FRANCE rubbed it in Argentina’s faces last night after the hosts defeated the 2004 and 2008 champions in the quarter-finals of the men’s football event of the Paris 2024 Olympics.
There was tension after the final whistle, with the players from both sides having a go at each other in continuation of a feud sparked by Argentina’s distasteful racist song mocking French players’ African heritage in celebration of their (Argentina’s) Copa America triumph in July.
France won last night through a goal scored by Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta, another player with African heritage, and they savoured the sweet revenge.
There was a post-match red card to France midfielder Enzo Millot for seemingly goading the opposition bench, that so enraged Argentina’s players.
By then all hell had already broken loose, barely any member of either contingent uninvolved and Alexandre Lacazette needing to be physically restrained from going back for another confrontation.
In the end, it did not matter to France; they had made their point and put Argentina in their place on the pitch, where it really counted.
“Argentina wanted to kill the party but they made the party even better,” said Mateta, whose early header proved to the match-winner.
Mateta joined his teammates in bounding back out to celebrate after the hostilities had died down, their delight clearly enhanced by the losing team’s reaction.
The song sung by several of Argentina’s Copa America-winning side last month, singling out France’s players of African heritage, sparked an international incident and justifiable hurt throughout a country that thrives on its diversity.
“It was an important match because we felt insulted, all of France felt insulted, and we ended up as winners of the game”, said France and Sevilla centre-back Loic Bade.
As proceedings geared up towards a wild 10 minutes of added time, Bade muscled the Argentina substitute Lucas Beltran off the ball and leaned over him as he fell, aiming clearly-meant words towards his face.
“It was nothing, we just celebrated and they didn’t like it,” Bade insisted. “They insulted us throughout the game. I don’t know what they were saying because they were speaking Spanish, but they were gesturing.”
Afterwards Millot, who will be suspended for the semi-final against Egypt, said the game’s grim context had “given us a pep”.
Fittingly, Mateta’s goal was set up by his former Palace teammate Michael Olise, another player born to parents of African heritage (Nigerian father and mother with Algerian blood).
Olise won a fifth-minute corner and whipped it perfectly to meet the run of Mateta, who produced a fine finish across goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli.
Egypt will be awaiting France in Lyon on Monday in the semi-finals after the Pharaohs joined their fellow Africans Morocco in the last four.
The quarter-final between Egypt and Paraguay went to penalties after Ibrahim Adel struck an 88th minute equaliser for the North Africans, who went on to win the shootout 5-4.
In the other semi-final in Marseille, also on Monday, Morocco, who thrashed United States of America 4-0 in the quarter-finals, will battle favourites Spain for a spot in the final, billed for Friday.
