Red-hot favorites and hosts France square off with the USMNT in Marseille on Wednesday to kick off their Group A campaigns at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
[FOLLOW: Live updates for USMNT vs France in our live blog ]
It should be quite the atmosphere in Marseille.
Thierry Henry’s French side are stacked with talent with Alexandre Lacazette, Michael Olise and Jean-Philippe Mateta all set to lead the way in attack, plus the likes of Loic Bade, Rayan Cherki, Castello Lukeba, Desire Doue and Arnaud Kalimuendo will all play a huge role as Les Bleus aim to win gold on home soil. Henry knows that France expects and the squad he’s selected will be fully capable of pushing Argentina and Spain all the way for glory.
In contrast, Marko Mitrovic’s USMNT have a couple of big names in defense as Walker Zimmerman and Miles Robinson will be the heartbeat of this U.S. side. Midfielders Gianluca Busio and Tanner Tessmann play together at Venezia, while the overage player Djordje Mihailovic will be key in midfield. That trio all have full national team experience, while Kevin Paredes, Taylor Booth and Paxten Aaronson should all be lively in attack. If the USMNT can get through this opening game with a draw it would be a great achievement and set them up well for their other Group A games against New Zealand and Guinea.
How to watch France vs USMNT live, stream link and start time
Kick off: 3pm ET, Wednesday (July 24)
Location: Marseille
TV Channel: USA Network
Online: Watch via Peacock
France focus, team news
Olise, Lacazette and Mateta give this France side an extra edge. That trio should rip teams apart and Olise will be full of confidence after his summer move from Crystal Palace to Bayern Munich. Defensively France look solid too as Henry will be hoping to get the balance right.
USMNT focus, team news
This game is all about hanging in there for the U.S. center back Zimmerman, and Robinson alongside him, have plenty of full national team experience and this team need it. If the USMNT can make it uncomfortable for France then they’ll be a threat on the counter and from set pieces.
France vs USMNT prediction
It feels like the USMNT can hang in there but France have just too much attacking talent and they’ll find a way. France 2-1 USMNT.