France secured their place in the Olympic men’s football semi-finals after a tense 1-0 victory over Argentina in a quarter-final clash marked by post-match discord.
The hosts will face Egypt in the semi-finals following their narrow win.
The match, held at the Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux, saw Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta score the decisive goal. Mateta headed home a fifth-minute corner from Michael Olise, giving France the lead. Despite Argentina’s efforts, including a notable chance from Giuliano Simeone who headed over just before half-time, they were unable to equalize.
France had a late goal disallowed after VAR review, which deemed Maghnes Akliouche had committed a foul before Olise’s deflected effort crossed the line.
Tensions between the two teams were palpable, with players and coaches clashing on the pitch after the final whistle. This rivalry was exacerbated by recent incidents, including derogatory remarks made by Argentina players about France’s black players after their Copa America victory on July 14.
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The atmosphere was further charged by French fans booing the Argentine national anthem before the match.
France’s triumph is a boost for the hosts, who also celebrated victories in judo, swimming, and cycling BMX earlier on Friday. They will now face Egypt, who advanced to the semi-finals after a dramatic 5-4 penalty shootout win against Paraguay following a 1-1 draw.
Argentina, who had previously defeated France in the 2022 World Cup final on penalties, were seeking to become the first team since Italy in 1936 to hold both the World Cup and Olympic titles simultaneously.
The semi-final between France and Egypt is set to take place on Monday at 20:00 BST.
