Olympics

The rivals met in a number of major finals that were talked about for years, especially the epic 1993 World Championships 100m finals in Stuttgart, Germany and the Olympic Games in Atlanta, three years later.

Prior to those two years, Devers and Ottey met in the finals of the 100m finals at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992 when Devers won her first Olympic 100 title in 10.80s. Ottey was fifth in 10.88 in one of the closest finals in history. 0.08 seconds separated the first five places.

That race marked the beginning of a tense rivalry between Devers and Ottey that would only intensify over the next four years.

In Stuttgart, Devers got off to a flyer and was ahead midway the race but she was being reeled in by a fast-closing Ottey, who with her final strides appeared to have caught the diminutive American as they crossed the line together.

Unsure of who won, the finalists stood around looking up at the scoreboard for what seemed like an eternity. Officials eventually announced that Devers had been awarded the victory even though both she and the Jamaican icon were given the same time of 10.82.

Jamaican protested the result but the decision upheld, handing the American.

By 1996, the 36-year-old Ottey was at her fifth Olympics, Devers her third, and once again they came face to face in the 100m finals and once again, history repeated itself. Devers got off to a great start only to be reeled in by Ottey and sure enough, they crossed the finish line together.

Both were timed in 10.94 but like in Stuttgart, the American was given the nod. The circumstances created tensions between the two countries and their athletes. However, Devers said those tensions were simply about competition.

“You just get caught up in ‘this is competition and you got coaches who say we’re going to protest this,” Devers told Ato Boldon on his Athletics Live show on Instagram last week.

She said she had no idea why things turned out the way they did, why it always seemed to come down to her and Ottey.

“It keeps coming up that it’s these two every time. I don’t know why it was always us but we were always willing to go to the wire,” she said.

Devers explained that in the early days' everyone kind of kept to themselves, leaving little to interact with her rivals.

“When we were competing, it was (Irina) Privalova, it was me, it was Gwen Torrence, it was that four that you could not pick who was going to win on that day,” she said.

“And we can’t duck each other, we gotta go, we gotta run, gotta bring you’re A-plus game because they’re bringing their A-game. So with Merlene, I always knew she was a great athlete and I would always tell her ‘You still running, shoot…”

She said that as time passed, they both got the chance to get to know each other and the tensions cooled.

“While you’re competing everybody is in their own camp, you don’t sit there and socialize anyway, but as we got older, going to awards ceremonies or even with social media, we were able to talk to each other,” she said.

“She knows that I have always admired her because I don’t care at what age, if she steps out there now I am concerned. You might want to be worried because if she is in the lane, she is ready to go.”

The American cruised through in just 57 minutes on Court Philippe Chatrier, winning 6-3 6-0 in the evening session.

Gauff raced into a 3-0 lead in the first set and did well to hold off the Australian's fightback after trading breaks for the next four games. She soon regained her advantage at 5-3 though, before winning the final game to love to take the lead.

Gauff eased through the second set with little fuss and Tomljanovic had no answers as she finished the game on the wrong end of a bagel.

Next up for Gauff is Argentina's Maria Lourdes Carle, who routed Tatjana Maria 6-0 6-0 on Sunday.

Data Debrief: Gauff gets off to perfect start

Gauff missed the Tokyo 2021 Olympics through illness, and she could not have asked for a better start in Paris after winning both her doubles and singles matches.

The 20-year-old won the final eight games in a row en route to her dominant win, breaking Tomljanovic's serve six times throughout the match.

Gauff, the world number two, was one of the favourites to claim singles gold in Paris, but will instead have to try her luck in the doubles after crashing out in the third round.

The American lost 7-6 (9-7) 6-2 on Tuesday in a contest in which she clashed with chair umpire Jaume Campistol towards the end of the match.

A Vekic return had been called out by a line judge, with Gauff having not kept the ball in play, but Campistol believed the shot had landed in and handed the Croatian the point and a 4-2 lead.

Play was subsequently delayed as an emotional Gauff approached the umpire, saying: "I never argue these calls. But he called it out before I hit the ball. 

"It's not even a perception; it's the rules. I always have to advocate for myself.

"It always happens here at [Roland-Garros] to me. Every time. This is like the fourth, fifth time it's happened this year."

Gauff felt she was on the harsh end of a decision in the semi-finals of the French Open earlier this year, in a defeat to Iga Swiatek.

