In-form Spain believe they can end a 32-year wait for an Olympic gold in men’s soccer when they face hosts France in today’s final at the Parc des Princes.
Spain want to cap an outstanding summer where the senior and under 19 teams claimed the European championship titles, less than a year after also winning the UEFA Nations League.
Spain coach Santi Denia says his team are aware they are in the perfect position to secure the missing piece from their glittering trophy cabinet.
“We are delighted that we are a benchmark in Europe and the world, it is a job that has been done for years,” coach Denia told a news conference. “We have improved and continued to work, believing in a model of play and a profile of players that represent us.
“If we have been waiting for the gold medal for so many years, it is a challenge and an additional excitement.”
Captain Abel Ruiz echoed his coach words adding is a motivation for the under 23 team having not seen Spain’s title back in 1992 at the Barcelona Games.
“We are motivated, we know that (the gold) is something very important for the country and for us,” Ruiz said.
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“It is something that could be historic and for which we have fought hard, we have been in the training camp for 40 days and it is a lot of effort. We are really looking forward to the final.”
The decider will be not be unfamiliar territory for coach Denia, having led Spain to the finals of the Under-17 and Under-19 Euros, winning both, as well as the Under-21 European Championship and the Under-17 World Cup final.
Denia’s squad is widely considered to be among the most talented group of young players to come through in recent decades, and players like Ruiz, Juan Miranda and Sergio Gomez, are hoping for one last triumph before graduating to the senior ranks.
“It’s exciting after many years in the youth teams to come here to Paris to play in the Olympic final with them,” Ruiz said.
“We have always formed strong groups. The key is to be a good team and in this tournament we have also achieved that.”
