After Nigeria in 1996 and Cameroon in 2000, can Africa believe in a new Olympic football title this year in Paris? The representatives, Guinea, Mali, Egypt and Morocco, never medallists, will have to assert themselves as worthy successors.
3 min
If Ghana led the way in 1992 in Barcelona by winning the first medal in the history of African football at the Olympic Games (bronze), it is truly the resounding exploits of the Nigerian and Cameroonian footballers, Olympic champions respectively in Atlanta (1996) and Sydney (2000), which remain imprinted in the collective memory. But since this double, Africa has only reached the podium twice thanks to Nigeria, silver medalist in 2008 after a final against Argentina of Messi, Agüero and others Mascherano, and bronze in 2016.
But in Paris, the best African team will not be present since the Olympic Eagles did not secure their ticket for these JO 2024. African chances will therefore rest with Guinea, Mali, Egypt and Morocco, who have never won a football medal.
Hakimi challenges Alvarez
The Atlas Lions will be the first to enter the fray this Wednesday, July 24 at 1 p.m. (UTC) against Argentina, led by Manchester City striker Julian Alvarez and veteran Nicolas Otamendi (36 years old). Morocco, winner of the CAN U23will participate in his eighth Olympic football tournament. He will count on the Parisian Achraf Hakimi and Monegasque hopeful Eliesse Ben Seghir to pass the first round for the first time since the 1972 Olympics in Munich.
A little later in the day, Guinea will face New Zealand, who managed to get through the first round three years ago at the Tokyo Olympics. The Guineans will be led by the Syli national coach, Kaba Diawara, who will have as reinforcements his National team captain Naby Keïtabut also striker Ilaix Moriba or the experienced Abdoulaye Touré. The Guineans will have every interest in starting their tournament well since they will meet the French team during their second group match. This is the second time that Guinea has participated in the Olympic tournament after the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico.
Egypt counts on its Brazilian sorcerer
For Mali, it will also be a second participation, after a first that did not go badly with an elimination in the quarter-finals in 2004, in Athens against Italy. Twenty years later, the Aiglons are going into these Games with the desire to give a good image of Malian football, mired in a crisis between the Federation and the players of the A selection. Coach Alou Badra Diallo ”Conty” will be able to count on talents like Wolverhampton midfielder Boubacar Traoré, or Coli Saco from Naples. The young Malians begin their tournament this Wednesday at 7 p.m. TU against Israel, which is participating in the Olympic tournament for the first time.
The most experienced African team at the Olympics, with a 13th appearance in Paris, Egypt will play in Spain’s group and will face the Dominican Republic for its first match. The Pharaohs played their first Olympic tournament in 1920 and have never won a medal, finishing just off the podium in 1928 and 1964. To finally secure a medal, the Egyptian Football Federation has secured the services of a gold prospector in the person of Brazilian Rogerio Micale who had led the Auriverdes of Neymar, Marquinhos and Rafinha on the highest step of the podium in 2016 in Rio.
The four groups of the Olympic football tournament
Group A: France, United States, GuineaNew Zealand
Group B: Argentina, MoroccoIraq, Ukraine
Group C: Uzbekistan, Spain, EgyptDominican Republic
Group D: Japan, Paraguay, MaliIsrael
To consult: Calendar of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games