Data Debrief: Vekic a worthy winner

Despite Gauff's complaints, she was not at her best, and Vekic deserved the victory.

Vekic struck 28 winners in total to Gauff's nine, as she claimed the first top-10 scalp of her career on clay.

It is the second time in the space of two Olympic Games that Vekic has ousted a top-three player, having defeated Aryna Sabalenka in Tokyo.

The Jamaica national champion’s best distance this year is 8.29, well short of the 8.60 recorded by world leader, Greece’s Miltiadis Tentoglou in May.

However, track and field analyst and SportsMax.tv Tokyo Take host Leighton Levy believes the jumper's improvements in other areas will make him a force to be reckoned with when he faces the field in Tokyo.

“I think Gayle is going to fly in the long jump and be among the medals, gold even,” Levy said on this week’s episode. (See full episode below)

“His improved speed is an asset and once he makes the adjustments on the runway for that additional speed, we are in for a spectacular performance from Gayle.”

The jumper has, in fact, shown off plenty of improved speed after recording new personal bests in both the 60m and 100m sprints this season.  Gayle ran 6.78 in the later in February but was even more impressive in the 100, clocking 10.18 to shave huge chunks off his previous personal best of 10.74.  Gayle’s personal best of 8.69, in the long jump, was set in 2019.

Peters, 23, who is eager to add an Olympic title to his World, Pan American and NACAC titles, admits to Sportsmax.TV that he is concerned about his safety, especially against the backdrop of news of recent spikes in Japan that have organizers questioning whether the Games that were postponed from last summer, should go ahead this year.

However, according to the Grenadian national record holder, he believes “there is no reward without great risk.”

“I am concerned about my safety but if we take the vaccine and take the necessary precaution we are going to be fine,” he said.

“Who would pass up the chance to compete at the Olympics. I can’t have Covid for the rest of my life but I will be Olympic champion for the rest of my life.”

Peters said he is stronger than ever after recovering from knee surgery done in October 2019, and under the guidance of Paul Phillips at the Mississippi State University (MSU), he has been putting up numbers in training like he never had before.

“I am stronger. The task is on me and my coach to transition that strength into my throws,” he said.

Like many others the Guyana national champion found herself upended with heavily disrupted training sessions, the majority of meets cancelled, and even eventual postponement of the Olympics.  Still, she endeavored to make the best use of the situation and found unexpected benefits.

“Despite the Games being cancelled and a whole lot of meets being cancelled it was the reset that I needed,” Abrams told SportsMax.TV.

“Sometimes you just need to step away from track and pursue and do other things that you enjoy.  When you come back to doing it, you can rekindle that flame that you had,” she added.

“A lot of things of things were shut down but I got a chance to spend some time with the people I love and recover my body and my mind.”

For the 24-year-old, Tokyo will represent her second appearance on track and field’s biggest stage, and in addition to being in a better frame of mind, she is also feeling in better physical shape.

“It’s been five years from 2016 to the 2021 Olympics, I was able to compete internationally and do well at Worlds and at Pan Ams, so I have more experience, I’m in better physical shape as well.  I’ve also run faster than I did heading into the first Olympics,” Abrams said.

The quarter-miler, who has a personal best of 51.13, has targeted cracking the 50-seconds barrier in Toyko, but in a highly competitive field that may not be enough to earn a place among the top eight women in the world.  Win or lose though, the plucky athlete certainly intends to give it her best shot.

“I haven’t been running the third 100 of my race the way that I want to this season, so I have been working on how to better execute that.  The problem has been the second part of my race.  Once I set that up, I’ll be in good standing,” Abrams went on.

On her Olympic debut in Rio, Abrams exited the competition in the first round, she has much higher targets this time around.

“My ultimate goal this time around is to make it to the final that would be a success for me."

The United States team is taking shape as they prepare to defend their gold medal at the delayed 2021 Olympics.

Reports at the weekend detailed the expectation Durant would join the team after the Nets exited the NBA playoffs.

Durant was on the victorious USA teams in 2012 and 2016 and this year averaged 26.9 points per game in the regular season and 34.3 in the postseason – the 25th-best mark of all time.

The 2014 MVP will not be the only Brooklyn player on the Olympic team, according to The Athletic.

