Women's football at the Olympics: will we see gold again in Paris?
Eight players from Paris Saint-Germain’s women’s team are about to get their Olympic football tournament underway with one aim in mind: winning the gold medal three years after Canada did so in Tokyo.
Three Parisiennes went all the way last time out in Japan – goalkeeper Stéphanie Labbé, defender Ashley Lawrence and striker Jordyn Huitema – not forgetting Amanda Ilestedt, who claimed the silver medal with Sweden.
Since 1996, when women's football made its first appearance at the Olympic Games, several Paris players have made history at the event.
Two Brazilians have shone particularly brightly at the Games despite never winning gold: midfielder Formiga and striker Cristiane.
Formiga, who plied her trade for Paris Saint-Germain from 2017 to 2021, took part in seven Olympic tournaments, winning two silver medals (in 2004 and 2008).
Cristiane, meanwhile, whose time at the capital club lasted from 2015 to 2017, won the same two silver medals as well as finishing as the top scorer at both tournaments (having netted five goals on both occasions).
Les Bleues made their Olympic debut at London 2012, where they eventually came fourth with Laure Boulleau as Paris Saint-Germain's only representative at the tournament. However, the gold medal would be won by a United States side featuring striker Tobin Heath, who would go on to play for Paris from 2012 to 2014.
Four years later, in Rio, three Parisiennes received call-ups for the Games: France's Sabrina Delannoy, Laura Georges and Marie-Laure Delie. This time, Les Bleues would bow out at the quarter-final stage after losing 1-0 to Canada, while the final was won by a Germany team that, at the time, included one former Paris player in Annike Krahn (2012–2015) and one future Paris player in Sara Däbritz (2019–2022).
Both France and Germany missed out on the delayed Tokyo 2020 tournament, which was won by Canada and the aforementioned Labbé, Lawrence and Huitema.
At this year's Olympics, then, France's Élisa De Almeida, Griedge Mbock, Sakina Karchaoui, Grace Geyoro and Marie-Antoinette Katoto as well as the United States' Korbin Albert, Australia's Clare Hunt and Nigeria's Jennifer Echegini – our most recent signing – will be focusing solely on succeeding the Canadian trio of 2021 and showing off their gold medal to the capital club's fans. Find out who the lucky winner(s) will be at the Parc des Princes on 10th August!
