France vs United States

Marseille’s Stade Velodrome forms the backdrop for France’s 2024 Summer Olympic Games opener against the United States.

Though the senior team couldn’t make it to the Euro 2024 grand final, France could still win major silverware this summer as the host nation heads in the Olympics as the leading candidate to win the gold medal. Led by Arsenal icon Thierry Henry, Les Bleus won back-to-back warm-up fixtures before the tournament against Paraguay and Dominican Republic via a combined score of 11-1, extending their unbeaten streak to five matches. Despite failing to include new Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe in his Olympic squad, Henry can still call upon an intimidating star power, with Alexandre Lacazette leading the line, backed by new Bayern Munich forward Michael Olise and Leeds United forward Georginio Rutter. Such tremendous firepower gives France hope that they could become the first European nation to win the Olympic gold medal since Spain in 1992.

While the French seek their first Olympics triumph since 1984, expectations are low for the United States’ first appearance at the games since 2008. The USMNT promoted Marko Mitrovic to the U23 head coach in September 2023 after the Serbian tactician took charge of the U19s team beforehand. Nashville SC center-back Walker Zimmerman is the most significant inclusion, as the 31-year-old featured for the US in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and has won 42 caps for his country. But as only Wolfsburg’s Kevin Paredes plies his trade in Europe’s top-five leagues, it’s understandable the North American giants come into this fixture as pre-match outsiders.