A hamstring injury limited Harden to 36 regular season games for the Nets following his trade from the Houston Rockets, before he played nine times in the playoffs, scoring an underwhelming 20.2 points per game.

Harden went to London in 2012 after his final season as a bench scorer for the Oklahoma City Thunder but not to Brazil four years later having established himself in Houston.

Golden State Warriors great Stephen Curry was involved on neither occasion – although he won the World Cup in 2010 and 2014 – and will not make his Olympic bow this year either, the report added.

Curry almost single-handedly carried the undermanned Warriors to the brink of the playoffs this year, taking the NBA scoring title with 32.0 points per game.

Donovan Mitchell, who struggled with an injury as the Utah Jazz lost to the Los Angeles Clippers, has also declined an invite, ESPN revealed.

Bam Adebayo, the Miami Heat center, will join the 12-man roster, though, aiming to bounce back from a playoff sweep at the hands of the Milwaukee Bucks in which he scored just nine points on four-of-15 shooting in Game 1.

The USWNT come into the competition on the back of their earliest exit from a World Cup, losing to Sweden on penalties in the last 16 last year. 

The United States arrive in Paris aiming to claim a fifth gold medal in the tournament, last triumphing in the competition at London 2012. 

"This team is past that. I think this team is firmly focused on, you know, creating a new history together," said head coach Hayes, reflecting on the 2023 World Cup.

"Our motivation isn't always about righting the wrongs. Far from it. We're excited. We're prepared."

Since Hayes' arrival at the helm in May, she has won three of her four games in charge, securing four clean sheets in the process. 

But a goalless draw with Costa Rica in their final pre-tournament fixture has supporters worried about their gold medal prospects.

"The team is exactly where it needs to be at this stage," Hayes assured. "And for us it's just so, so important we continue to focus on that process."

Hayes' side open their Group B campaign against Zambia, who have Barbra Banda in their ranks, the striker who has 12 goals in 12 games for Orlando Pride. 

The USWNT are among the favourites to scoop the top award in Paris, with reigning world champions Spain also tipped for gold on their tournament debut. 

But Hayes, who won seven WSL titles with Chelsea, feels the age-old assumption of American dominance in the women's game is disrespectful. 

Hayes acknowledged that ambition is important, but emphasised that expectations for these Olympics must be amended due to the global growth of women's football. 

"I think one of the biggest problems is that too often is that we talk about what we're going to do in Paris or what happens when we get to the semis and finals - I think it's disrespectful to the rest of the world to talk like that," Hayes said.

"I think the game has moved to a point where that isn't the case. It isn't a shoo-in to get somewhere. It has to be earned and there's no given right.

"There's top footballing nations in this tournament. I don't think shocks in the women's game exist any more.

"I think we have to reframe our focus a little bit and have respect for the rest of the world."

Trinity Rodman's 17th minute strike was followed up by a quickfire double from Mallory Swanson to ensure a winning start to Group B. 

Swanson's brace came within 66 seconds of each other, netting the fastest two goals by a single player in a major tournament in the team's history.

Lindsey Horan notched two assists in Nice, becoming the fifth player in USWNT history with multiple assists in an Olympic match, joining Mia Hamm, Heather O’Reilly, Megan Rapinoe and Julie Ertz. 

Plenty was made of the United States' form heading into the Games, having endured a goalless draw in their final pre-tournament fixture with Costa Rica. 

However, their ruthless first-half showing saw Hayes become the first coach to win their first major tournament match in charge of the USA by a margin of three or more goals. 

The former Chelsea head coach has also helped her side keep five clean sheets in her first five games in charge, a record only bettered by Greg Ryan (nine). 

In spite of their strong showing, Hayes' side underperformed their expected goals (xG) by 1.96, with only eight of their 27 shots on target in the contest. 

They missed a total of nine big chances, while also having 58 touches in the opposition's box compared to Zambia's 11. 

But having seen other tournament favourites Spain and Germany kickstart their respective campaigns with victories, Hayes is confident her side can improve to claim a record-extending fifth gold medal. 

“The first part of the first half was exceptional,” Hayes said. “To come out the way we did, the intention, the intensity, the decision-making, the execution, it should have been at least 5-0 at half-time.

"There was things within our structure I didn’t like. But that’s easy fixes.

“If we had asked me at the beginning of the game ‘would you be happy with a 3-0 winner?’ I probably would have said no.

