Where to watch France vs Argentina: Olympic football men’s quarter-finals live online, TV, odds, prediction

France and Argentina meet in Bordeaux on Friday for the quarter-finals of men’s Olympic football, with a semi-final against Egypt or Paraguay at stake. This is a repeat of the FIFA 2022 World Cup final from Qatar, which Lionel Messi’s Albiceleste won, but the Inter Miami man himself will not be in Bordeaux to influence this heavyweight match between two of the pre-tournament favourites.

The French are in the Olympic quarter-finals for the first time since 1996 in Atlanta, while Les Bleus have to wait 40 years since their last knockout stage win at a Games. That coincided with a gold medal win and Thierry Henry’s men will be hoping for the same here, despite an unwanted record of five defeats from six last eight matches for the men. After an overall unbeaten run since their 4-0 defeat to Japan at the 2020 Tokyo Games, France are now unbeaten on nine occasions.

The Argentinians will enter the knockout phase for the first time since their last gold medal in 2008. The South Americans have failed to progress past the group stages in 2016 and 2020, but have lost just one of their last five quarter-finals. That was against Brazil in 1988 and although this was a World Cup final 18 months ago, it is the first ever Olympic meeting for these two giants of world football.

Here are our storylines, how to watch the match and more:

How to watch and odds

• Date: Friday August 2 | Time: 3:00 PM ET
• Place: Matmut Atlantique-Bordeaux, France
• TV Universal | Current: Fubo (try for free)
• Chances: France +100; Sign +225; Argentina +240

How they got here

Les Bleus have lived up to expectations so far with three wins from three in Group A to finish ahead of the USMNT. Only the French and Japan won all three of their matches and both kept three clean sheets with seven goals. Thierry Henry’s side have been close to Guinea but have scored at least three goals in two of their matches so far. Meanwhile, Argentina overcame a controversial start to the Paris Games with that defeat to Morocco, followed by victories over Iraq and then Ukraine. Thiago Almada lives up to the pre-tournament hype with goals in both wins. It was only because of the head-to-head record that Javier Mascherano’s team finished second behind the Atlas Lions in Group B.

Team news

France: Henry started Desire Doue and Arnaud Kalimuendo last time out, but both should make way for Alexandre Lacazette and Michael Olise to return to the attack alongside Jean-Philippe Mateta. Loic Bade, Adrien Truffert and Guillaume Restes should be reinstated after Obed Nkambadio came between the sticks, but Enzo Millot is doubtful.

Possible France XI: Peace; Sildillia, Bade, Lukeba, Truffert; Akliouche, Kone, Chotard; Olise; Lacazette, Mateta.

Argentina: Mascherano saw Lucas Beltran come on for Julian Alvarez earlier this week, but both should now top each other. Giuliano Simeone and Almada should continue wide, although Claudio Echeverri looked good when given the chance and could earn a surprise start.

Possible Argentina XI: Rulli; Lujan, Otamendi, Di Cesare, Soler; Simeone, Fernandez, Medina, Almada; Beltran, Alvarez.

Prediction

It was something of a final before the final, but this match wasn’t expected to happen so early. However, the home support means that France just needs to beat Argentina to reach the last four. Choose: France 2, Argentina 1.