Stars of Spain and France Shine Bright at Paris 2024 Olympics

Fermín López and Michael Olise are making headlines as they play pivotal roles in taking Spain and France to the finals of the Paris 2024 Olympics. These two talented players have combined for a remarkable six goals, leading the tournament alongside Morocco‘s Soufiane Rahimi.

López is really shining, with four goals and two assists under his belt. Meanwhile, Olise has also contributed significantly, netting two goals and providing four assists. Their creativity and skill have been instrumental in helping their teams win tough matches.

Coached by Santi Denia (Spain) and Thierry Henry (France), both teams heavily rely on their midfield stars. López, who just celebrated a Euro 2024 victory with Spain on July 14, is on a quest for a double triumph in Paris.

In the knockout stages of the tournament, López has been unstoppable. He’s scored three goals and provided an assist, being directly involved in four out of five of Spain’s goals against Japan and Morocco. It’s clear he’s crucial to the team’s success.

López plays as a free-roaming midfielder, combining strong defense with the ability to score from outside the box. “Coaches ask me to shoot. I have a good strike, and I practice it in training,” he said excitedly after scoring two against Japan.

According to data from BeSoccer for EFE, he’s ranked sixth in shots on target in the Olympics, averaging 1.35 shots per game. As the top midfielder in that category, his goalscoring prowess has been key for Spain as they aim for gold on August 9.

On the flip side, France has found a real game-changer in Michael Olise. With stars like Mbappé and Griezmann absent, the 21-year-old has stepped up as a true leader. Next season, he will join Bayern Munich for €53 million from Crystal Palace and has taken his impressive form into the Olympics, contributing six goals and two assists in his last six matches.

Olise, playing as an attacking midfielder, is maximizing his ability to create plays. He has the highest rate of passes leading to shots in the tournament, racking up 3.24 passes per game that go into the penalty area, resulting in four crucial assists, especially benefiting his teammate Jean-Philippe Mateta, who has scored four goals, two of which were assisted by Olise.

Wearing the number 7 jersey, Olise brings a unique vision that has often eluded the French side. With his creativity and López’s scoring talent, both players are key to their teams’ hopes for Olympic gold. Unless someone else puts on a standout performance in the final, it looks like López and Olise are the frontrunners for the tournament’s best player award.