"However, for the performance and the chances created and finding the back of the net, I don’t want to be too hard on the players.”

The United States continue their Group B campaign on Sunday where they will face Germany, before travelling to Marseille to face Australia next week. 

Les Bleus were minutes away from a semi-final exit against the Pharaohs until Jean-Philippe Mateta's 83rd minute equaliser. 

Mateta would grab his fourth of the tournament in the ninth minute of extra-time, with former Crystal Palace teammate Michael Olise confirming the 3-1 win soon after.

Henry had been preparing for this event since taking over in August 2023 and felt the weight of responsibility, having seen his nation perform brilliantly in other events as the hosts.

“I’m living a dream. I don’t want to wake up," Henry said.

"I’ll be honest with you, what’s nice is for Team France because when you see everyone winning medals here and there, you think it’s up to us not to let the guys down.”

Henry endured a torrid time in charge of Monaco over five years ago, winning five of his 20 games in charge (D4, L11), but has since rebuilt his career. 

Firstly, in the MLS with Montreal Impact, leading Montreal to their first playoff berth in four seasons, before returning for a second stint with the Belgium national side as an assistant manager. 

This tournament has seen Henry possibly stake a claim for the France job further down the line, with Didier Deschamps’ contract expiring after the 2026 World Cup. 

However, Philippe Diallo, president of the French Football Federation, did not want to entertain the idea just yet.

Diallo told RMC: “Let’s not rush things. Thierry Henry, when I appointed him to the position, there were some who had doubts given what he had done previously. I had confidence in him and he is proving it.”

France will play Spain at the Parc des Princes on Friday in the showpiece final.

Les Bleus were minutes away from a semi-final exit against the Pharaohs until Jean-Philippe Mateta's 83rd minute equaliser. 

Mateta would grab his fourth of the tournament and second of the match in the ninth minute of extra-time, with former Crystal Palace team-mate Michael Olise confirming the 3-1 win soon after.

Henry had been preparing for this event since taking over in August 2023 and felt the weight of responsibility, having seen his nation perform brilliantly in other events as the hosts.

“I’m living a dream. I don’t want to wake up," Henry said.

"I’ll be honest with you, what’s nice is for Team France because when you see everyone winning medals here and there, you think it’s up to us not to let the guys down.”

Henry endured a torrid time in charge of Monaco over five years ago, winning five of his 20 games in charge (D4, L11), but has since rebuilt his career. 

Firstly, in the MLS with Montreal Impact, leading Montreal to their first playoff berth in four seasons, before returning for a second stint with the Belgium national side as an assistant manager. 

This tournament has seen Henry possibly stake a claim for the France job further down the line, with Didier Deschamps’ contract expiring after the 2026 World Cup. 

However, Philippe Diallo, president of the French Football Federation, did not want to entertain the idea just yet.

Diallo told RMC: “Let’s not rush things. Thierry Henry, when I appointed him to the position, there were some who had doubts given what he had done previously. I had confidence in him and he is proving it.”

France will play Spain at the Parc des Princes on Friday in the showpiece final.

Henry led France to their first football medal at the Games since their triumph at the 1984 edition in Los Angeles, but will take home silver this time around. 

Maghnes Akliouche and Jean-Philippe Mateta's late strikes saw Les Bleus come from 3-1 down in the final 10 minutes to send the encounter to extra-time. 

However, Sergio Camello's brace broke French hearts at the Parc des Princes, with Spain continuing to assert their dominance on the international stage. 

Despite the defeat, Henry lauded his players' efforts during the tournament, saying that he will remember their journey as something that united the country. 

"It was magical. I told the guys that I was proud of them and that we've got a medal at the end. Sure this is not how we wanted to be but the story is amazing," said Henry.

"I think everybody enjoyed. It didn't end well but there was emotion, a medal and a beautiful journey. We are a beautiful country when we are together.

"It's beautiful to see people with jerseys, people with flags at the Olympics.

"It's difficult to celebrate this medal but we have to. There was a story, an amazing human journey."

Alexandre Lacazette, who was one of Les Bleus' three overage players at the Games, echoed the comments made by his head coach. 

The 33-year-old has not played for France since 2017, but thanked Henry for giving him the opportunity to represent his country once again. 

"To Henry, thank you for trusting me and make me wear the blue (French) jersey again," Lacazette said. 

