeat by Spain, the African nation still had a chance at making the podium and that is exactly what they did. 

Morocco won their first-ever Olympic medal in style as they picked apart Egypt in a thumping 6-0 victory.

Abde Ezzalzouli opened the scoring just after the 20-minute mark before Soufiane Rahimi doubled their advantage moments later with his seventh goal of the tournament. 

Bilal El Khannouss added a third soon after the interval before Rahimi completed his brace a fifth from Akram Nakach more than sealed their place on the podium late on.

Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi wanted in on the action too, curling home a pinpoint free-kick to emphasise just how thrilling this side has been. Morocco is very much a nation on the rise, and this emphatic bronze is just the start for them.

This match was set to be a close contest, with both sides motivated to secure a place on the podium. However, Morocco’s superior firepower and consistent form throughout the tournament gave them the advantage. Indeed, most prediction websites expected Morocco to take the lead early, with Egypt fighting back, but ultimately falling short in a narrow victory for the Atlas Lions.

The journey to Bronze

Egypt’s journey to this stage has been a tale of determination and perseverance. Their semi-final clash against hosts France was a rollercoaster as they were close to achieving a historic victory. However, the game slipped away in extra time, leaving the Pharaohs heartbroken with a 3-1 loss.

Meanwhile, Morocco’s journey was nothing short of commanding, having defeated world champions Argentina in the group stage and stunned the US 4-0 in the quarterfinals. Their semi-final defeat to Spain 2-1 was a bitter pill to swallow, especially after Soufiane Rahimi, the tournament’s top scorer, gave them an early lead.

For Morocco, Rahimi has been the standout performer, leading the tournament’s scoring charts with six goals. The 28-year-old has consistently found the back of the net at the most crucial moments. His ability to score early in matches has been a key factor in Morocco’s success.

In their case, Egypt relied heavily on the defensive solidity and midfield creativity that has brought them this far. While they’ve struggled at times to find the back of the net consistently, the likes of players Mahmoud Saber and Mohamed Adel have shown they can deliver under pressure. 

It will be very difficult for us [against Morocco]. But we have to get over it and try to win because that would be a very important medal,” Egypt’s coach Rogerio Micale said in an interview before the match.

All eyes on Spain - France historic battle

The men's football tournament at the Paris Games now has two teams that will compete for the gold medal. It's a historic European football classic, with the reigning European champions, Spain, and the host nation, led by Thierry Henry, who remain unbeaten in the Olympic event. The match will take place on Friday 9 August.

The neighbouring 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 neighbouring 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 in 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 defence 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 defence.

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.