PARIS — The Spanish summer continues. At the expense of the heart of France.
Less than a month after Spain’s senior team won the European Championship, and 10 days after its under-19 team did the same, Spain claimed the men’s Olympic gold medal in an epic final against France on Friday night. Cheered on by a goal-scoring crowd cheering on Les Bleus, France overturned a two-goal deficit in the final 14 minutes of regulation, including equalising in the final minutes of stoppage time, but Sergio Camello scored twice in extra time to secure Spain’s 5-3 victory.
It was the highest scoring final of all time for both men and women. Spain also won its second Olympic title after the gold medal in 1992, when the Summer Olympics were held in Barcelona.
“We are disappointed. We wanted gold,” said France captain Alexandre Lacazette. “But we managed to get this medal for the French. We saw the atmosphere in the stadiums. I think it’s a bit early to realise that, but I hope that tomorrow the players will realise what we have achieved.”
That this final will be remembered as one of the best ever, at least at the Olympic Games, was little consolation at that moment. The same was true of the affection shown by the French fans, who waved flags and sang “La Marseillaise” to the players during the medal ceremony.
With Thierry Henry as coach, Les Bleus wanted to recreate the magic of the 1998 World Cup. Back then, France hosted and won the tournament, which sparked euphoria throughout the country.
And for about six minutes it looked like this was going to be France’s day.
In the 12th minute, Enzo Millot shot a ball that Spain’s goalkeeper Arnau Tenas tried to save. But instead of clearing the ball, it flew back into the goal. The Parc des Princes erupted in cheers and a chorus of “Allez Les Bleus! Allez Les Bleus” echoed through the stadium.
But as so many countries have learned recently, Spain are simply too strong. Within 10 minutes, Spain had equalised, taken the lead and scored again. Fermin Lopez scored twice and Alex Baena scored from a David Beckham-style free kick.
“There were a few minutes in the first half when we disappeared. And we paid a high price for that,” said Henry.
At halftime, Henry told his players that the French fans at these games had supported not only their team, but every French athlete. They filled the stadiums, cheering and singing, and their energy was contagious. “Use that,” Henry told his players. “They didn’t give up on you, so you can’t give up on yourselves.”
With a two-goal lead, Spain were content to play defensively in the second half. But France pressed. And pressed. And pressed some more. The feeling grew that something was going to break, and finally it did.
In the 79th minute, Baena was shown a yellow card for a foul just outside the box. Michael Olise fired the resulting free kick towards goal and Maghnes Akliouche was credited with putting the ball into the net. Replays showed he may not have touched the ball at all, but the details are irrelevant.
France was back in the game and the enthusiastic crowd roared even louder.
Then, at a corner kick in the 89th minute, Juan Miranda put both arms around Arnaud Kalimuendo. The French players roared in protest and a chorus of boos rang out from the stands. Those boos gave way to a deafening cheer when the referee signalled that the move needed to be reviewed.
Within seconds, Miranda received a yellow card and France were awarded a penalty, which Jean-Philippe Mateta converted in the 93rd minute.
“One thing that was super important to me was that the team fought on the pitch,” said Henry. “At first I thought it wasn’t a real game, but it was. There was hardly any difference between us. You can’t say we didn’t fight.”
In the first half of extra time, France’s shot hit the crossbar and another ended up in the hands of the Spanish goalkeeper, so a goal was inevitable.
That was it. But not for Les Bleus.
In the 100th minute, French goalkeeper Guillaume Restes left his goal to stop an onrushing Camello. Without slowing his kick, Camello lobbed the ball over Restes and into the net. Just before the final whistle, he scored another goal by collecting a ball that Tenas had hit halfway across the pitch and firing it past Restes.
When the final whistle sounded shortly afterwards, Spain’s players ran across the field in celebration. France’s players looked desperate, their shoulders slumped and their heads hanging down.
“Emotionally, this is one of the biggest games. This was my last game in the blue shirt,” said Lacazette, one of the overage players in this youth men’s tournament.
Henry, however, hopes that his players’ disappointment will soon fade. They may not have won the gold medal, but they and all the other Olympians have won the hearts of the French over the past two weeks.
In a country that has been politically divided in recent months, this alone is a victory.
“France is beautiful. When we are all together and united, it is a wonderful sight,” said Henry. “We lost tonight, but they kept singing.”
Their medals may be silver, but for the French, Les Bleus are the champions.
Follow USA TODAY sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: The French men’s soccer team’s success at the Olympics has great meaning for fans