"I will remember the journey, the fact that I could wear the blue jersey again, the atmospheres that we had. I think all the French are proud of us after all. Even if we are disappointed.

"I don't know if this match was the most important but it's one of the most beautiful matches in terms of emotions."

Henry, who was appointed last year on a contract until June 2025, said he was moving away from the position due to reasons personal to him. 

The former Arsenal striker led Les Bleus to a first final at the Games since 1984 in Paris, but fell agonisngly short in the showpiece match against Spain. 

Two goals in extra-time from Sergio Camello secured La Roja a second gold medal after France had come from 3-1 down to force extra-time at the Parc des Princes. 

During his time in charge of the Olympic squad, Henry won eight of his 11 games in charge (two draws and one loss) while also scoring 31 goals in that time. 

His side conceded 12 times during his tenure, with five of those coming in their gold medal match against Spain at the Games. 

"I would like to thank the FFF and the president Philippe Diallo who offered me this incredible opportunity," Henry said in a statement.

"Winning the silver medal at the Olympic Games for my country will remain one of the proudest things I have ever had.

"I am incredibly grateful to the Federation, the players, the staff and the fans who have given me a magical experience."

Henry, who was appointed last year on a contract until June 2025, said he was moving away from the position due to reasons personal to him. 

The former Arsenal striker led Les Bleus to a first final at the Games since 1984 in Paris, but fell agonisngly short in the showpiece match against Spain. 

Two goals in extra-time from Sergio Camello secured La Roja a second gold medal after France had come from 3-1 down to force extra-time at the Parc des Princes. 

During his time in charge of the Olympic squad, Henry won eight of his 11 games in charge (two draws and one loss) while also scoring 31 goals in that time. 

His side conceded 12 times during his tenure, with five of those coming in their gold medal match to Spain at the Games. 

"I would like to thank the FFF and the president Philippe Diallo who offered me this incredible opportunity," Henry said in a statement.

"Winning the silver medal at the Olympic Games for my country will remain one of the proudest things I have ever had.

"I am incredibly grateful to the Federation, the players, the staff and the fans who have given me a magical experience."

Jean-Philippe Mateta's fifth minute strike proved to be the difference in Bordeaux, but ugly scenes at Ilgiz Tantashev's full-time whistle overshadowed Les Bleus' triumph. 

Tensions between the two nations had been at boiling point after Argentina's Copa America winning squad were filmed singing a racist chant aimed towards the French. 

Argentina's Marco Di Cesare set the tone in a feisty encounter early on, picking up the first of 10 yellow cards shown in the match. 

After the Olympic hosts had confirmed their place in the semi-finals, celebrations spilled onto the pitch, which sparked a reaction from the Albiceleste players.

Enzo Millot, who had been substituted five minutes before full-time, received a red card for his actions, much to the frustration of his head coach. 

"I don’t agree with what happened at the end of the match. My player [Millot] got a red card and I don’t accept it, it shouldn’t happen," Henry said. 

"I couldn’t control what happened. I went to greet the coach and when I turned around, what happened, happened.

"We won, but I didn’t like what happened at the end with my player.

"We don't take this match as revenge because the World Cup was with other teams, Henry continued. "Having scored the goal quickly gave us a decision.

France will face Egypt in the last four of the competition, with the opportunity to win gold for the first time since Los Angeles 1984. 

Sixteen teams will play across seven different stadiums in the men's tournament, and all will hope to have a gold medal placed around their necks on August 9 at the Parc des Princes. 

There will be a new champion this time around, with Brazil, who triumphed in Tokyo, not participating in this year's tournament. 

Will it be Thierry Henry's France, or will Argentina and Spain continue their recent international success on the global stage?

Here, we have a look at all the key information ahead of the action unfolding.

Football at the Olympics

In Olympic football, the general rules align with those of domestic and international play. However, for the men's teams, there's a notable difference in the age requirement for each nation. 

Each of the 16 countries have confirmed their 18-man squads ahead of the tournament, but are only allowed to select three players over the age of 23. 

The action will start on 24 July, with Argentina and Spain kicking off their respective campaigns in the day's early matches.

The tournament format consists of four groups containing four teams, with the top two advancing to the knockout stages. 

A bronze medal match will take place a day prior to the final, and due to the number of fixtures needing to be played, the action will kickstart two days before the Olympics' official opening ceremony on July 26. 

