France Olympic football team

The France Olympic football team, also known as the France national under-23 football team, represents France in international football competitions in Olympic Games. It has been active since 1948, and first competed in 1948. Olympic football was originally an amateur sport, and as the pre-World War II France national team was also amateur, it was able to send a team to the games. The rules on amateurism were relaxed in the 1980s, which allowed France some success, notably a gold medal finish in 1984. Since 1992 the tournament has been competed by under-23 teams, making France's Olympic qualification dependent on the results of the under-21 team. Only in 2020 the French returned to the Olympic stage after a 24-year absence.

France Olympic
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s)Les Bleus (The Blues)
Les Tricolores (The Tricolors)
AssociationFédération Française de Football (FFF)
ConfederationUEFA (Europe)
FIFA codeFRA
First colours
Second colours
First international
 France 2–1 India 
(London, England; 31 July 1948)
Biggest win
 France 7–0 Dominican Republic 
(Toulon, France; 11 July 2024)
Biggest defeat
 France 0–7 Hungary 
(Rome, Italy; 1 September 1960)
Summer Olympic Games
Appearances9 (first in 1948)
Best result Gold medalists (1984)

Results and fixtures

edit
Legend

  Win   Draw   Lose   Voided or Postponed   Fixture

2024

edit
22 March Friendly France   3–2   Ivory Coast Châteauroux, France
18:30 UTC+1
  • Doué   38', 84'
  • Odobert   72'
Report
Stadium: Stade Gaston-Petit
Attendance: 8,121
Referee: Vasilios Fotias (Greece)
25 March Friendly France   2–2   United States Montbéliard, France
21:05 UTC+1
Report
Stadium: Stade Auguste-Bonal
Referee: Juan Martínez Munuera (Spain)
4 July Friendly France   4–1   Paraguay Bayonne, France
21:15 UTC+2
Report
Stadium: Stade Jean-Dauger
Attendance: 11,280
Referee: Daniel Schlager (Germany)
11 July Friendly France   7–0   Dominican Republic Toulon, France
21:15 UTC+2
Report Stadium: Stade Mayol
Attendance: 5,880
Referee: Stefan Ebner (Austria)
17 July Friendly France   1–1   Japan Toulon, France
21:05 UTC+2
Report
Stadium: Stade Mayol
Attendance: 11,896
Referee: Mohammad Usman Aslam (Norway)
24 July Olympics GS France   3–0   United States Marseille, France
21:00 UTC+2
Report Stadium: Stade de Marseille
Attendance: 48,721
Referee: Yael Falcón (Argentina)
27 July Olympics GS France   1–0   Guinea Nice, France
21:00 UTC+2
Report Stadium: Stade de Nice
Attendance: 25,965
Referee: Ilgiz Tantashev (Uzbekistan)
30 July Olympics GS New Zealand   0–3   France Marseille, France
19:00 UTC+2 Report
Stadium: Stade de Marseille
Attendance: 45,790
Referee: Katia García (Mexico)
2 August Olympics QF France   1–0   Argentina Bordeaux, France
21:00 UTC+2
Report Stadium: Stade de Bordeaux
Attendance: 37,153
Referee: Ilgiz Tantashev (Uzbekistan)
5 August Olympics SF France   3–1 (a.e.t.)   Egypt Décines-Charpieu, France
21:00 UTC+2
Report Stadium: Stade de Lyon
Attendance: 47,530
Referee: Saíd Martínez (Honduras)
9 August Olympics Gold France   3–5 (a.e.t.)   Spain Paris, France
18:00 UTC+2
Report
Stadium: Parc des Princes
Attendance: 44,260
Referee: Ramon Abatti (Brazil)

Players

edit

Current squad

edit

The following players were called up for the 2024 Olympic Games, including three overage players in Alexandre Lacazette, Loïc Badé and Jean-Philippe Mateta.[1]

Note: Names in italics denote players that have been capped by the senior team.

