As men’s football at the Paris Olympics approaches the gold medal game, memories are cast back to Olympic finals from previous years,
Just as they did at Euro 2024 earlier in the summer, it is Spain who have made the Olympics final in 2024, as they face off against Thierry Henry’s France for the right to be crowned as gold medal winner at the Paris Games.
With the men’s football teams made up of players aged under 23, the Olympics final represents many young first opportunity to experience tournament glory, while the three qualifying ‘overage’ players on each team may view it as their final chance to be crowned an Olympic gold champion.
In total, there have been 19 nations that have won Olympic gold for football, but who has won it the most? And how many times have Team GB won gold for Olympic men’s football?
Here is the full list of each nation to win gold in Olympics football - including every Team GB win.
1. Mexico 1 (2012)
The South American outfit have won Olympic gold just once, when they beat Brazil at the London 2012 Olympics. | Getty Images
2. Cameroon - 1 (2000)
The African nation took the gold medal in Sydney at the turn of the Millennium, defeat Spain in the final. | AFP via Getty Images
3. Spain - 1 (1992)
Spain were the first host country to win the gold medal in an Olympic football tournament since 1920 when a side featuring a young Pep Guardiola took the gold in Barcelona. As of 2023, Spain is still the last European side that won the gold medal at men's football event in the Summer Olympics - and they repeat the trick with a win in Friday's final. | AFP via Getty Images
4. France - 1 (1984)
France could also lift their second Olympics gold in football with a win in tomorrow's final. Their only other victory came at the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984, where they beat Brazil. | AFP via Getty Images