How do the groups look?

While France are considered among the favourites at their home Games, they have been placed in a group that contains one-time silver medallists United States and Tokyo 2020 quarter-finalists New Zealand, as well as minnows Guniea.

Henry's side have impressed in their pre-tournament preparations, scoring 12 goals in their three matches against the Dominican Republic, Japan and Paraguay. 

Having been placed in the 'group of death' at Euro 2024, albeit they went on to lift the trophy anyway, Spain will sleep a little easier knowing they are to play two sides in Group C who are yet to participate at the Olympic Games. 

La Roja feature in a group containing Uzbekistan and the Dominican Republic, but will also play Egypt, who are making their 12th appearance in the competition. 

Argentina are placed in Group B, with their biggest test coming in their opening game against Morocco, with Iraq and Ukraine rounding out that pool.

Japan are the standout side in Group D, having previously featured in 11 editions of the Games; they will square off against Paraguay, Mali and Israel. 

Spain and Argentina gunning for gold, but France will have their say

Spain and Argentina are the hot favourites to build on their summer tournament successes, though France, as hosts, are certainly right in the mix.

Argentina have the chance to clinch a record-equalling third gold medal in Paris, and would go level with Great Britain and Hungary as the most successful nation in the competition's history. 

La Albiceleste previously triumphed in back-to-back Olympic Games, securing their maiden win in Athens 20 years ago, followed by another gold in Beijing four years later. 

Javier Mascherano is coaching Argentina, and his squad includes two Copa America winners in the form of Nicolas Otamendi and Manchester City's Julian Alvarez. Thiago Almada, who has just signed for Botafogo in Brazil, was a star of MLS in recent years and is certainly one to watch.

Argentina have, however, failed to get out of the group in their previous two appearances at the games, but will be confident of reaching the knockout stages this time around. 

Spain are in search of a first gold medal since Barcelona 1992, and they will hope to make up for their defeat to Brazil in the Tokyo final.

Their squad includes Fermin Lopez, Eric Garcia and Pau Cubarsi.

But France will pose a significant threat, especially with the advantage of the Games being played on home soil.

Eleven of Les Bleus 18-man squad play their football in France, and they will be hopeful of leading their nation to a first gold medal since the Los Angeles games back in 1984, and there are some real stars in Henry's squad.

Alexander Lacazette brings the experience as captain, Jean-Philippe Mateta is coming off the back of a fine season, and new Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise is arguably the best player involved in the entire competition.

Who could upset the odds?

Uzbekistan, led by Timur Kapadze, are one of three teams making their debut at the Olympics, alongside Ukraine and the Dominican Republic. 

They qualified for the tournament after reaching the final of the AFC U-23 Asian Cup earlier this year, losing to Japan 1-0 in May. 

However, they face a difficult task to reach the knockout stages in their maiden appearance at the tournament, having been placed in Group C alongside Spain and Egypt. 

Japan, meanwhile, are competing at their 12th Olympics, a record only bettered by the United States (15), France (14) and Egypt (13) of this year's participating sides.

Having won all three of their group games at the Tokyo Games, Japan went close to equalling their best result in their home games, having previously claimed bronze in 1968. 

They were beaten 3-1 by Mexico in their bronze medal match four years ago, and will be keen to earn a first top-two medal finish. 

The USA are another side looking to restore some pride on the international stage following their group stage exit at the Copa America last month. Their best result came in 1904 when they won silver in St. Louis, with Marko Mitrovic the man tasked with delivering in Paris this time around. 

No Paris return for Mbappe or Messi

While some of the world's brightest talent will descend on Paris this month, there are some huge omissions from the 16 nations taking part. 

Kylian Mbappe is arguably the biggest of those.

Having failed to lead Les Bleus to European Championship glory, the former Paris Saint-Germain striker will not be able to make up for it in the city he called home for the past seven years. 

Mbappe has completed his move to Real Madrid, signing a five-year deal with Los Blancos. The 36-time LaLiga champions said they would not release any of their squad to compete at the Games, although Mbappe said he was keen to play earlier this year.

Lionel Messi is another huge player who will not be present in Paris, having just led Argentina to a third-straight major tournament win. 

Messi played five times for Lionel Scaloni's side at the Copa America, scoring once in their semi-final win over Canada. 