Caps and goals as of 9 August 2024, after the team's match against   Spain.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1 1GK Obed Nkambadio (2003-02-07) 7 February 2003 (age 21) 2 0   Paris FC
16 1GK Guillaume Restes (2005-03-11) 11 March 2005 (age 19) 9 0   Toulouse

2 2DF Castello Lukeba (2002-12-17) 17 December 2002 (age 21) 10 0   RB Leipzig
3 2DF Adrien Truffert (2001-11-20) 20 November 2001 (age 22) 10 0   Rennes
4 2DF Loïc Badé (2000-04-11) 11 April 2000 (age 24) 8 1   Sevilla
5 2DF Kiliann Sildillia (2002-05-16) 16 May 2002 (age 22) 10 1   SC Freiburg
15 2DF Bradley Locko (2002-05-06) 6 May 2002 (age 22) 6 0   Brest
17 2DF Soungoutou Magassa (2003-10-08) 8 October 2003 (age 20) 7 0   Monaco
19 2DF Chrislain Matsima (2002-05-19) 19 May 2002 (age 22) 3 0   Monaco

6 3MF Manu Koné (2001-05-17) 17 May 2001 (age 23) 9 0   Roma
8 3MF Maghnes Akliouche (2002-02-25) 25 February 2002 (age 22) 10 2   Monaco
11 3MF Désiré Doué (2005-06-03) 3 June 2005 (age 19) 10 3   Paris Saint-Germain
12 3MF Enzo Millot (2002-07-17) 17 July 2002 (age 22) 8 2   VfB Stuttgart
13 3MF Joris Chotard (2001-09-24) 24 September 2001 (age 22) 9 0   Montpellier
20 3MF Andy Diouf (2003-05-17) 17 May 2003 (age 21) 5 1   Lens
21 3MF Johann Lepenant (2002-10-22) 22 October 2002 (age 21) 1 0   Lyon

7 4FW Michael Olise (2001-12-12) 12 December 2001 (age 22) 9 5   Bayern Munich
9 4FW Arnaud Kalimuendo (2002-01-20) 20 January 2002 (age 22) 10 3   Rennes
10 4FW Alexandre Lacazette (captain) (1991-05-28) 28 May 1991 (age 33) 8 3   Lyon
14 4FW Jean-Philippe Mateta (1997-06-28) 28 June 1997 (age 27) 8 7   Crystal Palace
18 4FW Rayan Cherki (2003-08-17) 17 August 2003 (age 21) 8 2   Lyon
Unenrolled alternate players
No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
22 1GK Théo De Percin (2001-02-02) 2 February 2001 (age 23) 0 0   Auxerre

Recent call-ups

edit

The following players have also been called up to the France Olympic squad and remain eligible:

Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Robin Risser (2004-12-02) 2 December 2004 (age 19) 0 0   Strasbourg 2024 Olympic GamesINJ
GK Lucas Chevalier (2001-11-06) 6 November 2001 (age 22) 1 0   Lille 2024 Olympic GamesWD

DF Maxime Estève (2002-05-26) 26 May 2002 (age 22) 1 0   Burnley 2024 Olympic GamesWD
DF Bafodé Diakité (2001-01-06) 6 January 2001 (age 23) 2 0   Lille 2024 Olympic GamesWD
DF Leny Yoro (2005-11-13) 13 November 2005 (age 18) 1 0   Manchester United 2024 Olympic GamesWD
DF Malo Gusto (2003-05-19) 19 May 2003 (age 21) 0 0   Chelsea v.   Ivory Coast, 22 March 2024 INJ

MF Lesley Ugochukwu (2004-03-26) 26 March 2004 (age 20) 2 0   Chelsea 2024 Olympic GamesWD
MF Khéphren Thuram (2001-03-26) 26 March 2001 (age 23) 2 0   Juventus 2024 Olympic GamesWD
MF Warren Zaïre-Emery (2006-03-08) 8 March 2006 (age 18) 0 0   Paris Saint-Germain 2024 Olympic GamesWD

