France Loses Olympic Final to Spain, Player Misses Medal Due to Rule
- France lost to Spain in the Olympic final after extra-time.
- One French player was denied a medal due to a little-known rule.
- Thierry Henry also played a role in the outcome of the match.
In a dramatic Olympic football final, France faced Spain, ultimately losing 5-3 after extra time. The match saw France initially take the lead through Enzo Millot, but Spain responded with goals from Fermin Lopez and Alex Baena, pushing the score to 3-1. France rallied to force extra time with goals from Maghnes Akliouche and Jean-Philippe Mateta, but Spain's Sergio Camello scored twice in the additional period to secure the victory. While the majority of the French squad received silver medals for their efforts, one notable exception was goalkeeper Theo de Percin. Despite being part of the squad, de Percin was not named on the bench for any of the matches throughout the tournament, which ultimately cost him a medal. This situation arose from a little-known rule regarding alternate players in the Olympic Football Tournament. According to Article 30.1 of the tournament regulations, only players who are named on the matchday squad and participate in the games are eligible for medals. De Percin was the only one of France's four standby players not to be included in any matchday squad, leaving him without a medal despite the team's silver medal finish. The incident highlights the complexities of Olympic regulations and the unfortunate circumstances that can arise for players who are part of a team but do not see game time. De Percin's situation serves as a reminder of the stringent rules governing medal eligibility in Olympic competitions.