The 37-year-old was forced off in the final against Colombia after picking up an ankle injury, but would not have featured anyway having alerted Mascherano of his desire not to feature. 

Messi has won all there is to win as a professional footballer, including an Olympic gold he clinched at the 2008 Games.

And having become the youngest player to appear in a major international tournament final, Spain's Lamine Yamal will also not be competing at the Paris games. 

Yamal starred for La Roja at Euro 2024, tallying five goal involvements in seven appearances in Germany.

The 17-year-old played 50 times for Barcelona last season and will miss the tournament in order to manage his workload ahead of the new La Liga season. 

PLAYERS TO WATCH

France - Jean-Philippe Mateta

All eyes will be on host nation France, with Henry's squad boasting a plethora of attacking talent heading into the games. 

Les Bleus will be led by former Arsenal striker Lacazette, but attention will be focused on Crystal Palace striker Mateta, who enjoyed a rich vein of form in the Premier League.

Mateta scored 16 goals last term, having previously only scored seven times for the Eagles, including a run of nine goals in Palace's seven-game winning run under new head coach, Oliver Glasner. 

His former Palace team-mate Olise, fresh from his £50million move to Bayern Munich, is also a part of Henry's plans, along with Lacazette's Lyon team-mate, Rayan Cherki. 

Argentina - Julian Alvarez

Fresh from his Copa America success, Alvarez will be keen to add another international honour to his trophy cabinet. 

Alvarez is one of three overage players picked by Mascherano alongside Otamendi and Geronimo Rulli.

The 24-year-old scored two goals in Argentina's 16th Copa success, netting 19 times in 54 appearances in all competitions for Pep Guardiola's side last term as they claimed a record fourth consecutive Premier League crown. 

With his participation in the tournament, Alvarez will miss City's pre-season tour of the United States and their Community Shield fixture against rivals Manchester United.

Spain - Fermin Lopez 

Along with Alex Baena, Fermin is one of two players from Spain's Euro 2024-winning squad heading to the Olympics.

Lopez played just 28 minutes for La Roja in their record-setting fourth success at the Euros, but he is guaranteed more game time in Paris. 

The 21-year-old enjoyed a breakthrough year, scoring eight goals for Barcelona in La Liga, which included a strike against Real Madrid in his second Classico appearance. 

Lopez and Baena are looking to make history by becoming the first outfield players to win both the Euros and Olympic gold in the same summer.

Morocco - Achraf Hakimi 

Despite failing to build on their World Cup 2022 semi-final run at the recent Africa Cup of Nations, PSG star Hakimi will be hopeful of guiding Morocco to gold.

Hakimi will lead the Atlas Lions out for their eighth appearance at the Games, having been given permission to miss his club's pre-season preparations. 

The 25-year-old, who has made over 70 appearances for his nation, helped Luis Enrqiue's side to a domestic treble last term, recording nine goal contributions in 25 Ligue 1 outings. 

Guinea - Naby Keita

Having endured a difficult season with injury at Werder Bremen, former Liverpool midfielder Keita will captain Guinea in their second appearance at the Olympics. 

Keita made the switch from Anfield to Germany last year but made just five Bundesliga appearances, missing the final five games of the season after refusing to play their game against champions-elect, Bayer Leverkusen.

The 29-year-old has 56 appearances for Guinea across a seven-year international career, scoring 11 times.

Holloway was edged out by Jamaica's Hansle Parchment at the delayed 2020 Games but travelled to France having won three straight World Championship golds.

He flew out of the blocks in Thursday's final at the Stade de France, taking the crown with a time of 12.99 seconds.

Fellow American Daniel Roberts claimed silver with a time of 13.09, with Jamaica's Rasheed Broadbell taking bronze.

Holloway sprinted to the bell following his triumph before declaring: "I've made it. I've done it. I am the Olympic champion."

The 26-year-old had previously won gold at the World Indoor Championships and the Diamond League, in addition to his triumphs at the 2019, 2022 and 2023 World Championships.

Home hope Marchand has dominated at La Defense Arena, and won the 200-metre medley to complete a remarkable set of golds.

His win on Friday came on the back of success in the 400m medley, 200m butterfly and 200m breaststroke.

The 22-year-old, who was cheered on by French president Emmanuel Macron, told BBC Sport: "It has been unbelievable for me this week.

"I am enjoying every moment of it and this crowd was crazy. I was enjoying everything, it was so cool."

