PARIS — The French starting 11 was worth more than $250 million. Their home crowd was stirring, waving flags, chanting "Allez Les Bleus." Their fearsome front three alone had played more than 300 games in the English Premier League. They entered these 2024 Olympics as the men's soccer gold medal favorite, and an early candidate to bring the Games to life.
And on Wednesday in Marseille, they did just that, beating the U.S. 3-0.
For an hour in Marseille, on opening night, a feisty American team stood up to them.
But in the 61st minute of Paris 2024's first primetime headliner, Alexandre Lacazette struck, and the Stade Vélodrome erupted.