Spain bathed in gold again 32 years on
The history of Spanish football added another golden chapter 32 years on. The generation of Cobi, of the Barcelona ’92 gold medal, watched this past summer as Spain once again claimed top spot on the podium at the Olympic Games, following silver medals in Sydney 2000 and Tokyo 2020. From Kiko Narváez’s goal at Camp Nou to Sergio Camello’s brace at the Parc des Princes in an epic final.
The achievement will forever be remembered not only for the brilliance of the medal winning performance but also for the journey leading to the gold in Paris. A team that embodied values such as effort, hard work, and unity, overcoming challenges as a true family of twenty-two players who put their talent at the service of the group and believed in victory until the end. Being a team was the key to achieving their goal and captivating a nation that was thrilled by their performance on 9 August 2024.
Juan Miranda and Eric García added the Paris gold to the silver they won in Tokyo.
Group Stage
Spain’s path to Olympic gold began at the very venue where, sixteen days later, they would claim the gold medal. The Parc des Princes in Paris hosted the first match of the men’s Olympic tournament. Goals from Marc Pubill and Sergio Gómez secured an opening victory for Santi Denia’s team against Uzbekistan in a hard-fought match. Against the Dominican Republic in Bordeaux, Fermín, Álex Baena, and Miguel Gutiérrez—on his birthday—scored in a decisive win. With two victories from two matches, Spain had already secured their place in the quarter-finals.
The group stage ended with a defeat against Egypt. Spain tried to overturn a two-goal deficit but, despite a goal from Samu and numerous late chances, they progressed to the quarter-finals as group runners-up.
Quarter-finals
Against Japan in Lyon, Santi Denia’s side delivered a dominant performance, reflected in a resounding 3-0 scoreline. Fermín López opened the scoring in the 11th minute and added a spectacular second with a volley. Abel Ruiz completed the rout as Spain advanced to the medal rounds.
Semi-final
The Marseille Stadium provided a stunning backdrop, with nearly 67,000 spectators, mostly Moroccan fans, filling the stands. But that wasn’t the only challenge Spain had to overcome that evening. Morocco took an early lead from the penalty spot, but with plenty of time left, Santi Denia’s team showed resilience, contained the high-intensity style of the African side, and waited for their moment. It came with Fermín López’s equaliser. Spain then dominated possession and play, and Juanlu Sánchez secured the victory with a cross-shot from the right wing. The entire team celebrated passionately. On the horizon awaited another Olympic final for Spanish football.
Final
At the Parc des Princes in Paris, the Spanish Olympic team delivered one of the greatest achievements in the history of Spanish football, winning gold against the hosts on their own soil. France struck first, but Spain quickly responded and went into half-time with a 3-1 lead, courtesy of two goals from Fermín López (who finished the tournament with six goals) and a sublime free-kick from Álex Baena.
France managed to level the final with two goals, one of them a penalty in the dying moments, sending the match into extra time. It was then that Sergio Camello stepped up, scoring twice with delicate chips that seemed to make time stop, sealing a golden ending to a magical final.
With eight goals, the Paris 2024 final became the highest-scoring final in Olympic football history.