Marchand, who was just 0.06 seconds shy of the world record, finished ahead of Duncan Scott of Great Britain.

"He showed his class there, that is very quick," Scott told BBC Sport.

"What he just went after what has been a busy schedule for the guy – it was special to race him.

"It is a great way to finish it [his individual events] off."

There were two medals for France, with Florent Manaudou clinching bronze.

The cutting-edge kit adorned the bodies of a number of Jamaica's greatest elite athletes. Among them, the fastest woman alive, the two-time defending Olympic sprint double champion Elaine Thompson-Herah, defending 110m hurdles champion Hansle Parchment, 100m hurdles bronze medalist Megan Tapper, Rushell Clayton, Janieve Russell, Asafa Powell, Stacey-Ann Williams and Kemba Nelson among others. Parading around the track, the athletes in their newly-fashioned were cheered on by the appreciate crowd of about 20,000. 

For José van der Veen, Global Head of Product, Track and Field at Puma, the journey towards crafting these kits was deeply rooted in the essence of Jamaican athleticism. "Jamaica has always been a key federation for us," she remarked, her eyes alight with passion. "We've always used them as our main muse, inspiration not only from a performance level but also from a stylistic level."

Drawing inspiration from the nation's obsession with speed and agility, Puma set out to create a collection that would not only embody the spirit of Jamaican athletes but also push the boundaries of performance and style. "The performance and the technologies that we've incorporated in these products are state of the art," van der Veen added, pride evident in her voice.

But it wasn't just about performance – it was about style, about evoking the essence of speed with every stitch and seam. "Our muse is our athletes. They evoke speed on the track, and that's what we wanted our kits to feel like,” Noelani Ramos, Global Lead Designer, Track and Field at Puma emphasized. “We wanted it to kind of complement them while they perform on the track. We wanted our lines to contour their bodies. They so disciplined, they train so hard, we wanted it to really highlight their physique.”

Working hand-in-hand with athletes like 400m hurdler Rushell Clayton, Puma meticulously crafted each element of the kit, ensuring that it not only looked dynamic but also enhanced performance. "We wanted to evoke the talk of the crowd," Ramos continued. "Something that's dynamic on the track, with high cut lines around the brief area...that moves with the body."

But performance wasn't the only consideration – sustainability played a crucial role in the design process. "We can't sacrifice the sustainability element of it," van der Veen emphasized. With materials made from regenerated nylon sourced from ocean fishnets and water bottles, Puma ensured that every stride taken in their kits was a step towards a greener future.

Clayton expressed her joy to have been included in the creative process. "It feels amazing to be part of the process," she exclaimed. "When you put this gear on, it gives you confidence, just to know it fits so well, it sitting in the right parts of your body, it’s not moving where it’s not supposed to move. It’s amazing to know that they put so much work and thought into it.”

Murray's final tournament ended in the quarter-finals at Roland-Garros as he and Dan Evans were beaten in straight sets by American duo Tommy Paul and Taylor Fritz. 

The 37-year-old left Court Suzanne-Lenglen to a standing ovation as the curtain came down on a career that included three Grand Slam titles, as well as singles gold at both the London and Rio Games.

"I feel good. I have been ready for this moment for the last few months since I had the operation on my back," said Murray.

"I knew it was the right time and I feel lucky to come and compete here.

"I am grateful to Dan (Evans) for putting in the effort he did to give us a good chance of having a great run. I am looking forward to stopping now."

While Murray and Evans had pulled off miraculous comebacks against Japan’s Kei Nishikori and Taro Daniel and Belgium's Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen in the previous rounds, both Paul and Fritz proved to be a step too far. 

The British pair were second best for much of the contest, despite showing signs of yet another comeback in the second set only for Fritz's strong service game to cinch victory for the Americans. 

"I mean it was a great run and we lost to two top players today. They are both top tennis players, we would have had to play very well to win that match and we didn’t.

"We got into it at the end, but if we found that form earlier we could have caused them problems, but it wasn't to be.

"We did make the quarters, but if you get through that match you get an opportunity to win a medal."

Murray bows out having won 739 of his 1001 ATP Tour level matches, earning 46 singles titles across his career as well as spending 41 weeks as world number one. 

But in true Murray fashion, he posted to X joking he never liked the sport he played for 18 years shortly after the defeat.