Spain are gold medalists in men’s soccer for just the second time ever after beating hosts France 5-3 at Parc des Princes in Paris, in what was an incredibly thrilling final on Friday.
[ MORE: France vs Spain stats - FotMob.com ]
Fermin Lopez scored twice in the gold-medal game, taking his tournament tally to six goals in six games, though he still finishes two behind Golden Boot winner Soufiane Rahimi of Morocco. Lopez pulled Spain back from 1-0 down after Enzo Millot opened the scoring in the 8th minute, to 2-1 up after scoring goals in the 18th and 25th.
Alex Baena made it 3-1 to Spain with a sensational free kick in the 28th minute, capping off a three-goal, 10-minute stretch that silenced the French capital crowd and left them stunned for much of the second half. It was that way until Maghnes Akliouche got the faintest of touches on Michael Olise’s free kick in the 78th minute, but then it was rapturous incitement by the time the referee pointed to the penalty spot in stoppage time. Jean-Phillipe Mateta converted to send the final to extra time, but Spain were ready and willing to answer the bell again.
Sergio Camello got in behind the left side of France’s defense in the 100th minute and lifted the ball over the goalkeeper with unshakable confidence and wheeled away to celebrate the winning goal, before adding another one himself in the 121st.
Spain’s gold medal in Paris comes less than a month after the senior national team won EURO 2024 and were crowned champions of Europe, also beating France 2-1 along the way in the semifinals.
[ MORE: 2024 Paris Olympics soccer schedule & results ]
France vs Spain, gold-medal game final score: 3-5
Goalscorers: Enzo Millot (11'), Fermin Lopez (18', 25'), Alex Baena (28'), Michael Olise (78'), Jean-Philippe Mateta (90'+3 - PK), Sergio Camello (100', 120'+1)
Below you’ll find video highlights, live updates throughout the gold-medal game between France and Spain at Parc des Princes in Paris.
Spain have done it. Sergio Camello makes it 5-3 with just seconds of stoppage time remaining. Heartbreak for hosts France and head coach Thierry Henry, but Spain add an Olympic gold medal to their EURO 2024 trophy this summer.
WHAT A GOAL TO SEAL THE GOLD MEDAL FOR SPAIN. 🥇🇪🇸#ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/dc5sRXNc2h
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) August 9, 2024
Can the home fans lift themselves, and the players, one more time? It is eerily quiet inside Parc des Princes, I’m not so sure they can…
Adrian Bernade turned into space and saw the through ball to Sergio Camello, played it to him inch-perfect and Camello did the rest. What mental strength to lose a two-goal lead, in Paris, and somehow still score the next goal.
A SUBLIME FINISH BY SERGIO CAMELLO PUTS SPAIN BACK ON TOP! #ParisOlympics | 📺 USA Network and Peacock pic.twitter.com/6Qn80pgkgT
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 9, 2024
France took the early lead (11'), but Spain hit back three times in 10 minutes (18', 25', 28) and were cruising into the final 15 minutes. 3-1 became 3-2 (78') followed by a stoppage-time penalty kick to make it 3-3 and reward us with 30 more minutes of a fantastic final.
Spain were 2-4 inches from snatching the cruelest of late winners in the French capital, but the ball flew high into the Parisian sky after Benat Turrientes struck from outside the box in the 96th minute.
Absolute scenes in the men’s soccer gold-medal game. Extra time, here we come?
France 3. Spain 3.
DRAMA IN THE GOLD MEDAL MATCH. 😱
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 9, 2024
France are awarded a late penalty and Jean-Philippe Mateta SCORES to level the match at 3-3!#ParisOlympics | 📺 USA Network and Peacock pic.twitter.com/WVWxrpll20
What an ending we have coming up, now into stoppage time…
The VAR has recommended the center referee to held to the field-side monitor for a review. This looks like it’s going to be given…
Not. Done. Yet.
The home crowd has roared back to life, and these final 10 minutes (plus stoppage) could feel like a lifetime for Spain.
The Parc des Princes crowd has been stunned into silence by three Spanish goals in 10 minutes. Fermin Lopez struck twice in quick succession, and now Alex Baena has struck even quicker. Spain were awarded a free kick just outside the penalty area and a few yards wide of the goal, creating a nice, wide angle to hit a free kick inside the near post — if you can get it up and down. Baena proved he could, and did.
Alex Baena that is SENSATIONAL. 💥
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 9, 2024
Spain has turned it around to lead France 3-1 in the gold medal match!#ParisOlympics | 📺 USA Network and Peacock pic.twitter.com/2PpjopP7DO
Fermin Lopez now trails Morocco’s Soufiane Rahimi by two goals in the Golden Boot race, and more importantly Spain now lead France 2-1 in the gold-medal game. Abel Ruiz was denied from point-blank range, but the ball spilled across the face of goal and Lopez was the first one to it.
Alex Baena played the high-risk ball into the penalty area and was duly rewarded for it, as Fermin Lopez was drifting into a bit of space near the penalty spot and swept the ball past goalkeeper Guillaume Restes to make it 1-1. That’s five goals in six games at these Olympics for Lopez, though he still trails Morocco’s Soufiane Rahimi by three.
An exhilarating start to the men’s gold medal match at the #ParisOlympics. 👀
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) August 9, 2024
pic.twitter.com/XB00IUjwvx
Alexandre Lacazette harried his defender as Spain tried to pass their way out of their own penalty area, causing a wayward ball to find the feet of Enzo Millot, who uncorked a first-time curler with his left foot and caught goalkeeper Arnau Tenas wrong-footed.
FRANCE STRIKE FIRST IN THE GOLD MEDAL MATCH.
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 9, 2024
Enzo Millot's shot squirms past the Spanish keeper to send the Parc des Princes wild! #ParisOlympics | 📺 USA Network and Peacock pic.twitter.com/O62QoeBFVV
First, the Spanish national anthem, followed by France. This will be quite a home-field advantage for France inside a jam-packed and boisterous Parc des Princes.
A chills-inducing rendition of "La Marseillaise" in Paris ahead of the men's gold medal match between France and Spain. 🇫🇷#ParisOlympics | 📺 USA and Peacock pic.twitter.com/2d4BNBoMmM
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) August 9, 2024
France won their Olympic gold at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. Spain’s lone triumph came eight years later on home soil at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique each scored in the 1992 tournament for Spain.
Hungary and Great Britain have each won gold three times, but none since 1968 for Hungary and 1912 for Great Britain, who have appeared in the Olympics just once 1960 as the host nation in 2012.
Restes - Sildillia, Bade, Lubeka, Truffert - Kone, Millot, Chotard, Olise - Lacazette, Mateta
Tenas - Pubill, Garcia, Cubarsi, Miranda - Barrios, Baena, Lopez - Oroz, Gomez, Ruiz