Spanish Media Analyze France U23: Olise and Mateta are the Greatest Threats; They Resemble the Senior National Team

After defeating their respective opponents, Spain and France will meet in the men’s football final at the Paris Olympics. The Spanish newspaper AS has also analyzed the French U23 team.

The Spanish media indicates that as hosts, the French team has been one of the favorites to win the title from the start of the competition. Despite the difficulties head coach Henry faced in assembling his squad, they ultimately reached the final thanks to the strength of the team and the outstanding performance of star player Michael Olise.

France narrowly defeated Argentina in the quarterfinals and staged a comeback to beat Egypt in the semifinals. Despite the challenges they faced, they remain among the favorites to win the title.

Because the games are being held on home soil, Henry had greater persuasive power when recruiting players, but he did not manage to bring in all the players he wanted. Excellent players such as Saliba, Camavinga, Zaïre-Emery, Balcola, Youla, Kévin Thuram, and Mbappé did not join, despite the French team considering him as one of the three overage players.

Nonetheless, France has assembled a highly competitive squad. At the core of Henry’s team is Michael Olise, the French midfielder born in London who joined Bayern Munich in early July. The German club paid €54 million to Crystal Palace for his transfer, which is a testament to the young player’s potential. Despite injury setbacks during the 2023-24 season, Olise remained one of the standout players in the Premier League. In this Olympic tournament, he contributed six assists, including one against Egypt, helping secure a 2-1 victory. In the second half of extra time, he scored the decisive third goal. Olise is a dynamic and very fast player with excellent left-footed technique.

Many of Olise’s assists went to his former Crystal Palace teammate Mateta, who was one of the three overage players chosen by Henry. France’s progression to the final would not have been possible without the contributions of this strong forward, who scored the only goal in the quarterfinals and two goals in the semifinal to help the team come back and defeat Egypt.

In addition to Mateta, Henry brought another veteran, Lacazette, an experienced player who is very active in the penalty area, providing significant offensive firepower for the team. The third overage player is Sevilla defender Badé, who is only 24 years old, similar in age to his teammates.

The Spanish media points out that the central defensive pairing of Lukamba and Badé is very strong, and there are many talented players in midfield and attack. The team plays in a 4-3-1-2 formation, with Olise as the attacking midfielder creating opportunities for the two forwards. There are other outstanding young players too, such as Désiré Doué, who is highly regarded by Paris Saint-Germain and currently plays for Rennes, and Lyon star Cherki, who both sit on the bench. Akliouche and Milot are also solid midfielders capable of changing the course of the game with their skills.

France boasts great physical strength, experienced forwards, and superstars like Olise who can decide the outcome of a match on their own. The team relies on these advantages to compensate for any tactical shortcomings. In this regard, they are very similar to the senior national team.

Henry faces a daunting task, needing to integrate a team with many new players and, more importantly, dealing with the immense pressure of playing at home. France has already secured a medal and now hopes to win its first Olympic football gold in 40 years.