Spain wins gold for the first time in 23 years
Lukeba and the “Equipe Tricolore” lost 3:5 in extra time in a thrilling final. After 90 minutes the score was 3:3 (3:1).
Thanks to Sergio Camello, Spain’s footballers are Olympic champions for the first time in 32 years and have ended France’s gold dream with head coach Thierry Henry. The Iberians won the Olympic tournament for the second time after 1992 in Barcelona thanks to two goals from Camello (100th minute/120th+1).
Also outstanding in front of almost 50,000 spectators was European Championship participant Fermin López, who also scored two goals (18th/25th). Unlike the women’s team, the men’s team is made up of U23 teams, which can be supplemented by three older professionals. Big stars such as Lionel Messi in 2008 or Neymar in 2016 were not there.
Lukeba: played all five games
Stuttgart’s Enzo Millot (11th) scored the early lead for France after a serious mistake by goalkeeper Arnau Tenas. Spain then played brilliantly and turned the game around with three quick goals. After Fermin’s double, Alex Baena (28th) scored with a free kick. Maghnes Akliouche (79th) and Jean-Philippe Mateta (90th+3/penalty) scored for France, but it was not enough.
Lukeba played in all five of France’s matches. He played the full four of them, but in the third group match he was allowed to take a breather and leave the field 15 minutes before the official end of the match.
