PARIS — The Olympics opened in Paris a week ago, but neither the men’s nor women’s U.S. soccer teams have seen the Eiffel Tower yet. That could change this weekend when both come to the French capital for quarterfinal matches, the men with Morocco on Friday and the women against Japan on Saturday.
For the men, playing in the Olympic tournament for the first time in 16 years, the trip to the knockout round is just their second since 1956 — before the Olympics became an age-group tournament — while their two wins is already the most ever in the Summer Games.
2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games
“They are a very, very good group. A group that has amazing connections between them,” coach Marko Mitrovic said. “It’s a pleasure to work with them every day. They are so mature. We have a lot of fun, but when it comes to the field they are ready to go full, full.”
The Olympic soccer tournament is a U-23 competition on the men’s side, meaning that the 18-man roster is limited to players born on or after Jan. 1, 2001. Teams are allowed three exceptions to that rule, and the Americans’ overage players have all made massive contributions, with center backs Walker Zimmerman and Miles Robinson anchoring a defense that has conceded just one goal in its last 185 minutes while midfielder Djordje Mihailovic has scored twice.
Forward Kevin Paredes has also scored twice, with both his goals coming in the final group-stage match with Guinea, a 3-0 win that gave the U.S. its place in the knockout round.
“Playing an Olympics for USA is such an honor,” said Paredes, the first U.S. male to score an Olympic brace since Rick Davis in the L.A. Games in 1984. “There’s so much pride that goes into an Olympics for USA so for me to be a part of it is a crazy feeling.”
Added Mihailovic: “This kind of environment is why we play the sport. We hope to be back in the final.”
The U.S., of course, has never been to the final of a men’s Olympic tournament, so it would be impossible for them to be back in the final. In fact, the Americans have never even reached the semifinals, so they would make history with a win over Morocco at Parc des Princes, Paris Saint-Germain’s home on the southwest side of the city.
Morocco’s senior team made a surprising run to the semifinals of the last World Cup in 2022, becoming the first Arab team and first African country to reach final four. The country is on another historic run in Paris with its two wins here — over Argentina and Iraq — matching its total from its other seven Olympic appearances combined.
Friday’s match will mark Morocco’s first in the quarterfinals.
The U.S. women, four-time Olympic champions, have never failed to reach the quarterfinals of their tournament. But they’ve won just one bronze medal in the last 12 years, their longest title drought.
That could change next week because in its first tournament under new coach Emma Hayes, the youthful U.S. team has played with poise and energy, beating 12th-ranked Australia 2-1 on Wednesday to emerge unbeaten from a tough group that included Zambia and fourth-ranked Germany. The U.S. outscored its three opponents by a combined 9-2 in its three wins.
One major difference between this team, the youngest the U.S. has taken to the Olympics since 2008, and the aging squad that was eliminated from last summer’s World Cup in the round of 16, is Mallory Swanson, who sat out the World Cup because of an injury. In France she has keyed a deep attack that leads the tournament in goals, with five players contributing to the scoring.
“We all open each other up,” said Sophia Smith, who has one of those goals. “We all do things that draw defenders in and opens up spaces for each other. I assume it’s probably hard as an opponent to defend a team that has multiple attacking threats in different ways and who bring unique things to the game.
“Obviously we missed Mal so much. She’s just an incredible player. She just brings the energy to this team that we’ve been missing. Mal is a huge piece for us.”