FW Bradley Barcola (2002-09-02) 2 September 2002 (age 22) 1 0   Paris Saint-Germain 2024 Olympic GamesWD
FW Mathys Tel (2005-04-27) 27 April 2005 (age 19) 0 0   Bayern Munich 2024 Olympic GamesWD
FW Wilson Odobert (2004-11-28) 28 November 2004 (age 19) 2 1   Tottenham Hotspur v.   United States, 25 March 2024
FW Elye Wahi (2003-01-02) 2 January 2003 (age 21) 2 0   Lens v.   United States, 25 March 2024
FW Georginio Rutter (2002-04-20) 20 April 2002 (age 22) 0 0   Leeds United v.   Ivory Coast, 22 March 2024 INJ

Notes
  • INJ Withdrew due to injury
  • PRE Preliminary squad / standby
  • WD Withdrew due to non-injury issue

Overage players in Olympic Games

edit
Tournament Player 1 Player 2 Player 3
did not select
André-Pierre Gignac (FW) Téji Savanier (MF) Florian Thauvin (FW)
Loïc Badé (DF) Alexandre Lacazette (FW) Jean-Philippe Mateta (FW)

Summer Olympics record

edit

  Gold medalists    Silver medalists    Bronze medalists  

Since the 1992 Summer Olympics, teams consist of under-23 players, with the possibility of three players over the age of 23 being selected. The 1960 Summer Olympics mark the moment FIFA no longer consider Olympic matches to be played by national A teams. Before the 1984 Summer Olympics, only amateur footballers could participate. In fact, some countries fielded teams that were very similar to their A teams since their players were considered amateur.

Summer Olympics Qualification
Year Host Round Pld W D L F A Squad Pos. Pld W D L F A
1900 to 1936 See France national football team See France national football team
1948   United Kingdom Second round 2 1 0 1 3 3 Squad Invited
1952   Finland Preliminary round 1 0 0 1 1 2 Squad
1956   Australia Did not enter Did not enter
1960   Italy Group stage 3 1 1 1 3 9 Squad 1st 4 3 0 1 7 6
1964   Japan Did not qualify R1 2 0 0 2 2 8
1968   Mexico Quarter-finals 4 2 0 2 9 7 Squad F 4 2 2 0 8 4
1972   West Germany Did not qualify 2nd 6 3 1 2 11 9
1976   Canada Quarter-finals 4 2 1 1 9 7 Squad 1st 4 3 0 1 11 5
1980   Soviet Union Did not qualify 3rd 4 1 1 2 7 9
1984   United States Gold medal 6 4 2 0 13 6 Squad 1st 6 4 2 0 9 3
1988   South Korea Did not qualify 5th 8 1 3 4 9 16
1992   Spain See France national under-21 football team
1996   United States Quarter-finals 4 2 1 1 6 4 Squad
2000   Australia Did not qualify
2004   Greece
2008   China
2012   United Kingdom
2016   Brazil
2020   Japan Group stage 3 1 0 2 5 11 Squad
2024   France Silver medal 6 5 0 1 14 6 Squad Qualified as hosts
2028   United States To be determined See France national under-21 football team
Total Gold medal 33 18 5 10 63 55 4/8 38 17 9 12 64 60

Coaching history

edit

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ French Football Federation [@equipedefrance] (8 July 2024). "𝐿𝐼𝑆𝑇𝐸 𝑂𝐹𝐹𝐼𝐶𝐼𝐸𝐿𝐿𝐸 📋⚽️ Ils représenteront la France aux 𝑱𝒆𝒖𝒙 𝑶𝒍𝒚𝒎𝒑𝒊𝒒𝒖𝒆𝒔 de @Paris2024 🇫🇷🫡 #BleuCollectif" (Tweet). Retrieved 8 July 2024 – via Twitter.
edit